ADU Permits & Approvals
Move from a concept to a documented project.
Identify the agency responsible for your parcel before choosing a plan. A mailing city is not always the permitting jurisdiction.
Start a property review →
Prepare the submission
Ask the agency for its current application checklist. Depending on the project, the submission may include site and floor plans, elevations, structural calculations, energy documentation and utility information.
Check the site standards
Discuss setbacks, parking, height, unit size, building separation and fire access with the permitting agency. Verify recorded boundaries and easements. A conversion and new construction can follow different rules; use the HCD handbook and current local guidance for the proposed project.
Track corrections and outside reviews
Keep an organized record of agency comments and revised drawings. Utility, fire, drainage or other reviews may need coordination alongside building plan check. Review time is one stage of the project, not a promise of a move-in date.
Close out the work
Plan inspections into the construction sequence. Keep approved plans and changes available to the team. Confirm required final approvals before using the new space as a dwelling. The free HCD handbook is a useful starting point for state rules.
Start with the California ADU Handbook.
The March 2026 edition covers statewide ADU and JADU planning topics. Download the 55-page PDF free, with no signup required.
Bring the plan back to your property.
Virtual Estimates Available. Share your address and goals to discuss the next step.
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