How long does ADU permitting take in Los Angeles in 2026?

The headline number depends entirely on whether you use a custom design or an LADBS Standard Plan. The two paths produce very different timelines and very different fee envelopes.

The ranges below are the planning path. For what the record actually shows, we measured 50,655 public permit records from Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle: in Los Angeles the typical ADU or garage conversion permit takes 109 days from submission to issue, the fastest quarter clear in 50 days, the slowest quarter take 207, and 1 in 5 never issues at all. Check your own city and project type in the permit timeline tool.

Custom design permit path: 4 to 8 months

• Pre-submittal site walk and zoning check: 1 to 2 weeks
• Architectural plans, structural engineering, Title 24 energy compliance: 6 to 10 weeks
• Initial LADBS submittal and 15-business-day completeness review (mandatory under Gov. Code 66317): about 3 weeks
• First plan check round: 4 to 8 weeks
• Revisions and resubmittal (typically 2 to 3 rounds): 4 to 12 weeks
• Final permit issuance and fee payment: 1 to 2 weeks

LADBS Standard Plan path: 3 to 4 weeks

The LADBS ADU Standard Plan Program offers 20-plus pre-approved designs (studios, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, in detached and attached configurations). Plan check is bypassed because the design has already cleared review. The homeowner pays a plan modification fee and provides a site-specific plot plan. Issuance typically lands inside 4 weeks.

The statutory clock, and where it actually starts

• LADBS must issue a written completeness determination within 15 business days of submittal (Gov. Code 66317)
• Once the application is complete, the City has 60 days to approve or deny, and the application is deemed approved if it does not (Gov. Code 66317)
• The 60 days runs from a completed application, not from the day you submitted, and it is tolled for any delay you request. That gap is why a measured submission-to-issue wait runs longer than 60 days without the City breaking the law
• Local agencies cannot require utility hookup fees beyond the proportionate share for ADUs sharing service with the primary dwelling
• Fee schedules must be published with sufficient detail to estimate total project fees in advance

What SB 1211 changed (effective January 1, 2025)

• A lot with an existing multifamily dwelling can now have up to eight detached ADUs, or as many as there are primary units on the lot, whichever is fewer. The previous cap was two
• A local agency cannot require replacement parking when an uncovered parking space is demolished or replaced to build an ADU
• The statute now defines "livable space" for ADU purposes as space intended for human habitation: living, sleeping, eating, cooking, or sanitation
• SB 1211 did not create the 15-business-day completeness rule. That sits in Gov. Code 66317

How to shorten the timeline

1. Use a Standard Plan if your lot accommodates one. The 3-month time savings is usually worth the design constraint.
2. Submit a complete package the first time. Missing energy calcs, missing soils report on sloped lots, or missing site survey are the top three causes of completeness rejection.
3. Pay for an LADBS expediter consultation if you have a constrained or hillside lot. The $1,500 to $3,000 fee typically saves one plan-check round.
4. Start LADWP service upgrade application the day you submit, not the day permits issue. Service upgrades run 8 to 14 weeks in parallel.