Pre-approved ADU plans

A pre-approved ADU plan is a design that LADBS has already reviewed for compliance with applicable building, residential, and green code requirements. The property itself still requires site-specific review for items such as zoning and foundation requirements.

They can be. Because the standard building design has already been reviewed, LADBS states that using an approved Standard Plan reduces plan-check time and can result in faster permit issuance. California law also establishes an expedited review timeline for qualifying detached ADUs using pre-approved plans.

No. Pre-approval applies to the standard design, not to the property where it will be built. LADBS still reviews site-specific conditions, including zoning and foundation requirements, before the plan can be approved for a particular property. 

Limited modifications may be possible depending on the plan and proposed changes. Changes can require additional design work and City review, so we recommend discussing any desired modifications before preparing the site-specific permit package.

The biggest time savings comes from starting with architectural and structural design that has already gone through the City’s standard-plan review instead of developing those portions from scratch. LADBS specifically identifies reduced plan-check time and faster permit issuance as benefits of its Standard Plan Program. 

Our full-service option includes the pre-approved plan documents, preparation of the site-specific permit package, required project coordination, and City submittal and plan-check coordination. We manage the permitting process so you don’t have to navigate the City submittal on your own.

No. A pre-approved plan has already been reviewed as a standard design, but it still needs to be approved for the specific property where it will be built. LADBS reviews site-specific zoning, foundation, and other applicable requirements before issuing the project permit.