Learn about the Garage Conversion requirements in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and get price quotes for ADU design, permitting and construction on ADU Marketplace.
Many local homeowners are looking to make the most of their unused space by adding a garage conversion or other type of additional dwelling unit. Many properties in Los Angeles are now zoned to add garage conversions in existing space, providing an opportunity for homeowners, in effect, to become micro real estate developers. The unit must be designed to meet Los Angeles’s zoning and building codes in order to be permitted for construction.
The general design requirements for building a garage conversion in Los Angeles are summarized below:
Garage Conversion: Technically referred to as an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU).
Minimum Lot Size: ADU projects on single-family or multi-family residential properties will not be subject to the minimum lot size of the underlying local zoning code or by special ordinance. ~ AB-68
Maximum Unit Size: Detached New Construction: • FAR requirement of the Zoning District (allowed 800 sq. ft. even if FAR requirements are not met). • 1,000 sq. ft. Attached New Construction: • FAR requirement of the Zoning District (allowed 800 sq. ft. even if FAR requirements are not met. • 50% of primary unit floor area or 800 sq. ft., whichever is greater, with a maximum of 1,000 sq. ft. Conversion of existing space: • Expansion of up 150 sq. ft. to accommodate ingress and egress. (For accessory structures only.) JADU: • 500 square feet
Parking Exception: Properties located within 0.5 miles of walking distance from a public transit station are exempt from additional parking requirements. (state-mandated)
Exterior Design: An ADU shall be designed and constructed so as to blend with and complement the existing single-family unit in terms of height, roofing, siding materials and color.
Approval Timeline: Under state law, the city must approve or deny any permit application in 60 days or less.
The timeline to complete a garage conversion design, permit and remodel project is typically more than 12 months. Go to your city zoning page to learn more about the requirements in Los Angeles and take the first steps to get started with your project.