What's Required in Long Beach
- State ADU law applies directly; LBMC 21.51.276 no longer applies and Planning IB-PZ-001 summarizes the standards
- Detached new ADU up to 800 sq ft with 4 ft side and rear setbacks, 16 ft (18 ft near transit) is ministerial; attached ADUs up to 50 percent of the home or 800 sq ft, 25 ft or 2 stories
- Conversions have no size limit and keep existing setbacks; JADU up to 500 sq ft with owner occupancy only if the bathroom is shared
- One combination building permit covering building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work on a single-family lot; in-person submittal with plan check paid the same day
- Valuation minimum $175.92 per sq ft for new construction and $105 per sq ft for conversions (IB-077); combination permit is 150 percent of the building fee
- Impact fees exempt at 750 sq ft or less; LBUSD school fee of $5.38 per sq ft on ADUs over 500 sq ft; C&D $230 review fee and refundable deposit on new construction
- Coastal Zone lots need an administrative Local Coastal Development Permit; historic districts need a Certificate of Appropriateness, both filed with the building application
- Fire separation of 0 to 5 ft under CRC R302 or the zoning setback, whichever is more restrictive; sprinklers only if the main house has them
- Permit holder is a CSLB-licensed contractor with a Long Beach business license or the homeowner under IB-029; work must start within 90 days
What Are the ADU Rules in Long Beach?
Long Beach has no local ADU ordinance in force: LBMC 21.51.276 no longer applies and the city administers state ADU law directly, summarized in Planning Information Bulletin IB-PZ-001. On a single-family lot you may build one conversion ADU, one new detached ADU and one junior ADU. A detached new ADU is ministerial at up to 800 square feet with side and rear setbacks of no more than 4 feet, at 16 feet in height, or 18 feet within a half mile of major transit plus 2 feet to match the house's roof pitch. An attached ADU may be 50 percent of the primary dwelling or 800 square feet, whichever is more, up to 25 feet or two stories; a conversion of the house or a garage has no size limit and keeps its existing setbacks and height. A JADU is up to 500 square feet inside the house or attached garage, with owner occupancy required only if it shares a bathroom. No lot coverage, open space or floor area ratio limits apply, and no parking is required near transit, in a historic district, or for a conversion or JADU. The city must decide a complete application within 60 days.
Long Beach ADU Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Garage or accessory building conversion on a single-family lot | Combination building permit; over-the-counter review; prescriptive plans need no design professional | IB-002; ADU FAQ Q9; IB-PZ-001 Table 1 |
| New detached ADU up to 800 sq ft, 4 ft side and rear setbacks, 16 ft tall (18 ft near transit) | Ministerial combination building permit under state law | IB-PZ-001 Tables 1-3; Gov. Code 66323 |
| Detached ADU built from a city Pre-Approved ADU plan | Over-the-counter review; permit can issue the same day | IB-068; PAADU page |
| Attached ADU or addition to the house | Combination building permit; up to 50% of the home or 800 sq ft; 25 ft or 2 stories | IB-PZ-001 Tables 1-2 |
| Junior ADU up to 500 sq ft inside the house or attached garage | Building permit; owner occupancy only if the bathroom is shared | IB-PZ-001; Gov. Code 66313 |
| Lot in the Coastal Zone | Administrative Local Coastal Development Permit filed with the building application | IB-PZ-001 |
| Lot in a historic district or landmark property | Certificate of Appropriateness filed with the building application | IB-PZ-001 |
How Much Does an ADU Permit Cost in Long Beach?
An ADU on a single-family lot is filed as one combination building permit covering building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work, priced on valuation. IB-077 sets the minimum at $175.92 per square foot for new Type VB construction and $105 per square foot for converting unconditioned space. The combination permit is 150 percent of the building permit fee ($786 plus $10 per $1,000 above $50,000; $1,264 plus $6 per $1,000 above $100,000). Plan check is 85 percent of the building fee, the zoning plan check is 0.5 percent of valuation with a $310 minimum, the NPDES stormwater review adds $2 per $1,000 plus 75 percent of that for plan check, and every application adds the $115 processing fee, small state fees and a records fee of 5 percent of the permit fee. New construction also pays the C&D program's $230 review fee and a refundable deposit of 3 percent of value with a $1,712 minimum.
Worked examples: a 400-square-foot garage conversion is valued at $42,000, so the building fee is $683, the combination permit $1,025, plan check $581, zoning plan check $310, and the city total is about $2,089. A 600-square-foot new detached ADU is valued at $105,552, so the building fee is $1,300, the permit $1,950, plan check $1,105, zoning $528, NPDES $212 plus $159, and with processing, state, records and C&D review fees the total is about $4,416 plus a refundable $3,167 deposit. An 800-square-foot ADU ($140,736) runs about $5,229. State law bars impact fees on an ADU of 750 square feet or less; above that the city's ADU rates ($241.74 fire, $342.86 police, $1,781.39 parks) apply proportionally, and the school district charges $5.38 per square foot on ADUs over 500 square feet. The City Council approved a new fee schedule on September 8, 2026, effective October 1, 2026; check the posted schedule after that date.
How the ADU Permit Process Works in Long Beach
Start with Planning: confirm the zoning and whether the lot is in the Coastal Zone or a historic district, which add an administrative Local Coastal Development Permit or a Certificate of Appropriateness filed with the building application. Then submit in person at the Permit Center with APP-001, the plan set as PDFs on a USB drive, and APP-015 for the address, paying plan check that day; online submittal is not offered for ADUs. A Planner and an Engineer review concurrently; approval brings a ready-to-issue email. Garage conversions and Pre-Approved ADU plans get Over-the-Counter review, with same-day PAADU permits. Prescriptive garage-conversion plans under IB-010 need no architect or engineer; new construction needs a full IB-045 set, an energy report, and a fire separation of 0 to 5 feet from property lines under CRC R302, or the zoning setback if that is more restrictive. Fire sprinklers are required only if the house has them. Contractors need a CSLB license and a Long Beach business license; a homeowner may pull the permit under IB-029. Work must start within 90 days.
How to Get a ADU Permit in Long Beach
Check Planning first
Read IB-PZ-001 for size, height and setback tables, confirm the zoning, and find out whether the lot is in the Coastal Zone or a historic district, which add an LCDP or Certificate of Appropriateness.
Choose the design path
Use a city Pre-Approved ADU plan for same-day over-the-counter review, draw a prescriptive garage conversion under IB-010, or hire a design professional for custom new construction with an IB-045 plan set and energy report.
Submit in person and pay plan check
Bring APP-001, APP-015 for the address, and the full plan set as PDFs on a USB drive to the Permit Center; plan check fees are due that day and a Planner and Engineer review concurrently.
Answer corrections and pay the permit
Resubmit to both reviewers, then book a ready-to-issue appointment. Expect about $2,089 for a 400 sq ft garage conversion or $4,416 for a 600 sq ft new ADU, plus the refundable C&D deposit.
Build with inspections
Request each inspection online by 3 p.m. the day before; a separate fire permit is needed only if sprinklers are required. Start within 90 days and finish within two years.