Building an ADU in Long Beach
City code and California law · Last reviewed October 9, 2026
Long Beach has no local ADU ordinance right now, so it reviews every ADU and junior ADU strictly under California's state ADU law. On a single-family lot you can usually add one converted ADU, one new detached ADU and one junior ADU. Plans go in person to the Permit Center on a USB drive, and pre-approved designs can be approved over the counter. [1][2][3]
| ADUs allowed | Yes, on lots with an existing or proposed single-family or multifamily home, under state ADU law [1][2] |
|---|---|
| Local ADU ordinance | None in effect; the city applies state law directly [1] |
| Detached ADU max size | 800 sq ft in the city's bulletin (state guidance says 1,200 sq ft where no local ordinance applies; ask Planning) [2][4] |
| Attached ADU max size | 50% of the house or 800 sq ft, whichever is more [2] |
| Junior ADU | Up to 500 sq ft, inside the house or an attached garage; not allowed on multifamily lots [1][2] |
| Height (detached) | 16 ft; 18 ft near major transit; up to 20 ft to match a sloped house roof [2] |
| Side and rear setbacks | 4 ft for new construction (rear measured to alley centerline); keep existing setbacks for conversions [2] |
| Parking | None near transit, in the Parking Exempt Area, in a historic district, for conversions, or for JADUs [2] |
| Owner occupancy | Not for ADUs; for a JADU only if it shares a bathroom with the house [1][4] |
| Impact fees | None on ADUs of 750 sq ft interior livable space or less under state law [4] |
| Approval deadline | Completeness notice within 15 business days; decision within 60 days of a complete application [4] |
| Short-term rental | Not allowed in ADUs or JADUs [9] |
On this page
What you can build in Long Beach
Long Beach does not have an adopted local ADU ordinance. The city's old ADU section (LBMC 21.51.276) no longer applies, and Long Beach reviews all ADUs and junior ADUs strictly under state ADU law until a new local ordinance is adopted. See our California page for the state rules.
On a single-family lot you can have one ADU converted from existing space, one new detached ADU, and one junior ADU (JADU).
On a multifamily lot you can add:
- Up to 2 detached ADUs if the apartment building is proposed.
- Up to 8 detached ADUs, or the number of existing permitted units if fewer, if the building already exists.
- ADUs converted from non-living space in the building: 1, or 25% of the existing units, whichever is more.
No JADU is allowed on a lot with a multifamily building. Every ADU or JADU must be at least 150 sq ft. Start with the city's Planning ADU Bulletin, which the city asks you to review before applying. [1][2]
Size, height and setbacks
Size. The city's bulletin lists these limits for a single-family lot:
- Converting part of the house: no size limit.
- Converting a garage or other accessory building: no size limit, plus up to 150 sq ft added only for entry and exit.
- Attached addition: 50% of the house or 800 sq ft, whichever is more.
- New detached ADU: 800 sq ft.
State housing agency guidance says that where a city has no compliant ADU ordinance, the maximum for a new detached ADU is 1,200 sq ft of interior livable space. Long Beach's bulletin lists 800 sq ft. If you want a detached ADU larger than 800 sq ft, ask the Planning Bureau which limit applies. The city measures ADU size to the interior walls, and lot coverage, open space and floor area ratio rules don't apply to these ADUs.
Height. A new detached ADU can be 16 feet. It can be 18 feet if you are within a half-mile walk of a major transit stop or high-quality transit corridor, plus up to 2 more feet to match a sloped roof on the house. Check the SB 9 Parking Exemption and ADU Height Exception Map. An attached ADU can be 25 feet and 2 stories, or the zoning height limit if lower. Conversions keep the existing height.
Setbacks. New construction needs 4 feet at the rear (measured to the center of an alley, if there is one) and 4 feet at the side, or less if your zone allows less. Front setbacks follow your zone, but an ADU of up to 800 sq ft may encroach into the front yard if it can't fit anywhere else. Conversions keep the existing building's setbacks.
Building code can require more. Building and Safety says an ADU must meet the stricter of the zoning setback or the building code's fire separation distance, which ranges from 0 to 5 feet depending on walls, windows and sprinklers. In the city's example, a wall needing 5 feet of fire separation must sit 5 feet from the line even though zoning asks for 4. [2][4][5]
Parking
No parking is required for an ADU if any of these apply:
- It is within a half-mile walk of any transit stop (see the ADU Parking Exemption Map).
- It is in the city's Parking Exempt Area or a historic district.
- It is converted from part of the house or an accessory building.
- On-street permits are required on your street but not offered to the ADU tenant.
- It is within a half-mile of a car-share vehicle.
For the permit and car-share exemptions, you must show proof. JADUs never need parking. If none of these fit your lot, ask the Planning Bureau what parking applies. [2]
Fees
Long Beach updated its fee schedule effective October 1, 2026. The city says that for most construction projects you can expect about 2% of building costs to go to plan checks, permits, inspections and other agency fees.
Plan check. For a house-type building (Group R-3) the combination plan check fee is 85% of the building permit fee, at least $154. Zoning plan check is 0.5% of project valuation (minimum $310) for projects up to $750,000. See the fee schedules page.
Impact fees. The city's development impact fee schedule lists ADU rates of $241.74 (fire), $1,781.39 (parks) and $342.86 (police) per unit, and a sewer capacity fee of $144.34 where more sewer capacity is needed. State law bars impact fees on an ADU with 750 sq ft of interior livable space or less and requires proportional fees above that, so ask the city how these apply to your unit at devimpactfees@longbeach.gov.
School fees. The city's schedule sends you to lbschools.net/developerfees for current school impact fees. Under state law, ADUs and JADUs under 500 sq ft of interior livable space are not subject to school impact fees.
Utilities. You decide whether the ADU shares the house's utility services or gets its own meters, and different requirements may apply either way. For typical costs see our ADU cost guide. [4][5][6][7][8]
How long it takes
Under state law, the city must tell you in writing within 15 business days whether your application is complete. It must then approve or deny the ADU within 60 days of receiving a complete application when there is an existing home on the lot.
After you pay plan check fees, a planner and an engineer review your plans at the same time, and you get written corrections. Some ADUs qualify for over-the-counter review, but not projects in a historic district, in the coastal zone, or with major structural engineering. Pre-approved ADU plans can be approved over the counter, and the permit can be issued the same day. You can track progress on the Plan Check Status page. See our ADU permit process guide. [1][3][4]
Coastal zone and historic districts
In the coastal zone, every ADU or JADU needs an administrative Local Coastal Development Permit, with no public hearing. The city's bulletin says to file it together with the building permit application, while its ADU page says to get it before you submit; ask Planning which applies. In a historic district or at a landmark property, you need a Certificate of Appropriateness, also with no hearing.
If you are in either area or unsure about other local rules, the city asks you to send the Planning and Zoning Inquiry Form. [1][2][3]
Garage conversions and junior ADUs
Garage conversions. Converting a permitted garage keeps its existing height and setbacks, and you can add up to 150 sq ft only for entry and exit. You need a complete set of construction documents, including details and an energy report. You don't need a licensed architect or engineer if the work fully follows the city's IB-010 prescriptive wood-frame rules. Pre-approved ADU plans can't be used for conversions. An unpermitted garage must first be legalized; if it can't be, the ADU must meet new-construction setbacks. More in our garage conversion guide.
Junior ADUs. A JADU is up to 500 sq ft, made from existing space inside a single-family home or an existing attached garage, with no additions. It must have its own kitchen and either its own bathroom or a shared one in the house. A JADU that shares a bathroom and has access to the house doesn't need its own outside entrance. The owner must live in the house or the JADU only if the JADU shares a bathroom. A JADU can't be a short-term rental and, if rented, must be rented for more than 30 days. See our junior ADU guide. [1][2][4][5]
Lot splits and SB 9 homes
On an R-1 (single-family) lot with no more than one existing house, SB 9 lets you build a second main home, attached or detached. You don't need a lot split to do this. Unlike an ADU, an SB 9 unit is a primary home, so it pays the same impact fees as any new house, even under 750 sq ft. Check zoning on the Zoning and Land Use Map.
An SB 9 urban lot split can divide an R-1 lot into two, with the smaller lot at least 40% of the original. You apply for a Tentative Parcel Map with an owner-occupancy affidavit. The city is updating its lot split rules to match state law. See the city's ADU and SB 9 page and our SB 9 guide. [1][5]
Renting it out
State law bars cities from requiring you to live on a property with an ADU. You can rent your ADU long-term, but Long Beach's short-term rental rules (stays of 30 days or less) say ADUs and JADUs are not qualified units and may not be operated as short-term rentals. ADUs also don't count toward the number of units a property can register. The city is reviewing its short-term rental ordinance. [4][9]
Backyard Builders loan program
The city's Backyard Builders Program offers a loan of up to $250,000 at 2% interest for 30 years, with payments deferred for the life of the loan. A city project manager helps with design, permitting and construction. Round 2 applications are scheduled for November 1-30, 2026.
To qualify you must own and live full-time in a single-family home (one unit on the property) in a state-designated program area, have a credit score of at least 620, and earn under the state's low-income limit (for example, $133,250 for a household of four in 2026). The ADU must be under 500 sq ft, single-story, and rented for at least 30 days at a time if rented. For other options see our ADU financing guide. [10]
Permit steps in Long Beach
Check zoning and special areas
Look up your zoning on the Zoning and Land Use Map and read the Planning ADU Bulletin. If you are in the coastal zone or a historic district, or unsure, send the Planning and Zoning Inquiry Form. [1][3]
Get plans drawn or pick a pre-approved design
Hire a designer, or buy a pre-approved (PAADU) plan from its designer for new construction. A garage conversion needs a complete plan set with an energy report. [3][5]
File coastal or historic approvals
In the coastal zone, file an administrative Local Coastal Development Permit; in a historic district, a Certificate of Appropriateness. Neither needs a hearing. [2]
Submit in person at the Permit Center
Book an appointment and bring your application and complete plans as PDFs on a USB drive. Plan check fees are due the same day. [1][11]
Plan review and corrections
A planner and an engineer review your plans at the same time and send written corrections. Resubmit to both reviewers and track progress on the Plan Check Status page. [1]
Get your permit
When plans are approved, Building and Safety emails a ready-to-issue notice. Pay permit fees and pick up the permit in person at the Permit Center. [1]
Build and schedule inspections
Schedule an inspection online at each phase of construction. Phone requests for inspections are not accepted. [1]
Pre-approved and sample plans
Pre-Approved ADU Program (PAADU)
Designs such as an 800 sq ft two-bedroom and a 415 sq ft one-bedroom that can be approved over the counter with a same-day permit; new construction on single-family zoned lots only. [1][3][5]
Who to call
-
Zoning and development standards for ADUs, SB 9 units and lot splits (phone line open Monday-Thursday)
411 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802
-
Long Beach Building and Safety Bureau / Permit Center
Building code questions, pre-approved ADU plans, plan submittal and permits
411 W. Ocean Blvd., 2nd Floor, Long Beach, CA 90802
-
City ADU loan and project management for eligible homeowners
Questions people ask
Does Long Beach have its own ADU ordinance?
Not right now. The city says its old ADU code section no longer applies and it reviews all ADUs and JADUs strictly under state ADU law until a new local ordinance is adopted. [1][2]
How big can a detached ADU be in Long Beach?
The city's Planning bulletin lists 800 sq ft for a new detached ADU on a single-family lot. State housing agency guidance says 1,200 sq ft is the maximum where a city has no compliant ordinance, so if you want more than 800 sq ft, ask the Planning Bureau. [2][4]
Can I submit ADU plans online in Long Beach?
No. Plans and permit applications must be submitted in person at the Permit Center, as PDFs on a USB drive, and plan check fees are due the same day. The Permit Center encourages you to book an appointment. [1][5][11]
Can I Airbnb my ADU in Long Beach?
No. The city's short-term rental rules say ADUs and JADUs are not qualified dwelling units and may not be operated as short-term rentals of 30 days or less. [9]
Does Long Beach have pre-approved ADU plans?
Yes. The PAADU program has designs such as an 800 sq ft two-bedroom and a 415 sq ft one-bedroom. You get the plans from the designer, changes are generally not allowed, and they work only for new construction on single-family zoned lots. [1][3][5]
Do I need parking for an ADU in Long Beach?
Often not. No parking is needed within a half-mile walk of transit, in the Parking Exempt Area or a historic district, for conversions, or for JADUs. Check the city's ADU Parking Exemption Map. [2]
Sources (11)
- Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), City of Long Beach Community Development Department. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Planning ADU Bulletin: Accessory Dwelling Units Review and Approval per State ADU Law, City of Long Beach Community Development Department. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Pre-Approved Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Program, City of Long Beach Community Development Department. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Accessory Dwelling Unit Handbook (March 2026), California Department of Housing and Community Development. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- FAQ-001: Accessory Dwelling Units and Two-Unit Residential Developments (SB 9), City of Long Beach Building and Safety Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Community Development Fee Schedules, City of Long Beach Community Development Department. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Building Plan Review & Permit Fees (effective 10/1/2026), City of Long Beach Building and Safety Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Development Impact Fees (effective 10/1/2026), City of Long Beach Building and Safety Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Short-Term Rentals (STR), City of Long Beach Community Development Department. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Backyard Builders Program, City of Long Beach Housing and Neighborhood Services. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Permit Center, City of Long Beach Community Development Department. Accessed October 9, 2026.