10 April 2024
ADU PERMIT PROCESS
Thankfully, there is Good News for all ADU Planning Homeowners. California’s permit process for ADUs is lot more streamlined over the Residential dwelling units. Recent legislative reforms are encouraging the residents in adapting to growing ADU popularity. Although streamlined, it is not as simpler as it appears to be. To ease the complexity, the current post, summarizes the steps involved in the permitting process for an ADU.
Thankfully, there is Good News for all ADU Planning Homeowners. California’s permit process for ADUs is lot more streamlined over the Residential dwelling units. Recent legislative reforms are encouraging the residents in adapting to growing ADU popularity. Although streamlined, it is not as simpler as it appears to be. To ease the complexity, the current post, summarizes the steps involved in the permitting process for an ADU.
ADU PERMIT PROCESS
Thankfully, there is Good News for all ADU Planning Homeowners. California’s permit process for ADUs is lot more streamlined over the Residential dwelling units. Recent legislative reforms are encouraging the residents in adapting to growing ADU popularity. Although streamlined, it is not as simpler as it appears to be. To ease the complexity, the current post, summarizes the steps involved in the permitting process for an ADU.
STEPS FOR PERMIT
Step 1 : Plan Submission and City Initial Review.
Step 2 : Clearances and Resubmission.
Step 3 : “Ready to Issue”
Step 4 : Inspect on Site – Compliance.
Step 5 : Issue of Occupancy against Compliances and Fee payment.
How long will it take to get my ADU permit?
STEPS FOR PERMIT
Step 1 : Plan Submission and City Initial Review.
Step 2 : Clearances and Resubmission.
Step 3 : “Ready to Issue”
Step 4 : Inspect on Site – Compliance.
Step 5 : Issue of Occupancy against Compliances and Fee payment.
How long will it take to get my ADU permit?
STEPS – ADU PERMITS
Step 1. Plan Submission and City Initial Review.
Submit the Complete ADU plan set, and permit application to your city’s department of building and safety. Against every application a Plan Checker is assigned, who decides the application completeness, provide comments and issue approval. If all the necessary documentation submitted is thorough then the Plan checker issues application ‘complete’, meaning application is ready for review.
Against finding the application complete*, permit fees ranging between $1,000 – $10,000 depending on the city, size of ADU and the project complexity needs to be paid.
After the plans have been fully reviewed, they are returned with comments and required clearances. As a part of initial review, the Plan Checker confirms if the ADU Design meets the Building code, Safety standards and T-24 guidelines. Further to this, the application is escalated for Clearance from various City departments and Utilities that are involved in the review process.
Step 2. Clearances and Resubmission
The comments received from the Plan checker in his initial review, must be addressed, if need may be minor changes to be done. This may involve working with the building department to sort out any issues identified. Simultaneously coordination for acquiring clearances from suggested departments/ agencies got to begin that the Plan Checker requires to approve the permit set. Each clearance may require a varying level of documentation and review.
⬗ Bureau of Engineering: Assigns clearances for sewer capacity and the ADU’s new address.
⬗ Planning Department: Reviews the site plan to ensure that it conforms with local zoning rules.
⬗ Water Provider: Responsible to issue “Will Serve” and “Fire Flow” letters affirming that your ADU will receive sufficient water (for ground up ADUs, the Water Provider may also require a separate water connection directly from the street to the unit as a condition of providing these letters)
⬗ Power Provider: Guides on any issues regarding construction near power lines or electrical service modifications.
⬗ Historic Preservation District: If the ADU belongs to a historic preservation district, the district’s board may need to approve the design of the ADU and any associated demolition.
Once through, then the permit application needs to be resubmitted for approval. The Plan Checker may then identify additional issues that need to be addressed. Tentatively the 2nd or there after review usually takes not more than a week’s time as the comments received at this stage are usually minor. Once all issues are resolved, the Plan Checker approves the application.
STEPS – ADU PERMITS
Step 1. Plan Submission and City Initial Review.
Submit the Complete ADU plan set, and permit application to your city’s department of building and safety. Against every application a Plan Checker is assigned, who decides the application completeness, provide comments and issue approval. If all the necessary documentation submitted is thorough then the Plan checker issues application ‘complete’, meaning application is ready for review.
Against finding the application complete*, permit fees ranging between $1,000 – $10,000 depending on the city, size of ADU and the project complexity needs to be paid.
After the plans have been fully reviewed, they are returned with comments and required clearances. As a part of initial review, the Plan Checker confirms if the ADU Design meets the Building code, Safety standards and T-24 guidelines. Further to this, the application is escalated for Clearance from various City departments and Utilities that are involved in the review process.
Step 2. Clearances and Resubmission
The comments received from the Plan checker in his initial review, must be addressed, if need may be minor changes to be done. This may involve working with the building department to sort out any issues identified. Simultaneously coordination for acquiring clearances from suggested departments/ agencies got to begin that the Plan Checker requires to approve the permit set. Each clearance may require a varying level of documentation and review.
⬗ Bureau of Engineering: Assigns clearances for sewer capacity and the ADU’s new address.
⬗ Planning Department: Reviews the site plan to ensure that it conforms with local zoning rules.
⬗ Water Provider: Responsible to issue “Will Serve” and “Fire Flow” letters affirming that your ADU will receive sufficient water (for ground up ADUs, the Water Provider may also require a separate water connection directly from the street to the unit as a condition of providing these letters)
⬗ Power Provider: Guides on any issues regarding construction near power lines or electrical service modifications.
⬗ Historic Preservation District: If the ADU belongs to a historic preservation district, the district’s board may need to approve the design of the ADU and any associated demolition.
Once through, then the permit application needs to be resubmitted for approval. The Plan Checker may then identify additional issues that need to be addressed. Tentatively the 2nd or there after review usually takes not more than a week’s time as the comments received at this stage are usually minor. Once all issues are resolved, the Plan Checker approves the application.
PLAN SUBMISSION
CLEARANCES & RESUBMISSION
READY TO
ISSUE
Plan Set for City
Initial Review:
Plan Check
routing:
Time sensitive:
• Initial Review of
submitted Plan
set on Proposed ADU
compliance
• Public Works
• Building & Safety Fire
• Planning
• Water Utility
• Electric Utility
• Permit issued
against Code
compliance and
valid for 12 months.
• Time extension
possible with
inspection
BUILD
OCCCUPANCY
Inspections:
Final Occupancy:
• On Field Compliance is
verified by Inspection
Officers with respect to
codes for final sign off
• Final Sign off by City
• All fees paid and
inspections passed.
Step 3. “Ready to Issue”
Once the application is approved, it’s deemed “Ready to Issue”. As a final step, the building department will verify the general contractor’s insurance, confirm that all outstanding permit fees have been paid, and issue a permit. Now construction can start!
How long will it take to get my ADU permit?
Each city has its own terms of timelines to approve an ADU permit application. A recent California state law now requires all permitting agencies, not just the planning department, to return comments on an ADU application within 60 days — and if they don’t, the project is deemed approved. We think this will reduce ADU permitting timelines, particularly in jurisdictions whose processes are known for being slow.
Step 4. “Ready to Issue”
Post the Permit issue and Contractor insurance verification is done, the ADU gets clearance for Execution. Series of stagewise inspections to be conducted for Code Compliance Check on Field.
Step 5. Final Occupancy
Against clearances of Field inspections and receipt of 100% Permit fee, the Inspector gives final Sign-Off and issues Occupancy Certificate, meaning the ADU is all set for Occupancy.
Conclusion
Despite the recent changes in law to simplify ADU permit and construction, the process is still rather involved. If time is a concern for you and the process seem overwhelming, then reach us, FORTUNE ADU to feel a design build experience to communicate with various city departments and alter design plans.
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