ADU Constructionin Beverly Hills, CA
ADU construction in Beverly Hills follows state ADU law plus Article 50 of the Zoning Code, and the City says ADUs that meet its objective standards get no discretionary review. The rules are being amended: the Planning Commission voted on June 11, 2026, and council action is unconfirmed. Confirm sizes with Planning before you design.
Beverly Hills has 6,099 single-family detached homes, the lot type state ADU law is written around, among 16,552 housing units, and 52 percent of all units sit in buildings of five or more. Lots were first sold in 1906 and the first house followed in 1907, while Trousdale Estates, about 410 acres, was built mostly in the 1950s and early 1960s after Paul Trousdale bought the Doheny Ranch in 1956, according to Wikipedia. The Census Bureau puts the median year built at 1958 and says 79 percent of homes predate 1980, so many backyards behind these houses hold garages and sheds from the same decades.
This page covers sizes by area, an amendment that is still moving through the City, garage conversions, extra units, design limits, fees and the job-site rules. The official code host blocked our tools, so Article 50 text comes from a third-party mirror and is the version before the amendment. Confirm the numbers on the City's Accessory Dwelling Units page and with Planning. Price ranges and the phase list are on our ADU construction page.
Beverly Hills Planning and Building rules that apply to ADU construction
Where adu construction permits come from in Beverly Hills: City of Beverly Hills Community Development Department, Building & Safety (Permit Center).
- Beverly Hills' ADU page says discretionary review does not apply to ADUs that meet the objective standards, ADUs cannot be sold separately from the main home, rentals must be 31 days or longer, single-family lots can seek a discretionary Minor Accommodation Permit for height or floor area beyond the objective standards, and an ADU Affordability Questionnaire is required for approval because the state uses it for housing reporting.
- Under Article 50 as read on a third-party code mirror, detached ADUs in the Central Area south of Santa Monica Boulevard may be up to 1,200 square feet and 22 feet tall, and north of Santa Monica Boulevard (25 feet tall) and in the Hillside Area up to 1,400 square feet. In Trousdale Estates the cap is 850 square feet for a studio or one bedroom and 1,000 square feet for more than one bedroom. Side and rear setbacks are at least 4 feet in the Central Area and the primary dwelling's setbacks capped at 4 feet in Hillside and Trousdale. A junior ADU is limited to 500 square feet.
- The Beverly Hills Incentive ADU program allows one additional ADU beyond state law on a single-family lot of 13,000 square feet or more, at up to 800 square feet, and one ADU on the lot must be rented for at least a one-year term. Article 50 also bars rooftop decks on ADUs, caps ADU porches and decks at 3 feet above grade, requires a window sill at least 6 feet above the floor within 10 feet of a side or rear line (or an awning-type window opening no more than 6 inches with translucent glass), and requires one parking space with exemptions such as within half a mile of transit or in a historic district.
- On June 11, 2026 the Beverly Hills Planning Commission unanimously approved an ADU ordinance amendment that would allow up to eight detached ADUs on multifamily lots (not exceeding the existing unit count), drop owner-occupancy for JADUs with independent sanitation, drop covenants for standard ADUs while keeping them for JADUs and the incentive program, extend the window privacy rule to multifamily, and require ADUs converted from landmarked buildings to keep character-defining features. It then goes to City Council, so the Article 50 limits above may change.
- The City filed a CEQA notice on August 17, 2026 for ADU Ordinance Update No. 26-O-2940, which amends the ADU rules to comply with Government Code sections 66310 through 66342. The notice does not list the specific changes, so confirm the adopted text with Planning.
- Beverly Hills' Preapproved ADU Program lists seven detached plans from a 250 square foot studio to a 1,200 square foot two-bedroom, each about 70 percent complete for permitting and reviewed against the 2022 California Building Code, so plans must be updated to the 2025 code in effect since January 1, 2026. The page does not address Hillside or Trousdale lots and says some plans may not suit all sites.
How big can an ADU be in Beverly Hills: Central Area, Hillside Area or Trousdale Estates?
It depends on which area the lot sits in. The figures here are the pre-amendment Article 50 text as read on the mirror. In the Central Area south of Santa Monica Boulevard, a detached ADU can reach 1,200 square feet and 22 feet in height. North of the boulevard the mirror shows a 25 foot height, and the Hillside Area allows up to 1,400 square feet. In Trousdale Estates the cap is 850 square feet for a studio or one bedroom and 1,000 square feet for more than one bedroom. A junior ADU is limited to 500 square feet.
Side and rear setbacks are at least 4 feet in the Central Area, while Hillside and Trousdale lots use the main house's setbacks, capped at 4 feet. State law sets a floor under all of this: Government Code 66321 and 66314 keep a city from capping size below 850 square feet (1,000 with more than one bedroom) and limit side and rear setbacks on new construction to 4 feet. Single-family lots can ask for a discretionary Minor Accommodation Permit for height or floor area beyond the objective standards, according to the City's ADU page.
Build an ADU while Beverly Hills amends its rules: what changed on June 11, 2026 and what is open
On June 11, 2026 the Planning Commission unanimously approved an amendment to the ADU ordinance, the Beverly Hills Courier reported. It would allow up to eight detached ADUs on a multifamily lot, not exceeding the existing unit count, drop owner-occupancy for junior ADUs with independent sanitation, drop covenants for standard ADUs while keeping them for junior ADUs and the incentive program, extend the window privacy rule to multifamily lots, and require ADUs converted from landmarked buildings to keep character-defining features.
A CEQA notice filed August 17, 2026 covers ADU Ordinance Update 26-O-2940, which amends the local rules to comply with Government Code sections 66310 through 66342. It lists no specifics, and we could not confirm that the City Council has adopted anything. Every number on this page may change, so ask Planning which text governs an application filed today and whether your design needs updating.
State clocks apply either way. Since January 1, 2026 an agency has 15 business days to say whether an application is complete and 60 days from a complete application to approve or deny it, and silence means deemed approval under Government Code 66317. ADU approvals are ministerial, with no hearing.
Garage conversion ADU in Beverly Hills: parking, sprinklers and what state law protects
A garage conversion is the state's most protected route. Government Code 66323 makes a city approve an ADU, and a junior ADU, converted inside an existing house or accessory structure such as a garage, with up to 150 square feet added only for entry and exit, and no other objective standards may be piled on. Converting a garage or carport also cannot trigger a replacement parking requirement under Government Code 66322.
Beverly Hills' own Article 50 asks for one parking space per ADU, with exemptions that include a site within half a mile of transit and a historic district. For a conversion the state rule wins. Sprinklers follow the same logic: an ADU does not need them if the main house does not, and the ADU cannot trigger them in the house. We did not read the Fire Department's rules, so ask whether the main house is sprinklered.
Many garages here date from the 1920s through the 1950s. Whether the slab, footings and wall framing can carry a living space is a site-inspection question, and a garage converted without a permit before 2020 may qualify for the legalization path in Government Code 66311.7.
Incentive ADU, junior ADU and multifamily lots: how many units can a Beverly Hills lot hold?
The local Incentive ADU program allows one additional ADU beyond what state law requires on a single-family lot of 13,000 square feet or more, at up to 800 square feet. One ADU on such a lot must be rented for a term of at least one year. State law already lets a lot hold a converted ADU plus a junior ADU in the house, and a new detached unit of up to 800 square feet with 4 foot setbacks, under Government Code 66323.
Selling is the closed door. The City says ADUs cannot be sold separately from the main home, and state law allows only two narrow exceptions: a qualifying nonprofit buyer or a city-adopted condominium ordinance. Rentals must run 31 days or longer under the City's page, while the state text lets a city require terms longer than 30 days. Junior ADUs need owner occupancy only where bathroom facilities are shared, under Government Code 66333, which the pending amendment would also relax locally.
What Article 50 says about windows, decks and rooflines on a Beverly Hills ADU
Article 50 bars rooftop decks on ADUs and caps porches and decks at 3 feet above grade, with no waiver through a minor accommodation. Within 10 feet of a side or rear lot line, a window sill must sit at least 6 feet above the floor, or the window must be an awning type that opens no more than 6 inches with translucent glass. Those rules shape a backyard unit more than its square footage does, and the pending amendment would extend the window rule to multifamily lots.
The City's ADU page says discretionary review does not apply to ADUs that meet the objective standards. That is not the same as saying Central Area Design Review ignores a unit visible from the street or attached to the house, and the City did not address it, so ask Planning. The City's roofing page requires Class A, non-wood roofs, and each structure, including a detached garage or unit, needs its own roofing application. An ADU also needs the City's ADU Affordability Questionnaire for approval.
Preapproved ADU plans, impact fees and utility connections in Beverly Hills
The City's Preapproved ADU Program lists seven detached plans, from a 250 square foot studio to a 1,200 square foot two-bedroom, each about 70 percent complete for permitting. They were reviewed against the 2022 California Building Code, so they must be updated to the 2025 code in effect since January 1, 2026. The page does not address Hillside or Trousdale lots and says some plans may not suit every site.
State law caps what a city can charge. Under Government Code 66311.5, an ADU of 750 square feet or less pays no impact fee (500 for a junior ADU), and above that the fee must be proportional to the main house's size. Utility connection and capacity charges are separate and can still apply, except to a unit converted from existing space. Plan review and permit fees in Beverly Hills depend on project valuation and are worked out at an appointment.
A newly built detached ADU must carry solar panels under the Energy Code, according to HCD's ADU Handbook, and a conversion does not.
From application to final: work hours, hillside grading and fire zone rules on a Beverly Hills ADU
The City's FAQ allows construction Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM, and not on holidays, and Municipal Code 5-1-205 bars permit-required work on Sundays and bars Saturday work inside or within 500 feet of a residential zone without an after-hours permit. On Hillside lots, 10-3-2521 limits combined cut and fill over five years to 1,000 plus one-tenth of the site area in cubic yards, and that count includes retaining walls and foundations. The Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone covers the area north of Sunset Boulevard and a few blocks south of it.
As MDG Builders, CSLB #1040337, we design the unit, file the permits and manage the schedule, while licensed subcontractors do the framing, plumbing and electrical. Planning ranges are 4 to 10 weeks for design and plans, then 3 to 5 months of construction for a garage conversion or 5 to 9 months for a detached unit. Beverly Hills publishes no plan-check time we could verify, so the proposal states what we know and what we do not. Ask each subcontractor for its license number and certificate of insurance.
ADU photos from Beverly Hills and nearby homes
Backyard unit scenes tied to Beverly Hills and the neighborhoods around it, from garage conversions to hillside lots and framing. Tap a photo to enlarge it.
What adu construction costs around Beverly Hills
On the ADU construction page, a garage conversion to a studio or one bedroom runs roughly $100,000 to $200,000, and a new detached unit of 400 to 800 square feet runs roughly $200,000 to $400,000. Those ranges rest on three independent reads: a UC Berkeley survey of Los Angeles County households that completed or applied for an ADU in 2018 and 2019, with a $100,000 median, $90,000 for garages and $180,000 for detached units; a 2020 Terner Center estimate of $148,000 for Los Angeles; and Remodeling magazine's 2025 Cost vs. Value job cost of $178,536, which came back at 39.9 percent on resale. None is a Beverly Hills quote, we found no local price survey, and hillside grading or a fire zone can push a lot higher. The ADU cost guide and the ADU versus JADU guide go deeper, and room addition versus ADU weighs the other route. Other cities apply state law their own way, so compare ADU construction in West Hollywood, Culver City, Santa Monica and Los Angeles. A bathroom in the unit is on our Beverly Hills bathroom page, an attached addition on the Beverly Hills room addition page, and the Beverly Hills area page lists every trade we cover in the city.
| What it covers | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Garage conversion to a studio or one bedroom | $100,000 to $200,000 |
| New detached ADU, 400 to 800 sq ft | $200,000 to $400,000 |
| UC Berkeley survey, Los Angeles County median, 2018 and 2019 projects | $100,000 overall. $90,000 garage. $180,000 detached. |
| Terner Center and Berkeley CCI, 2020 | $148,000 Los Angeles estimate. $167,000 statewide average. |
| Remodeling Cost vs. Value 2025, Los Angeles | $178,536 job cost |
| Electrical and plumbing, Angi Los Angeles, January 2026 | Electrical $2,600 to $7,800. plumbing $3,900 to $10,400. |
| City permit and plan check fees | Not priced here |
Other work we manage in Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills ADU questions, answered
Can I build an ADU in Beverly Hills?
Yes. State law requires approval of qualifying ADUs without a hearing, and the City says ADUs that meet its objective standards get no discretionary review and need a building permit. Local sizes and heights differ by area, and the ordinance is being amended, so confirm the current Article 50 text with Planning before you pay for drawings.
How big can an ADU be in Beverly Hills?
Under the pre-amendment Article 50 text, a detached ADU can reach 1,200 square feet south of Santa Monica Boulevard in the Central Area, up to 1,400 square feet in the Hillside Area, and 850 or 1,000 square feet in Trousdale Estates. A junior ADU is capped at 500. The amendment could change these, so confirm with Planning.
How much does it cost to build an ADU in California?
Our working ranges are $100,000 to $200,000 for a garage conversion and $200,000 to $400,000 for a new detached unit of 400 to 800 square feet. They rest on UC Berkeley, Terner Center and Remodeling magazine data, not a Beverly Hills quote, and a written proposal for your lot sets the real price.
Do I need to provide parking for my ADU?
Often no. Beverly Hills asks for one space, but state law bars replacement parking when a garage or carport is converted, and it waives parking within half a mile of transit, in a historic district, or when the ADU is inside the house or an existing accessory structure. Confirm which exemption fits your lot.
What is the difference between an ADU and a JADU?
A junior ADU is carved out of the existing house, is capped at 500 square feet and needs an efficiency kitchen and a separate entry, while an ADU is a complete unit that can be detached. A JADU requires owner occupancy only where bathroom facilities are shared, under Government Code 66333.
Can I rent out my ADU or sell it separately?
You can rent it, but not sell it separately. The City page says rentals must be 31 days or longer and that an ADU cannot be sold apart from the main home, and the state allows exceptions only for a qualifying nonprofit buyer or a city condominium ordinance. Under the Incentive program, one ADU must have a one-year lease.
How long does it take to get an ADU permit?
State law gives the City 15 business days to call an application complete and 60 days from a complete application to approve or deny it, and silence means deemed approval. Beverly Hills publishes no plan-check time we could verify, so ask Planning, and note that a correction round adds time before the clock stops.
Can you have two ADUs in California?
Yes. State law lets a single-family lot hold a converted ADU and a junior ADU plus a new detached unit of up to 800 square feet, and Beverly Hills' Incentive program adds one more on lots of 13,000 square feet or more. Multifamily lots can hold more, and a pending local amendment would allow up to eight detached units.
Do I need a permit to convert my garage into an ADU?
Yes. A conversion needs a building permit even though it is a protected ADU type, and the city must approve it without a hearing. Expect plans, Title 24 energy documents and inspections. A garage converted without a permit before 2020 may use the state's legalization route.
Tell us about your Beverly Hills ADU plans
Tell us which part of town the lot is in, its approximate size, whether you are converting a garage or building new, and whether the house is in a hillside or fire zone, and the first visit will start from there.