Pre-approved ADU plans in California
Every pre-approved ADU plan set A-du has found on California city and county websites, copied as published and checked weekly.
California Government Code section 65852.27, added by AB 1332 (2023), asks each city and county to run a program for pre-approving ADU plans and to post approved plans on its website. A detached ADU built from a plan approved under the current building code cycle gets a decision within 30 days of a complete application. Read the section itself on the California Legislative Information site.
No state agency publishes one list of these programs, so A-du keeps one. Each page below shows the plans one agency publishes, exactly as that agency describes them, with a link to the official page and the date we last checked it.
A-du is not affiliated with HCD or any city or county. This page copies what each agency publishes about its pre-approved ADU plans and links to the official page. Check the agency's page before you rely on anything here. Nothing on this page is legal advice.
Cities and counties
- City of Beverly Hills: 7 plans
- City of Chula Vista: 6 plans
- City of Escondido: 4 plans
- City of Imperial Beach: 1 plan
- City of Los Angeles: 26 plans
- City of Monterey Park: 6 plans
- County of San Diego (unincorporated): 6 plans
- City of San Marcos: 6 plans
More cities and counties are added as their pages are checked. If your city publishes pre-approved ADU plans and it is not listed here, email build@a-du.homes.
Getting a plan permitted
A pre-approved plan still needs a building permit for your lot. For free plans published by a California city or county, A-du offers an optional flat-fee permitting service. It is performed by Chris Koss, AIA (California license C-39677), who owns A-du, so A-du has a financial interest in it. You can always take a free plan straight to your building department instead. Open any plan on A-du Build to see what applies to it.