In short
- 1,270 ADU permits on record, nearly all since 2019.
- 265 in 2025, down 5% from 2024.
- Typical permit time: 172 days from application to permit (median of 34 permits with both dates recorded).
About this data
- Source: California HCD Housing Element Annual Progress Reports. The state data does not say whether an ADU is detached, attached, a garage conversion or a JADU, so most records show as 'unknown'. Permit valuations are not published in this source. Timelines use the application date the city reported to the state, matched to the permit where possible; some cities report their planning application date, so timelines can include planning review. Each project is counted once, in its building-permit year (or completion year when no permit date was reported).
- Anaheim reported the building-permit date as the application date for most of its ADUs from 2020 to 2025, so approval times for those years can't be measured from the state reports and are left out.
Permits by year
Permits by year and type (table)
| Year | All ADU permits | Garage conversions | Detached |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 (partial records) | 1 | — | — |
| 2018 | 16 | — | — |
| 2019 | 36 | 0 | 2 |
| 2020 | 96 | 8 | 1 |
| 2021 | 159 | 8 | 5 |
| 2022 | 173 | — | — |
| 2023 | 244 | — | — |
| 2024 | 280 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 265 | 0 | 0 |
“—” means the source for that year does not report ADU type.
Read more: ADU types explained
ADU rules in Anaheim
State law check: HCD found the city's 2024 ADU ordinance out of line with state law (March 24, 2025). The city has amended it since, and HCD told it to stop requiring road dedications for ADUs (May 8, 2026).
| Rule | Anaheim's code | State law guarantees |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum size | Detached: 1,200 sq ft. Attached: 50% of the house or 1,200 sq ft, whichever is less (studio or 1 bedroom at least 850 sq ft, 2+ bedrooms 1,000 sq ft). Junior ADU 500 sq ft. | At least 850 sq ft (1,000 sq ft with 2+ bedrooms) must be allowed; an 800 sq ft detached ADU always is. Conversions of existing space have no size cap. Junior ADU: up to 500 sq ft. |
| Height | Detached: 18 ft plus 2 ft for roof pitch, or the house's height, whichever is greater. Attached: the zone's limit. | Detached: at least 16 ft (18 ft within ½ mile of transit, plus 2 ft for a matching roof). Attached: 25 ft or the zone's limit, whichever is lower. |
| Setbacks | 4 ft side and rear; front per the zone. A detached ADU can't sit closer to the street than the house's front wall (garage conversions excepted); over 800 sq ft, 10 ft from the house. | No more than 4 ft side and rear; none for conversions of existing space. |
| Parking | None for a studio; 1 space with 1 or more bedrooms, unless exempt (transit, historic district, inside existing space, permit parking, car share). No replacement parking for a converted or demolished garage. Junior ADU: none. | At most 1 space; none within ½ mile of transit and in several other cases. No replacement parking when a garage is converted. |
| Owner living on site | None for ADUs. Junior ADU that shares a bathroom: the owner lives on site, with a recorded covenant. | None for ADUs. A junior ADU that shares a bathroom with the house requires the owner to live in one of them. |
| How many on a single-family lot | One conversion ADU, one new ADU and one junior ADU, with no more than 4 units on the lot in all. | One ADU converted from existing space, one junior ADU and one new detached ADU (up to 800 sq ft). From January 1, 2027: two new detached ADUs (a city then needn't allow a junior ADU on that lot). |
| Short-term rentals | Junior ADU or the house: 30 days or more. The ADU section sets no minimum term for ADUs. | No guarantee: cities may require rentals of more than 30 days, and junior ADUs can't be short-term rentals. |
- ADU Express: qualifying single-family lots can finish ADU review in 1 to 3 days, and the city offers pre-approved ADU plans.
- HCD's May 8, 2026 letter says the city may not require street dedications or road improvements as a condition of an ADU permit.
- No ADUs on lots that used an SB 9 lot split, or in areas the City Council finds lack sewer capacity.
- Lots with a National or California Register building or a Mills Act contract follow extra design rules.
Where local rules conflict with state law, state law controls. Sources: Anaheim Municipal Code 18.38.015 · Anaheim Municipal Code 18.42.030 (ADU parking) · HCD findings (March 24, 2025) · HCD letter (May 8, 2026); HCD's list of review letters; California ADU rules. Verified Oct 5, 2026. Rules change and every lot is different: confirm with the city before you design.
How long permits take
| Type | Median days, application to permit | Middle half | Permits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached ADU | too few to say | 2 | |
| Attached ADU | not reported | ||
| Garage conversion | not reported | ||
| Junior ADU (JADU) | not reported | ||
| Unclassified | 172 | 0 – 308 | 32 |
Middle half: the range covering the middle 50% of permits (a quarter were lower, a quarter higher).
Read more: How long ADUs take to build
From permit to completion
Of the 672 ADU permits Anaheim reported issuing from 2020 through 2023, 507 (75%) have a completion reported to the state. For those, the median time from permit to completion was 10 months.
The state reports don't record expired or cancelled permits, and a completion the city hasn't reported looks the same as an unfinished project, so the share is a floor. Years with incomplete reports are left out.
What neighbors declared as cost
Cost data (declared permit valuations) is not published for this area in these sources.
Read more: How to choose an ADU builder
An ADU builder serving Anaheim? Feature your business on this page.
Questions about ADUs in Anaheim
How many ADUs have been permitted in Anaheim?
Public records show 1,270 ADU permits in Anaheim through 2025, nearly all since 2019. 265 in 2025, down 5% from 2024. These counts come from the city's reports to the state, which place a project in its completion year when no permit date was reported.
How long does an ADU permit take in Anaheim?
Among the 34 ADU permits in Anaheim with both dates recorded, half were issued within 172 days of the application; the middle half took 0 to 294 days. That includes plan-check corrections and resubmittals, not just the review itself.
Can I build an ADU on my property in Anaheim?
California law allows ADUs on most lots with a house, including in Anaheim, but what you can build depends on your lot, local rules and utilities. This site shows permits, not eligibility. See California ADU rules.
Where do I apply for an ADU permit in Anaheim?
Apply with the City of Anaheim's Planning and Building Department, which offers pre-approved ADU plans and an ADU Express review that can finish in 1 to 3 days for qualifying single-family lots. Official ADU page.
How current is this?
- State annual progress reports: through 2025 (published once a year)
How our data works · Download the data · Free to reuse with credit to SoCal ADU Tracker (socaladutracker.com), under CC BY 4.0.