In short
- 69 ADU permits since 2018.
- 13 in 2025.
- Typical permit time: 207 days from application to permit (median of 36 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).
Permits by year
Permits by year and type (table)
| Year | All ADU permits | Garage conversions | Detached |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 6 | — | — |
| 2019 | 9 | 0 | 2 |
| 2020 | 11 | 0 | 4 |
| 2021 | 16 | 0 | 7 |
| 2022 | 4 | — | — |
| 2023 | 6 | — | — |
| 2024 | 4 | — | — |
| 2025 | 13 | — | — |
“—” means the source for that year does not report ADU type.
Read more: ADU types explained
Not counted above: 27 approved projects with no building permit reported yet.
ADU rules in Dana Point
State law check: HCD found the city's ADU rules noncompliant several times and issued notices of violation (December 10, 2024 and August 13, 2025), saying the city refused to apply state law. The city adopted a rewrite (Ord. 26-07) on September 15, 2026, which HCD hasn't reviewed; state law governs where they differ.
| Rule | Dana Point's code | State law guarantees |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum size | Locally regulated ADU: 850 sq ft (1 bedroom or less) or 1,000 sq ft (2+ bedrooms); attached ADUs 50% of the house, but at least 800 sq ft. State-law detached ADU: 800 sq ft. Conversions: no cap. 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: 16 ft (18 ft near transit or with a multistory apartment building, plus 2 ft for roof pitch). Attached: 25 ft or the zone limit, 2 stories. | 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; none for conversions. The zone's front setback, unless it would block an 800 sq ft ADU. | No more than 4 ft side and rear; none for conversions of existing space. |
| Parking | 1 space per ADU, unless exempt (transit, historic district, inside existing space, car share, built with a new home); none for studios or junior ADUs. | 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: the owner lives in the house or the junior ADU, unless it has its own bathroom. | 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 | A converted ADU and a junior ADU, plus one new detached ADU up to 800 sq ft. Locally regulated: one ADU plus a junior ADU. | 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 | 30 days or more. | No guarantee: cities may require rentals of more than 30 days, and junior ADUs can't be short-term rentals. |
- Coastal Zone (Coastal Overlay District): an ADU needs a coastal development permit and a conditional use permit, under the Local Coastal Program's older "second dwelling unit" rules (reinstated as Section 9.07.210 by Ord. 26-08).
- No roof decks or balconies on an ADU.
- On listed blocks with nonconforming parking (parts of Capistrano Beach, Doheny Village and others), locally regulated ADUs need a Site Development Permit.
- The city has no pre-approved ADU plans.
Where local rules conflict with state law, state law controls. Sources: Dana Point Ordinance 26-07, Zoning Code 9.07.212 (September 15, 2026) · Dana Point Ordinance 26-08, Coastal Zone rules (September 15, 2026) · HCD notice of violation (August 13, 2025); 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 | 5 | |
| Attached ADU | too few to say | 6 | |
| Junior ADU (JADU) | too few to say | 2 | |
| Unclassified | 245 | 112 – 356 | 23 |
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 35 ADU permits Dana Point reported issuing from 2020 through 2023, 26 (74%) have a completion reported to the state. For those, the median time from permit to completion was 13 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 Dana Point? Feature your business on this page.
Questions about ADUs in Dana Point
How many ADUs have been permitted in Dana Point?
Public records show 69 ADU permits in Dana Point from 2018 through 2025. 13 in 2025. 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 Dana Point?
Among the 36 ADU permits in Dana Point with both dates recorded, half were issued within 207 days of the application; the middle half took 114 to 333 days. That includes plan-check corrections and resubmittals, not just the review itself.
Can I build an ADU on my property in Dana Point?
California law allows ADUs on most lots with a house, including in Dana Point, 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 Dana Point?
Apply with the City of Dana Point's Planning Division for an ADU permit through the city's eTRAKIT portal, then a building permit. 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.