In short
- 202 ADU permits since 2018.
- 25 in 2025, down 42% from 2024.
- Typical permit time: 119 days from application to permit (median of 163 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 | 5 | — | — |
| 2019 | 7 | — | — |
| 2020 | 27 | — | — |
| 2021 | 29 | — | — |
| 2022 | 47 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 19 | — | — |
| 2024 | 43 | — | — |
| 2025 | 25 | — | — |
“—” means the source for that year does not report ADU type.
Read more: ADU types explained
ADU rules in La Habra
State law check: HCD found the city's 2021 ADU ordinance out of line with state law (April 8, 2022). The city replaced it in August 2025; HCD hasn't posted a review of the new one.
| Rule | La Habra's code | State law guarantees |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum size | Detached: 1,200 sq ft. Attached: 850 sq ft (0 to 1 bedroom) or 1,000 sq ft (2+ bedrooms), and no more than 50% of the house. No cap inside the house. 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 | The same height limit as a main house in the zone. | 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. Detached ADUs 10 ft from other buildings, waived to allow an 800 sq ft ADU. None for conversions. | No more than 4 ft side and rear; none for conversions of existing space. |
| Parking | 1 space unless the ADU is a studio or exempt (transit, historic district, inside existing space, permit parking, car share, built with a new home). No replacement parking. | 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, with a deed restriction. | 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 ADU and one junior ADU. State-law combinations: a conversion ADU plus a junior ADU, or a new detached ADU up to 800 sq ft 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 | 31 days or more, for ADUs and junior ADUs. | No guarantee: cities may require rentals of more than 30 days, and junior ADUs can't be short-term rentals. |
- Lots with a Southern California Edison easement need an approved SCE encroachment agreement before the city accepts the application.
- ADUs use the house's roof style, and a street-facing side needs at least three listed architectural features.
- The city offers a pre-approved ADU plan.
Where local rules conflict with state law, state law controls. Sources: La Habra Ordinance CC 2025-05, LHMC 18.12.150 (August 4, 2025) · HCD findings (April 8, 2022); 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior ADU (JADU) | too few to say | 3 | |
| Unclassified | 118 | 0 – 231 | 160 |
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 119 ADU permits La Habra reported issuing from 2020 through 2023, 67 (56%) have a completion reported to the state. For those, the median time from permit to completion was 9 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 La Habra? Feature your business on this page.
Questions about ADUs in La Habra
How many ADUs have been permitted in La Habra?
Public records show 202 ADU permits in La Habra from 2018 through 2025. 25 in 2025, down 42% 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 La Habra?
Among the 163 ADU permits in La Habra with both dates recorded, half were issued within 119 days of the application; the middle half took 0 to 227 days. That includes plan-check corrections and resubmittals, not just the review itself.
Can I build an ADU on my property in La Habra?
California law allows ADUs on most lots with a house, including in La Habra, 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 La Habra?
Apply with the City of La Habra's Community and Economic Development Department, which offers a pre-approved ADU plan. 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.