Key findings
- 54% of all new ADU permits the City of Los Angeles issued from 2020 to 2025 were in the San Fernando Valley (18,824 of 34,835).
- Valley ADU permits went from 1,910 in 2020 to 3,751 in 2025.
- Granada Hills grew fastest among the larger neighborhoods: 93 permits in 2020, 265 in 2025.
- Garage conversions were 60% of Valley ADU permits in 2020 and 37% in 2025; junior ADUs went from 6% to 15%.
- Detached ADUs issued in 2025 took a median of 138 days from application to permit, down from 244 days for those issued in 2022.
- Median permit time ranged from 84 days in West Hills to 180 days in Shadow Hills and Lake View Terrace (all ADU types).
ADU permits issued in the Valley, by year
| Year | Valley | All of Los Angeles | Valley share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,910 | 3,355 | 57% |
| 2021 | 2,822 | 5,022 | 56% |
| 2022 | 3,606 | 7,023 | 51% |
| 2023 | 3,220 | 6,081 | 53% |
| 2024 | 3,515 | 6,405 | 55% |
| 2025 | 3,751 | 6,949 | 54% |
What kind of ADUs
| Share of Valley ADU permits | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garage conversion | 60% | 52% | 47% | 42% | 39% | 37% |
| Detached ADU | 20% | 25% | 28% | 28% | 30% | 29% |
| Attached ADU | 8% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 13% | 15% |
| Junior ADU (JADU) | 6% | 9% | 11% | 15% | 16% | 15% |
Types are classified automatically from permit descriptions; a few percent each year are unclassified.
How long permits take
| Median days, application to permit | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garage conversion | 80 | 126 | 106 | 103 | 101 | 72 |
| Detached ADU | 184 | 240 | 244 | 202 | 172 | 138 |
| Attached ADU | 104 | 176 | 162 | 147 | 149 | 125 |
| Junior ADU (JADU) | 89 | 120 | 103 | 67 | 62 | 64 |
By the year the permit was issued. Applications open more than three years are left out.
What owners declared as cost
| Median declared valuation | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garage conversion | $30k | $40k | $50k | $50k | $50k | $50k |
| Detached ADU | $108k | $110k | $112k | $120k | $108k | $113k |
| Attached ADU | $30k | $35k | $46k | $50k | $65k | $70k |
| Junior ADU (JADU) | $20k | $25k | $35k | $30k | $30k | $35k |
Declared permit valuations (single-ADU permits only) often understate real construction cost.
By neighborhood
| Neighborhood | 2020 | 2025 | 2020–2025 | Garage conversions | Median days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Hollywood | 141 | 331 | 1,732 | 43% | 150 |
| Reseda | 153 | 257 | 1,265 | 45% | 116 |
| Granada Hills | 93 | 265 | 1,189 | 45% | 114 |
| Northridge | 108 | 240 | 1,114 | 37% | 122 |
| Woodland Hills | 109 | 218 | 1,103 | 40% | 117 |
| Van Nuys | 102 | 166 | 860 | 44% | 136 |
| West Hills | 97 | 174 | 823 | 57% | 84 |
| Winnetka | 68 | 154 | 801 | 53% | 104 |
| Sylmar | 75 | 158 | 794 | 48% | 125 |
| Valley Glen | 69 | 132 | 766 | 49% | 127 |
| Sunland-Tujunga | 81 | 166 | 755 | 47% | 138 |
| Sherman Oaks | 63 | 145 | 709 | 44% | 141 |
| Sun Valley | 82 | 150 | 700 | 38% | 150 |
| Pacoima | 91 | 114 | 698 | 39% | 136 |
| Lake Balboa | 81 | 138 | 693 | 49% | 125 |
| Arleta | 57 | 100 | 540 | 56% | 110 |
| Tarzana | 59 | 105 | 535 | 41% | 128 |
| Encino | 56 | 105 | 531 | 31% | 149 |
| North Hills | 55 | 117 | 525 | 45% | 108 |
| Panorama City | 58 | 75 | 491 | 49% | 118 |
| Mission Hills | 43 | 77 | 403 | 54% | 112 |
| Canoga Park | 44 | 78 | 395 | 48% | 104 |
| Studio City | 30 | 77 | 359 | 42% | 162 |
| Shadow Hills and Lake View Terrace | 28 | 65 | 301 | 28% | 180 |
| Chatsworth | 26 | 61 | 287 | 35% | 126 |
| Valley Village | 28 | 43 | 276 | 52% | 149 |
| Toluca Lake | 8 | 29 | 143 | 48% | 166 |
| Porter Ranch | 5 | 11 | 36 | 50% | — |
Median days shown where there are at least 50 timed permits. Neighborhoods with their own page are linked.
About this data
- Source: City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety permits (data.lacity.org), 2020 onward. Counted: permits that create an ADU or junior ADU, excluding expired or cancelled permits, each in the year it was issued.
- “Valley” means the 28 Valley neighborhoods on this site, which follow Los Angeles Neighborhood Council areas. Separate cities in the Valley (Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando, Calabasas, Hidden Hills) are not included here; see their pages.
- Public-record permit data only — not zoning, feasibility, or legal advice. Records may be incomplete, delayed, or mis-categorized. Check with your city planning department.
Reporters: the figures are free to cite and reuse with credit and a link to this page, under CC BY 4.0. Questions: [email protected].