What it is
A garage conversion turns an existing garage into a living unit, reusing a structure that is already there.
The rules
- An ADU can be created within an attached garage or in a detached garage on the same lot (Government Code §§ 66313(a), 66314(d)(3)).
- A city may not require the lost parking to be replaced when a garage is converted to an ADU (§ 66314(d)(11)).
- An attached garage can also become a junior ADU, since it counts as part of the house for that purpose (§ 66333(d)).
Summarized from the state's ADU Handbook (HCD). Local rules add details; check with your city before designing.
See Junior ADUs (JADUs) in Los Angeles.
By the numbers in Los Angeles
The City of Los Angeles issued 2,657 permits for garage conversions in 2025, 38% of all its ADU permits. That share was 57% in 2020. Of the four ADU types in 2025, garage conversions were the most common, the 2nd fastest to permit and the 2nd lowest in declared value. Permits issued in 2025 took a median of 103 days from application (the middle half took 50–215 days). From permit to the city's final sign-off took a median of about 13 months, and 82% of permits issued from 2020 through 2023 have been signed off as finished. Owners declared a median of $50,000 on permits issued in 2025 (middle half $35,000–$80,000). Declared values understate the full cost.
| Year | Garage conversion permits | Share of ADU permits | Median days to permit | Median declared value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,927 | 57% | 101 | $30,000 |
| 2021 | 2,608 | 52% | 147 | $40,000 |
| 2022 | 3,367 | 48% | 138 | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 2,586 | 43% | 138 | $50,000 |
| 2024 | 2,593 | 40% | 135 | $50,000 |
| 2025 | 2,657 | 38% | 103 | $50,000 |
Where in the San Fernando Valley
The Valley neighborhoods with the most garage conversions (2020 to date) are North Hollywood (809), Reseda (626) and Granada Hills (625). As a share of each neighborhood's ADU permits, they are most common in West Hills (55%), Arleta (55%) and Valley Village (53%).
Practical tips
- Ask a licensed builder whether the existing slab, walls and roof can be kept or must be rebuilt: it changes the scope a lot.
- Plan where the kitchen and bathroom plumbing will connect to the house's lines.
- Garage doors are usually replaced with a wall, windows or an entry door; the design affects light and privacy.
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