The short answer
If an ADU or junior ADU on your property was built without permits before January 1, 2020, Los Angeles now has a penalty-free amnesty to permit it under state law AB 2533. The unit doesn't have to meet today's building code: it may meet either current code or the codes in effect when it was built, and the Energy Code doesn't apply. The city explains it in Information Bulletin P/BC 2026-161 (effective July 15, 2026).
It's being used: at least 50 Los Angeles ADU permits issued through Oct 31, 2026 cite AB 2533.
Who qualifies for the streamlined path
- The unit was built before January 1, 2020, meets the state's definition of an ADU or JADU, and is on a lot zoned for residential use.
- It is not: in a building with a basement or more than one story; on a slope steeper than 5:1; in an Alquist-Priolo fault, landslide or liquefaction zone; attached to an apartment or commercial building; built of something other than light-frame construction; or closer than 3 feet (sprinklered) or 5 feet (not sprinklered) to another building on the lot. Those projects follow Information Bulletin P/BC 2026-150 instead and may need full plans.
Proving when it was built
At least one of: a Rent Stabilization Ordinance registration certificate; contractor bills or material receipts; utility bills or insurance documents for the unit; code enforcement records (such as an Order to Comply); a signed and dated lease; real estate documents (loan papers, appraisal, MLS listing); or other documents the department accepts.
The steps
- Optional, confidential check first. You may have a California-licensed contractor inspect the unit against the city's substandard checklist (Form AB2533-01). The results are for you and don't have to be given to LADBS.
- Apply online through ePlanLA or in person by appointment, with a work description that cites AB 2533, a site plan (Form AB2533-02), the standard notes (Form AB2533-03), proof of age, and records for the permitted buildings on the lot. The plan check fee is paid when you submit.
- Plan check and clearances. Every project needs Bureau of Engineering sewer and address clearances; the Fire Department reviews hydrants and access; LADWP reviews units in or near a utility easement.
- Permit and inspection. An inspector checks the unit against the checklist and may ask for covered work to be exposed. Anything flagged must be fixed before final approval.
- Certificate of occupancy after the final inspection and clearances.
Fees and setbacks
- No impact fees, connection or capacity charges unless utility work is needed for health and safety (the city names the Residential Development Fee and the Dwelling Unit Construction Tax). School fees still apply to units over 500 square feet.
- The unit may keep its existing setbacks, even if they don't meet today's rules.
What state law adds
- A city can't deny a permit for an unpermitted ADU or JADU built before 2020 because of building code violations or noncompliance with ADU rules, unless correcting the problem is needed for health and safety; it also can't penalize the applicant (Government Code § 66311.7).
- If you receive a notice to correct violations for such an ADU, you can ask the city to delay enforcement for five years; it must agree if the fix isn't needed for health and safety. New delays can be approved only until January 1, 2030 (Health and Safety Code § 17980.12).
Built in 2020 or later?
The amnesty doesn't cover it: it needs a regular ADU permit. See the state's ADU rules. LADBS's ADU page has the city's process.
Summarized from the city's bulletin and program page and the statutes. Check the current bulletin before you apply: programs are revised.
Search your address on the map →