The short answer
Of the 21,796 ADU permits the City of Los Angeles issued from 2020 through 2023, 82% have been signed off as finished, 1.4% expired or were cancelled, and 16% are still open: issued at least two years ago but not signed off. Few ADU projects fail outright; the ones that stall mostly stay open.
What became of each year's permits
| Year issued | Permits | Signed off | Still open | Expired or cancelled | Closed, other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,390 | 86% | 12% | 1.0% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 5,090 | 84% | 14% | 1.3% | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 7,150 | 81% | 17% | 1.8% | 0.5% |
| 2023 | 6,166 | 78% | 20% | 1.4% | 0.3% |
| 2024 | 6,414 | 72% | 28% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2025 | 6,952 | 51% | 49% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Recent years are still being built, so a high “still open” share there is normal. The older years show which projects stalled. “Closed, other” covers every other status, such as closed without a final sign-off.
By neighborhood
Among the San Fernando Valley's Los Angeles neighborhoods, the largest shares of permits issued before 2024 still open are in Encino (22%), Pacoima (20%) and Canoga Park (20%); the smallest are in Sunland-Tujunga (10%), Valley Village (12%) and Lake Balboa (12%).
Approved, but never permitted
Some projects stall before the building permit. Across Ventura County, 1,080 ADU projects approved from 2018 through 2023 had no building permit reported by 2025. Over 2018–2025, the most are in Oxnard, Unincorporated Ventura County and Thousand Oaks. The state's reports only link an approval to its later permit when a city reports both the same way, so some of these may have been permitted under a separate record.
Why projects stall
Permit records show what happened, not why. They don't record a project's budget, financing, design changes or disputes, so this page doesn't guess at causes.
Keeping yours on track
- Line up the full budget and financing before the permit is issued, not after.
- Keep inspections moving: a permit can expire if work stops, so ask your city about its expiration and extension rules before you pause.
- Get a written schedule and payment plan tied to finished work.
- Choose the builder carefully: see how to choose an ADU builder.
- Know what a normal timeline looks like: see how long ADUs usually take to build.
Search your address on the map →