ADU Builder in Beverly Hills, CA: Permits, BHMC Article 50 and Costs

What local rules govern an ADU in Beverly Hills?

Beverly Hills regulates ADUs and JADUs under Title 10, Chapter 3, Article 50 of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code, as stated on the City's Accessory Dwelling Units page on beverlyhills.gov. Ministerial review of every ADU and JADU runs through building permit plan check, and the City instructs applicants to consult a planner before submitting. The City adopted Ordinance No. 26-O-2940 on August 11, 2026 to align the Municipal Code with recent state ADU amendments, and the ordinance became effective on September 11, 2026. Beverly Hills enforces the same state framework that other California cities follow, so California Government Code Sections 66314 through 66342 apply on every Beverly Hills lot, and the City cannot impose rules that undercut the state minimums. Section 66325(a) states that the state ADU approval article supersedes any conflicting local ordinance.

How many ADUs can a Beverly Hills lot have and how large can each be?

The Central Area guide, hosted on beverlyhills.gov, states that a single-family lot can carry up to four units: one JADU, one conversion ADU, one detached ADU under BHMC Section 10-3-5000, and one attached or detached ADU under BHMC Section 10-3-5001. The JADU is capped at 500 square feet, a conversion ADU cannot exceed the enclosed space converted, plus up to 150 square feet of added footprint for required ingress and egress, and a detached ADU under Section 10-3-5000 can use the 800 square foot ministerial envelope the state requires. The Hillside Area guide on beverlyhills.gov raises the detached cap to 1,400 square feet, and the Trousdale guide limits units to 850 square feet for a studio or one bedroom and 1,000 square feet for two or more bedrooms, or the remaining allowable floor area, whichever is less. State Government Code Section 66321(b)(2)(A) and (B) set statewide floors of 850 square feet for a studio or one bedroom detached ADU and 1,000 square feet for a multi bedroom detached ADU that a local ordinance cannot undercut, and Section 66321(b)(3) requires the City to allow at least 800 square feet with 4 foot side and rear setbacks. State Section 66314(d)(5) caps any detached ADU on a lot with an existing or proposed single-family dwelling at 1,200 square feet unless a local ordinance allows more under state floor rules.

What size, height, and setback rules apply to a Beverly Hills ADU?

The Central Area guide, hosted on beverlyhills.gov, sets detached ADU height at 16 feet, or 18 feet within a half mile legal walking distance of a major transit stop or high quality transit corridor, plus an additional 2 feet to accommodate roof pitch consistent with the primary dwelling. Attached ADUs are limited to the underlying zone height or 25 feet, whichever is lower, and Hillside Area detached ADUs are limited to 25 feet. The Central Area guide sets 4 foot side and rear setbacks, and the Hillside Area guide adds a 100 foot minimum front setback for a detached ADU on a through lot. State Government Code Section 66314(d)(7) lets the City clear existing structures and same location rebuilds from the 4 foot setback ceiling, and Section 66321(b)(3) creates the 800 square foot ministerial envelope with 4 foot side and rear setbacks that no local setback rule can preclude. Section 66325(a) states that the state ADU article supersedes any conflicting local ordinance, so the state setback and the 800 square foot floor control over a stricter local siting rule.

What permit process and timeline apply to a Beverly Hills ADU?

Review of every ADU and JADU runs through Beverly Hills building permit plan check, and the City confirms the project specific submittal list with a planner before the file is opened, as stated on beverlyhills.gov. Submittal of a completed ADU Affordability Questionnaire is required for the approval of an ADU, and the questionnaire asks for the intended use and the rent or sales amount of the unit so the City can satisfy the state's annual housing unit reporting requirement. State Government Code Section 66317(a)(3) gives the permitting agency 60 days from receipt of a complete application to approve or deny it, after which the application is deemed approved, and Section 66317(a)(2)(A) requires a written completeness determination within 15 business days. The City adopted the Preapproved ADU Program so a homeowner can pick a plan that is already about 70 percent complete, contract with the listed designer, apply for a building permit, and add the property specific details, which shortens the design phase without changing the 60 day state permit clock that governs plan check. To exceed the by-right height or floor area standards, the City requires a Minor Accommodation Permit under BHMC Section 10-3-3600, and depending on the configuration of the ADU a Hillside R-1 Permit may also be required.

How does AB 2533 legalization work for a pre-2020 unpermitted ADU in Beverly Hills?

The Accessory Dwelling Units page on beverlyhills.gov states that Assembly Bill 2533, which added Government Code Section 66332, was signed on September 28, 2024. The law restricts local agencies from denying a permit for an unpermitted ADU or JADU that was constructed before January 1, 2020 due to noncompliance with applicable building or local ADU standards. The City may still deny a permit application for a property that is deemed substandard under California Health and Safety Code Section 17920.3, and a homeowner can obtain a confidential third party code inspection from a licensed contractor before submitting an application. The City publishes a Substandard Housing Inspection Checklist that identifies conditions considered substandard under Section 17920.3 and related health and safety standards, and the same page confirms that the lot may need a Minor Accommodation Permit under BHMC Section 10-3-3600 and, depending on the configuration, a Hillside R-1 Permit approved by the Planning Commission.

How much does an ADU cost in Beverly Hills?

L Square's configured model prices, published on the L Square cost guide page on lscontractor.com, start at $180,000 for the 600 square foot Model 600, run to $240,000 for the 800 square foot Model 800A and Model 800B, to $295,000 for the 1,000 square foot Model 1000A and Model 1000B, and to $354,000 for the 1,200 square foot Model 1200. The same model prices apply to Los Angeles County cities including Beverly Hills and are the design-build price, not a final project total. Beverly Hills lots often carry an additional grading review for the Hillside Area, additional geotechnical and Title-24 energy work, and possible BHMC Article 50 design review, and L Square quotes those items after the property review. State Government Code Section 66311.5(c)(1) bars the City, any special district, and any water corporation from imposing any impact fee upon an ADU that has 750 square feet of interior livable space or less, and impact fees above that floor are charged proportionately in relation to the square footage of the primary dwelling. State Section 66311.5(b) treats an ADU as not a new residential use for water and sewer connection fees, unless the ADU was constructed with a new single-family dwelling. L Square holds California Contractors State License Board number 1095476 and prepares the submittal package, the Preapproved ADU Program site plan, and the covenant for the City.

Official Beverly Hills ADU sources

• The City of Beverly Hills Accessory Dwelling Units page on beverlyhills.gov states that ADUs in Beverly Hills are regulated under Article 50 of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code, that ministerial review of all ADUs and JADUs occurs through building permit plan check, that ADUs may be optionally rented for periods of 31 days or longer, that ADUs cannot be sold separately from the main residence, and that submittal of a completed ADU Affordability Questionnaire is required for the approval of an ADU. Official source
• The City of Beverly Hills Long Range Planning and Policy Efforts page on beverlyhills.gov states that to align the Beverly Hills Municipal Code with state law requirements the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 26-O-2940 on August 11, 2026, and the ordinance became effective on September 11, 2026. Official source
• The City of Beverly Hills ADU Development Guides page on beverlyhills.gov links to five separate guides that summarize ADU development standards and requirements from the Beverly Hills Municipal Code for the Central Area, the Hillside Area, the Trousdale Estates Area, Incentive Accessory Dwelling Units, and Multi-Family lots. The Central Area guide states that a single-family lot can carry up to four units and that the JADU is capped at 500 square feet. Official source
• California Government Code Section 66317(a)(3) requires the permitting agency to approve or deny a completed ADU or JADU application within 60 days from receipt, and states that if the local agency has not approved or denied the completed application within 60 days, the application shall be deemed approved. Section 66317(a)(2)(A) requires a written completeness determination within 15 business days. Official source
• California Government Code Section 66314(d)(5) limits a detached ADU on a lot with an existing or proposed single-family dwelling to 1,200 square feet of floor area. Section 66314(d)(10) caps required parking at one space per ADU or per bedroom, whichever is less. Section 66314(d)(11) bars a local agency from requiring replacement parking when a garage, carport, or covered parking structure is converted to an ADU. Official source
• California Government Code Section 66321(b)(2)(A) and (B) set statewide minimum floors of 850 square feet for a studio or one bedroom detached ADU and 1,000 square feet for a multi bedroom detached ADU that a local ordinance cannot undercut. Section 66321(b)(3) requires the city to allow a minimum 800 square foot detached ADU with 4 foot side and rear yard setbacks. Official source
• California Government Code Section 66311.5(c)(1) prohibits a local agency, special district, or water corporation from imposing any impact fee upon the development of an ADU that has 750 square feet of interior livable space or less, and requires any impact fees on a larger ADU to be charged proportionately in relation to the primary dwelling square footage. Official source
• California Government Code Section 66313(d) defines a junior accessory dwelling unit as a unit that is no more than 500 square feet in size and contained entirely within a single-family residence. California Government Code Section 66325(a) states that, except as provided in subdivision (b), the ADU approval article shall supersede a conflicting local ordinance. Official source