ADU Builder in Glendale, CA: Permits, Costs and Local Rules

What are Glendale's ADU rules?

Glendale Municipal Code Section 30.34.080 governs ADUs, and the city says the code controls wherever its summary page differs. On a lot with one existing home you can add two units. A Junior ADU must sit inside legally permitted space in the main house and is capped at 500 sq ft, with an efficiency kitchen, its own entrance and either its own bathroom or shared facilities. The second unit can be a garage or guest house conversion, an attached or detached new build, or space converted inside the house, up to 1,000 sq ft. An attached ADU over 800 sq ft cannot exceed half the floor area of the main house. At 800 sq ft or less the main standards are a 4 ft setback from interior lot lines, a separate entrance, a bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen. Height is capped at 25 ft for an attached ADU and 16 ft for a detached one, with a higher limit near major transit. Above 800 sq ft the zone's normal limits on floor area, lot coverage and landscaping apply, a parking space is required unless the lot qualifies for an exemption, and a unit over 850 sq ft needs a second bedroom. Rooftop decks are not allowed.

How does the Glendale ADU permit process work?

Glendale no longer requires a separate ADU planning clearance before the building permit. You apply for the building permit directly, and the city makes the applicant responsible for confirming the design meets the zoning code first, so a planner screening before drawings are final is worth the time. The city also makes you responsible for clearing the project with Glendale Water and Power, which matters because an ADU or a garage conversion cannot sit on a utility easement. Once the application is complete, Gov. Code 66317(a)(3) gives the city 60 days to approve or deny it, and an application left unanswered past that point is deemed approved. The clock starts only when the city accepts the application as complete, so the real schedule depends on how clean the first submittal is.

What fees does a Glendale ADU pay?

Glendale adopted a new citywide fee schedule on June 23, 2026. Many fees took effect July 1, 2026, and others on July 23 or August 22, 2026, so a fee quoted before July can be out of date. ADUs under 750 sq ft do not pay the city's development impact fee, which the city puts at about $5,000. Utility work is billed separately by Glendale Water and Power. We price the permit and utility line items from the current schedule for your address rather than from an older project.

How much does an ADU cost in Glendale?

L Square publishes configured model prices: $180,000 for Model 600, $240,000 for Models 800A and 800B, $295,000 for Models 1000A and 1000B, and $354,000 for Model 1200. These are model prices, not a final total for your lot. Grading on a sloped Glendale lot, a longer sewer or water run, a new electrical service, and the fee items above are priced after a site review. A garage conversion or a Junior ADU inside the house is priced from a property specific scope.

What should you confirm before building in Glendale?

Check three things before design is final. First, ask Glendale Water and Power whether any easement crosses the spot you want to build on. Second, if the house is historic, exterior changes for the ADU must not be visible from the street and must not alter a defining historic feature unless that would block the ADU entirely. Third, confirm which version of the ADU ordinance applies on the day you submit. HCD found parts of the city's ordinance out of line with state law, and under an October 3, 2025 agreement the city committed to amendments covering cases such as ADUs above detached garages. Ask the planner whether those amendments are in effect.

Official Glendale ADU sources

• Glendale Municipal Code Section 30.34.080 governs ADUs: up to 1,000 sq ft (Junior ADU 500 sq ft), a 4 ft interior setback at 800 sq ft or less, 16 ft detached height, no impact fee under 750 sq ft, and a second bedroom over 850 sq ft. Official source
• A separate ADU planning clearance is no longer required before the building permit, and applicants must obtain Glendale Water and Power clearance. Official source
• Glendale adopted a new citywide fee schedule on June 23, 2026, with fees taking effect July 1, July 23 or August 22, 2026. Official source
• A permitting agency must approve or deny a complete ADU application within 60 days or it is deemed approved. Official source
• HCD and Glendale signed an agreement on October 3, 2025 for ADU ordinance amendments after Ordinance No. 6034 was adopted December 3, 2024. Official source