Permit help for Calabasas ADUs
Calabasas ADU Permits and State Review Deadlines
Getting an ADU approved in Calabasas means working with a City ordinance the state has found out of step with California law. We prepare the application, follow the state's review deadlines and answer plan check until the permit is in hand.
Who Issues ADU Permits in Calabasas
Within the city boundary, ADU review belongs to the Calabasas Community Development Department. Two divisions are involved. The Planning Division reviews zoning: placement, height, setbacks and coverage. The Building and Safety Division, located at 100 Civic Center Way, reviews construction drawings and issues the building permit, then sends inspectors during the build.
The local rules are in Municipal Code section 17.12.170, with development standards in a table in section 17.11.170. The ordinance that put them there, No. 2020-382, was adopted in January 2020. In a December 2025 technical assistance letter, HCD noted that the most recent Calabasas ADU ordinance on file with the state dated from 2020 and might be outdated. Five months later it went further.
The 2026 HCD Findings on the Calabasas ADU Ordinance
On May 4, 2026, HCD sent the Community Development Director a findings letter concluding that the City's ADU ordinance does not comply with state ADU law. Among the issues it listed were a separate zoning clearance requirement for ADUs, a ban on selling an ADU separately from the main house, and a standard requiring ADUs to conform to the design of the primary dwelling, which HCD treated as subjective. The City had until June 3, 2026 to respond.
For an owner, the practical meaning is that some local requirements may change, and some may not be enforceable where they conflict with the Government Code. We check the City's current process at the time of submittal, cite the state statute when a local requirement goes beyond what state law permits, and keep the conversation with plan check factual and polite. Most disputes resolve once the code sections are on the table.
State Deadlines for Calabasas ADU Permit Review
State law requires ministerial review of ADU and junior ADU applications, with no discretionary hearing. From the start of 2026, an agency gets 15 business days to rule on completeness, and it has to put any missing items in writing. Once the application is complete and a home already exists on the lot, the agency must approve or deny it within 60 days.
If the answer is no, the applicant is owed a written list of what falls short and how to cure it. There must also be a way to appeal, and the appeal ends in a written decision no later than 60 business days after filing. These sections now sit in Government Code 66310 through 66342, after SB 477 renumbered the old 65852.2 provisions, so older City handouts may cite outdated section numbers.
ADU Permits Outside Calabasas City Limits
Several communities we serve lie outside the city. Woodland Hills and West Hills are part of the City of Los Angeles, where the Department of Building and Safety permits ADUs under the city's ordinance in LAMC 12.22 A.33. Monte Nido is unincorporated Los Angeles County, so county planning and building staff review the work. Bell Canyon is unincorporated Ventura County, which has its own planning and building divisions. Hidden Hills is a separate city with its own permit process and an active community association.
The state's ADU law applies in all of them, including the review deadlines and the 4-foot side and rear setbacks for units up to 800 square feet. The local layers differ: hillside ordinances, fire department review, coastal zone rules in parts of the Santa Monica Mountains, and association approvals. We prepare each submittal for the agency that actually has jurisdiction.
Other ADU Approvals: HOA, Fire and Utilities
The building permit is the main approval, but rarely the only one. Communities with CC&Rs often require architectural review, and state law limits them to reasonable objective standards. Fire department review applies in many hillside and fire zone projects, especially where sprinklers or access are in question. If the project needs a new meter or a bigger electrical service, the water district and Edison each run their own application, separate from the City.
- Zoning review by the Calabasas Planning Division
- Plan check and permit from Building and Safety
- HOA architectural review where CC&Rs require it
- Fire department review on fire zone or sprinklered projects
- Utility applications for new meters or service upgrades
What Our ADU Permit Service Covers
Complete ADU Applications From the Start
We assemble drawings, calculations, forms and reports into one package so the City's completeness review finds nothing missing. A complete first submittal starts the 60-day clock sooner.
Plan Check Responses for Your ADU
When comments come back, we revise drawings and write point-by-point responses. Where a comment asks for something state law does not allow, we cite the code section and explain.
Tracking ADU Review Deadlines
We log submittal dates and follow the 15 business day completeness window and the 60-day decision deadline, so you know where the application stands.
One Contact for Every ADU Approval
City, county, HOA, fire and utility approvals all run through us. You do not have to learn each agency's process or chase separate reviewers for your ADU.
ADU Permits: Build and Finish Photos
ADU Permits and Approvals Across Calabasas
FAQs
Questions About Calabasas ADU Permits
How many weeks does Calabasas take on an ADU permit?
Calabasas gets 15 business days for its completeness check. After that, with an existing house on the parcel, a 60-day window opens for approval or denial. Correction rounds add time, so the quality of the first submittal matters most.
Does Calabasas require a public hearing for an ADU?
No. State law requires ministerial review of ADUs, without a hearing or discretionary approval. Neighbors are not asked to approve the project.
Is the Calabasas ADU ordinance still in effect?
Ordinance No. 2020-382 remained on the books when HCD found it out of compliance in May 2026. The City may amend it in response. Where a local provision conflicts with state law, state law governs, so we check both before submitting.
Who permits ADUs in Bell Canyon and Monte Nido?
Bell Canyon is unincorporated Ventura County, so county agencies issue the permit. Monte Nido is unincorporated Los Angeles County, and LA County reviews ADUs there. Neither is under the City of Calabasas.
What happens if the City denies my ADU application?
The denial must include a written list of the deficiencies and how to fix them. You can revise and resubmit, or use the appeal process the agency must offer, which has to produce a final written decision within 60 business days.
ADU consultation
Get Help With Your Calabasas ADU Permit
Tell us where the property is and what stage your project is in, from first idea to plan check comments. Inside 24 hours you will get a phone call or email from our permit team.
- Design
- Permits
- Construction