ADU rules in Long Beach

On a single-family lot the city allows one detached new-construction ADU, in addition to one conversion ADU and one JADU. On a multifamily lot detached ADUs are allowed up to 8 or the number of existing permitted units, whichever is less (2 with a proposed multifamily dwelling), and they may be new construction, conversions of accessory buildings, or conversions with additions. The bulletin states: 'At a single-family lot, one conversion ADU and one detached new construction ADU can be permitted, in addition to one JADU.' From January 1, 2027, Gov. Code 66323 as amended by AB 956 (Chapter 791, Statutes of 2026) allows two detached new-construction ADUs on a single-family lot under the state-exempt pathway.

An attached new-construction ADU (an addition to the existing primary dwelling) is allowed at up to 50 percent of the primary dwelling's size or 800 sq ft, whichever is more; an attached ADU built with a proposed single-family dwelling has no size limit. Conversions of space inside the primary dwelling or an attached accessory building are allowed with no size cap. On multifamily lots, conversions of existing attached non-habitable space are allowed (1 ADU or 25 percent of the existing units, whichever is more), with no additions.

These are the city bulletin's Table 1 figures, and ADU living area is measured to the interior walls; no lot coverage, open space or floor area ratio standards apply. The 800 sq ft detached figure is the bulletin's application of the state-exempt category in Gov. Code 66323(a)(2)(A). A city with no local ordinance must act on ADU applications 'pursuant to this article' (Gov. Code 66320), and that article's general standards cap a detached ADU at 1,200 sq ft (66314(d)(5)), so a detached unit between 800 and 1,200 sq ft may be approvable; the bulletin does not address it, so confirm with the Planning Bureau before designing one.

No owner-occupancy requirement applies to ADUs: Gov. Code 66315 bars one, and the city applies state ADU law directly. For a JADU, the bulletin says 'Owner occupancy of the single-family dwelling or the JADU only is required if the JADU shares a bathroom with the primary dwelling', which matches the shared-sanitation rule in Gov. Code 66333(b).

The exemption list comes from the bulletin, which links city maps of the transit and parking-exempt areas; the exemptions also apply to an ADU filed together with a new house or apartment building. The one-space cap, the tandem allowance and the bar on replacement parking come from Gov. Code 66314(d)(10) and (11), and 66322 lists the statewide exemptions; the city applies them because it reviews ADUs under state law.

Ministerial. With no local ordinance, Gov. Code 66320 requires the city to 'approve or disapprove the application ministerially without discretionary review pursuant to Section 66317'. The city must decide on completeness within 15 business days and approve or deny within 60 days of a complete application. In the Coastal Zone the city requires an administrative Local Coastal Development Permit with no hearing; Gov. Code 66329 keeps it on the same 60-day concurrent track. A historic district or landmark site needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, also with no hearing. Pre-approved (PAADU) plans can be approved over the counter with the building permit issued the same day, but projects in the Coastal Zone or a historic district cannot use over-the-counter review.

The Short-Term Rentals chapter states: 'Accessory dwelling units (ADU) and junior accessory dwelling units (JADU) are approved for residential use but are prohibited from use as a STR', and a registration requires that 'The dwelling unit shall not be an accessory dwelling unit, a junior accessory dwelling unit' (ORD-25-0001, 2025). Gov. Code 66323(e) and 66333(g) require rental terms longer than 30 days for state-exempt ADUs and JADUs, and 66314(d)(1) bars separate sale except under Article 4. The bulletin itself is silent on rentals.