Encino ADU: Regulations, Costs & Permits

ADU Regulations & Building Requirements

A Homeowner's Guide to Regulations & Building an ADU in Encino

Encino is a City of Los Angeles neighborhood, so LADBS handles ADU permits under LA's rules. What sets Encino apart is south of the boulevard: hillside lots near Mulholland can fall under a scenic parkway review, parts of the neighborhood are in a very high fire zone, and the oaks Encino is named for are protected. We've built here, including the Encino Courtyard ADU.

LADBS ADU Page

City of LA rules that apply in Encino

Who permits it: Encino is part of the City of Los Angeles, so LADBS issues ADU permits, submitted online through ePlanLA. City Planning steps in when a specific plan, the Coastal Zone, or a historic overlay requires its sign-off.
Two tracks: LA sorts ADUs into State ADUs (such as conversions, JADUs, and a detached unit up to 800 sq ft with 4 ft side and rear setbacks), which skip local standards, and Ordinance ADUs, which follow the city's own ADU ordinance.
Timeline: state law gives the city 15 business days to decide an application is complete and 60 days to approve or deny it.
Standard Plan Program: LADBS pre-approves privately designed ADU plans. You license a plan, add site-specific drawings, and LADBS reviews only zoning, foundation, and clearances for your lot.
Fees: no impact fees at 750 sq ft of living space or less, and ADUs are exempt from the city park fee and affordable housing linkage fee. LAUSD school fees apply above 500 sq ft.
Renting: a new detached ADU is generally not rent-stabilized, but adding one to a pre-1978 house can bring that house under the RSO. New ADUs outside the RSO generally fall under the Just Cause Ordinance. Home-sharing is only allowed if the ADU is the host's own primary residence.

The Mulholland Scenic Parkway review

Encino sits in the Encino-Tarzana Community Plan Area, and lots near Mulholland Drive can fall inside the Mulholland Scenic Parkway Specific Plan. The Inner Corridor covers the Mulholland right-of-way plus 500 ft; the Outer Corridor extends to half a mile. If your lot is inside:

Preliminary review first: meeting with Mulholland staff is mandatory before you file.
Which review: additions over 900 sq ft (counted cumulatively since 1992) go to the Mulholland Design Review Board. Smaller projects may get an Administrative Clearance, unless the lot is within 200 ft of parkland, 50 ft of a prominent ridge, or 100 ft of a mapped stream.
Ridges and streams: the city's ADU clearance template bars ADUs on top of a prominent ridge visible from Mulholland and limits grading within 100 ft of a stream.
Height near the road: on upslope Inner Corridor lots, structures visible from Mulholland are held to 15 ft within the first 100 ft.
Driveways: no new driveways onto Mulholland Drive.
Caveat: the city's template predates recent state law, which exempts State ADUs from local standards, so how far it reaches today is worth confirming with Mulholland staff.

Fire zone and hillside lots

Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone: LAFD lists parts of Encino in the zone. New ADUs there follow the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, need an LAFD hydrant and access clearance, and the property needs year-round brush clearance within 200 ft of structures.
Fire plus hillside rule: LA's ordinance restricts ADUs on lots that are in both the fire zone and a Hillside Area, and Encino isn't one of the exempt areas. Under the city's current guidance the rule can't be applied to State ADUs, and for Ordinance ADUs its sprinkler, parking, and street conditions can't be enforced, though dedications may still be required.
Hillside Area: hillside parcels follow LA's Baseline Hillside Ordinance for floor area, grading, and height. Street widening generally can't be required for an ADU.
Check your lot: look up your parcel in ZIMAS for Hillside, fire zone, and specific plan status before designing.

Oaks and the Ventura corridor

Protected trees: Encino was named for its spreading oaks. Native oaks (other than scrub oak), black walnut, western sycamore, bay laurel, elderberry, and toyon are protected at 4 inches of trunk diameter. Removing or working near one needs an Urban Forestry permit, with 4 to 1 replacement. A tree survey before siting the ADU saves redesigns.
Ventura-Cahuenga Boulevard Corridor Specific Plan: its Encino segment runs from the 405 to Lindley Avenue and mainly governs commercial frontage, but check ZIMAS if your lot touches the corridor.
No historic overlay: none of LA's 35 HPOZs is in Encino.

The state baseline

State law sets the floor everywhere in California: cities must allow at least an 800 sq ft, 16 ft tall ADU with 4 ft side and rear setbacks, can't require replacement parking when a garage is converted, and can't charge impact fees on units under 750 sq ft. Local ordinances build on that floor, which is what the rest of this page covers.

Encino ADU FAQ

Does my Encino ADU need Mulholland review?

Only if your lot is inside the Mulholland Scenic Parkway Specific Plan, within about half a mile of Mulholland Drive. Then a preliminary staff review is mandatory, and larger additions go to the Design Review Board.

Can I build an ADU on an Encino hillside lot in a fire zone?

Usually yes. LA's fire plus hillside restriction can't be applied to State ADUs, such as a detached unit up to 800 sq ft, but expect wildfire construction rules and brush clearance.

Will oak trees affect my Encino ADU?

Often. Native oaks with a 4 inch trunk are protected in LA, and removing one or building near it needs an Urban Forestry permit.

Who issues ADU permits in Encino?

LADBS, through ePlanLA. Encino is part of the City of Los Angeles.

Sources

Last checked September 2026. ADU rules change often, so confirm current requirements with LADBS (Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety) before you finalize a design.