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Southern California · November 14, 2026

Guides & forms

Free pre-approved ADU plans for Southern California

Some cities and counties in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego publish free, pre-approved or permit-ready accessory dwelling unit plan sets on their official sites. The cards below lead with Moreno Valley's seven city-approved plans and link each official PDF we could load. We do not re-host the files, and we do not list designer-owned catalogs that are sold or licensed separately.

By Dr. Hamid Rowshan, Broker, Choice of America (DRE #02004794)

60 official plan cards. Moreno Valley’s seven city-approved plans are listed first. We link the official PDF when we could load it; we do not re-host the files. This list also appears on our real estate forms hub.

Anaheim · Orange County

Plan 001

Studio · 224 sq ft

Official program page

This plan is published as a PDF on the official program page. Download it there.

Anaheim · Orange County

Plan 002

1 bedroom / 1 bath · 499 sq ft

Official program page

This plan is published as a PDF on the official program page. Download it there.

Anaheim · Orange County

Plan 003

2 bedroom / 2 bath · 990 sq ft

Official program page

This plan is published as a PDF on the official program page. Download it there.

Anaheim · Orange County

Plan 004

3 bedroom / 3 bath · 1,199 sq ft

Official program page

This plan is published as a PDF on the official program page. Download it there.

Pasadena · Los Angeles County

Pasadena: ADU Standard Plans program

Prototype A is a 374 sq ft studio, updated to the 2025 California Building Code, and may be used on most single-family residential lots citywide.

Official program page

Individual plan PDFs are published on the official program page. We add a direct download only when the file returned a successful response.

Carlsbad · San Diego County

Carlsbad: ADU permit-ready program

Studio 400 sq ft; 1 bedroom 680 sq ft; 2 bedroom 800 sq ft; and 3 bedroom 999 sq ft, each with three architectural styles.

Official program page

Individual plan PDFs are published on the official program page. We add a direct download only when the file returned a successful response.

About these plans and what is still needed

Some cities and counties publish free, pre-approved or permit-ready accessory dwelling unit plan sets, and in some cases the accompanying engineering sheets, on their official sites. These plans must be submitted to the city or county that issued them.

A site plan, Title 24 energy documents, soils work, solar, and permit or plan-check fees are often still required. Eligibility can depend on zoning, flood, fire, and other site conditions. Confirm the current version and site-specific requirements with the city or county before you rely on a set.

Who this is for, and when to use it

Use this page if you own a lot in a city or county that publishes a pre-approved ADU plan, or you are comparing those official options before you hire a designer. It is also for buyers who want to know whether a backyard unit is a realistic next step after closing. It is not a permit, a plot plan, or a finding that your lot qualifies.

Key terms

Pre-approved or permit-ready plan

A plan set the city or county has already reviewed as a building design. You still submit it with a site plan and the other documents that office requires.

ADU and JADU

An accessory dwelling unit is a second home on the lot, often a backyard cottage or garage conversion. A junior ADU is a smaller unit, up to 500 square feet, carved from the existing house.

Site plan

A drawing that shows the lot, the existing house, setbacks, utilities, parking and the proposed unit. Pre-approved plans almost never replace it.

Title 24

California energy-code documents that many building departments still require with an ADU submittal, even when the architectural set is pre-approved.

Plan check

The city or county review of your packet. A pre-approved design can shorten structural review, but planners still check the site, utilities, hazards and fees.

How to use this, step by step

  1. Confirm the city or county that will issue the permit. These plans can only be submitted to the office that published them.
  2. Read the official program page for the current version, height and setback rules, and any fire, flood or coastal limits.
  3. Download the official PDF from the card, or from the official program page when a direct file did not return a successful response.
  4. Have a designer or civil professional prepare a site plan and the other documents the checklist names (often Title 24, soils, solar and utility letters).
  5. Submit the packet the way that city or county asks, pay the posted fees, and keep a copy of the stamped approved set.

Costs, timelines, and common pitfalls

The plan files themselves are offered at no charge or are published by the city or county for download. You still pay permit, plan-check and construction costs, and you usually still need a site plan and other site-specific documents. Impact fees are often reduced or waived for smaller ADUs under state law, but school, utility and connection charges can still apply. Timelines vary: state law generally requires a city to act on a complete ADU application within 60 days, without a hearing, but incomplete packets, utility upgrades, coastal permits and fire access can add time. Common pitfalls include using a plan from one city in another jurisdiction, skipping the site plan, or assuming a pre-approved set is allowed in a high fire or flood area without checking.

County-by-county notes

Orange County

Unincorporated Orange County and the City of Anaheim have published permit-ready catalogs. Anaheim's individual plan PDFs are offered on the city's official program page; we point there when a direct file could not be loaded from this server.

Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County (unincorporated) and the City of Los Angeles publish official plan programs. Pasadena has a prototype program; download current sets from the city's official page.

Riverside County

Moreno Valley publishes seven city-approved plans (studios through a three-bedroom set), listed first below. Riverside County, the City of Riverside and Temecula also publish official plan sets.

San Bernardino County

The unincorporated county has published model plans. Confirm the current models and whether your lot is in the unincorporated area or a city with its own rules.

San Diego County

The unincorporated county publishes official plan sets. Carlsbad has a permit-ready program; use the official city page for current files.

Before you start

  • Confirm you are in the jurisdiction that issued the plan, including city limits versus unincorporated county.
  • Read the official program page and note the current plan date or revision.
  • Budget for a site plan, energy documents, and permit or plan-check fees, not just the free PDF.
  • Check zoning, setbacks, parking, utility capacity, and fire, flood or coastal constraints with the planning desk.
  • Ask whether the owner-occupancy, short-term rental, or HOA rules on your lot would block the unit even if the city would permit it.

A short real-estate example

Questions

Are these ADU plans really free?

The programs listed here are city- or county-provided sets we could verify on an official government page. The plan files are offered at no charge or are published for download, but you still pay permit, plan-check and construction costs.

Can I use a Moreno Valley plan in another city?

No. These plans must be submitted to the city or county that issued them. Always confirm the current version with that office.

Why is there no download button on some cards?

We add a direct Download plan (PDF) button only when the official file returned a successful response. In other cases the card points to the official program page, where the city or county publishes the file.

Do I still need a designer or engineer?

Often yes, at least for the site plan and any sheets the program says are still required. Some official sets include engineering; others do not.

How long does a permit take?

State law generally requires a decision on a complete ADU application within 60 days, without a hearing. Incomplete applications, utilities, coastal review and fire-access issues can take longer. Confirm with the local department.

What size can an ADU be?

State law generally requires cities to allow at least an 800-square-foot ADU with four-foot side and rear setbacks, with additional local options. The pre-approved sets on this page have their own listed sizes, from small studios to larger two- and three-bedroom plans.

Does a Housing Element site on the map mean I can build an ADU?

No. A housing-element listing is a planning inventory, not a permit. ADU eligibility turns on zoning, lot conditions and local rules. Use the Housing Element map only as a first look.

Where is the full forms directory?

Official eviction, deed, tax and probate forms stay on our real estate forms hub. This page is the dedicated ADU-plan list.

Official resource links

We link only official government or court pages. Confirm the current version on the official site.

Moreno Valley official ADU plansOur building-permits guideHousing Element and ADU map

Questions about a specific home or transaction? Call or text 833-THIS-BROKER (833-842-7465), text us, or request a call. Dr. Hamid Rowshan, Choice of America. DRE #02004794, company DRE #02240008.

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This page is general information for Southern California homeowners, buyers, sellers and renters. It is not legal, tax, insurance or lending advice, not a loan offer, and not a substitute for the official agency, court, lender or insurer that will handle your file. Rules, fees, maps and forms change. Confirm every figure and every filing with the official office before you act.