Which cities let you skip custom design with permit-ready ADU plans — the full list, updated as programs change.
44 of the 104 cities we track run an active pre-approved ADU plan program, and 25 more have limited or in-progress options. Using a pre-approved plan typically saves $3,000–$15,000 in design fees and weeks-to-months of plan review. In California, AB 1332 (Gov. Code §65852.27) requires every city and county to operate a preapproval program since January 1, 2025 — though program quality varies widely.
| City | Program details | More |
|---|---|---|
| Berkeley, CA | Yes — the city points applicants to pre-approved ADU designs as a faster, less expensive path to permit approval | costs |
| Burbank, CA | Yes — Burbank Preapproved ADU Program (BPAP): city-approved 432 sq ft studio plan plus 12 accepted LADBS-preapproved designs (200-847 sq ft) | costs |
| Carlsbad, CA | Yes — ADU Permit Ready Program with pre-approved standard plans | costs |
| Chula Vista, CA | Yes — City Standard ADU Plans: 12 configurable detached designs (498-1,199 sq ft, 1-3 BR) developed with SnapADU; 14-business-day review and ~$1,000 lower plan review fees; posted plans being updated to the 2025 code cycle | costs |
| Elk Grove, CA | Yes — free city pre-approved ADU plans (625 sq ft 1BR and 746 sq ft 2BR, locked to 2025 codes) plus a Master ADU Plan program and OTC submittal path | costs |
| Escondido, CA | Yes — Pre-Approved ADU Program (PAADU): free pre-approved detached plans (484 sq ft studio/1BR, 644 sq ft 2BR active; 851 and 1,000 sq ft plans suspended pending ordinance update); standard building permit still required | costs |
| Fontana, CA | Yes - Fontana's Standard ADU Plans program (AB 1332) offers pre-approved plans with designer contacts | costs |
| Fremont, CA | Yes — Fremont operates a Preapproved ADU Plans program usable citywide with faster review | costs |
| Fresno, CA | Yes, and still live as of June 2026. Five FREE pre-approved construction-drawing sets in three exterior styles (Contemporary, Craftsman, Gable): Plan 1 = 340 sq ft studio (23-TADU-001), Plan 2 = 499 sq ft 1-bed (002), Plan 3 = 625 sq ft 1-2 bed (003), Plan 4 = 625 sq ft over a 625 sq ft garage (004), Plan 5 = 1,015 sq ft 3-bed 2-bath (005). Plans and plan check are free; the homeowner supplies only a plot plan and an options table. Note plans 1-4 are all under 750 sq ft, i.e. impact-fee exempt — that is the single biggest cost lever on the page. | costs |
| Glendale, CA | Yes — Glendale's Standard ADU Plan Program (Pre-Approved ADU Program) offers expedited review using plans designed and owned by listed firms (e.g., a 1-story 740 sq ft 1-bed/1-bath plan); plans are purchased directly from the designers | costs |
| Hayward, CA | Yes — Hayward maintains an ADU Plans Gallery of pre-approved plan options | costs |
| Huntington Beach, CA | Yes — free pre-approved 1-story, 490 sq ft detached ADU prototype in three styles (California Ranch, Bungalow, Spanish Colonial) under AB 1332; modifications to the pre-approved plan are not allowed | costs |
| Irvine, CA | Yes — Pre-Approved ADU Plans Program per AB 1332, effective January 1, 2025; pre-reviewed architectural/structural plans cut review time (contact CDAC@cityofirvine.org) | costs |
| Long Beach, CA | Yes, but add the caveat the city itself publishes: the Pre-Approved Accessory Dwelling Unit Program (PAADU) 'is currently undergoing changes, and updates will be provided over the coming months on this webpage.' What is verified: PAADU plans and permit applications may be approved Over-The-Counter at the Permit Center with Planning and Building & Safety assistance, and a building permit can be issued the same day. PAADUs must still comply with city ADU regulations, and the city directs owners in a coastal zone or historic district to submit a Planning and Zoning Inquiry Form first. Contact PlanCheck.Counter@longbeach.gov. Our unqualified 'Yes' risks sending a homeowner to a program that is mid-overhaul. | costs |
| Los Angeles, CA | Yes — LA has a Standard Plan Program with pre-approved designs | costs |
| Oakland, CA | Yes - a real, free, off-the-shelf programme. Oakland publishes three permit-ready pre-approved ADU construction drawing sets: a 435 sq ft studio, a 625 sq ft one-bedroom, and a 746 sq ft two-bedroom (all three therefore sit under 750 sq ft). They are usable on both single-family and multi-family lots. Verified benefit: building plan check drops from 21 business days to 10 for an 'ADU using City of Oakland PBD Pre-Approved Plans only'. The City also advertises 'Reduced permits fee' and 'Possible build cost-savings', but no discounted ADU figure appears in the FY2025-26 Zoning Fee Schedule or Master Fee Schedule, so treat the fee saving as unquantified. A separate site-specific permit is still required - pre-approval covers only the standardized design and Building Code compliance, not zoning, site conditions or utilities. Oakland is separately accepting third-party architect/designer plans for pre-approval under AB 1332. | costs |
| Riverside, CA | Yes - DWELL Riverside Permit-Ready ADU Plans: 4 free city standard plans (746-1,200 sq ft) with 3-business-day initial review | costs |
| Roseville, CA | Yes — Preapproved ADU Plans program per AB 1332 (master plans preapproved for site-specific permit submittal) | costs |
| San Bernardino, CA | Yes - Pre-Selected ADU Plans Program: Morning Glory (462 sq ft, 1BR) and Carnation (738 sq ft, 2BR) | costs |
| San Diego, CA | Yes — companion unit program with pre-approved designs | costs |
| San Jose, CA | Yes - a well-developed Preapproved ADU program, described by the city as the fastest and lowest-cost permit path, supported by a dedicated City review team. 6 preapproved plans from 4 vendors are currently available: Acsiom Designs (749 sq ft, 2bd/2ba); Ca2Homes (499 sq ft 2bd/1ba, 747 sq ft 2bd/2ba); J. Kretschmer Architect (748 sq ft 2bd/1ba, 476 sq ft 1bd/1ba); LiveLarge (795 sq ft 2bd/2ba). Permits may be issued the same day as the scheduled plan review meeting when site-specific documents are accurate and complete (exception: deferred structural submittals, clearances or variances take longer). Eligibility: lot must be zoned residential with an existing single-family home or duplex, and must NOT be in a geohazard, landslide, flood or Wildland-Urban Interface zone. Applicants still submit site-specific plans showing siting, utility connections and setbacks. A further 7 vendors have plans under review (including 800 and 1,000 sq ft options) that are NOT yet eligible for expedited review. | costs |
| San Mateo, CA | Yes — the city offers a Pre-Approved ADU Plans program | costs |
| Torrance, CA | Yes — City of Torrance Pre-Approved ADU Program through the Building & Safety Division | costs |
| Upland, CA | Yes — free, permit-ready pre-approved ADU plans for Upland residents; third-party architects may also submit Pre-Approved ADU Templates; site plan still required | costs |
| Boulder, CO | Available | costs |
| Colorado Springs, CO | Available for select types | costs |
| Miami, FL | Yes — Miami-Dade County ADU Blueprint program offers pre-approved designs for faster permitting | costs |
| Orlando, FL | Available for select ADU types | costs |
| Evanston, IL | Available for select types | costs |
| Minneapolis, MN | Available | costs |
| Saint Paul, MN | Available | costs |
| Kansas City, MO | Yes — free Pre-Approved Housing Master Plans, including an ADU-over-garage design (trade permits still required) | costs |
| Albuquerque, NM | Available - the city publishes pre-approved casita designs under Housing Forward ABQ | costs |
| Buffalo, NY | Available for select types | costs |
| New York City, NY | Yes — DOB/HPD Pre-Approved ADU Plan Library launched with about a dozen designs (growing); pre-reviewed for code compliance for faster approval | costs |
| Charlotte, NC | Available for select types | costs |
| Bend, OR | Available | costs |
| Eugene, OR | Available | costs |
| Salem, OR | Available for detached ADUs | costs |
| Dallas, TX | Available for detached ADUs | costs |
| Arlington, VA | Available | costs |
| Seattle, WA | Yes — ADUniverse pre-approved DADU plan library | costs |
| Tacoma, WA | Available for common types | costs |
| Vancouver, WA | Available | costs |
| City | Status | More |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | Limited availability | costs |
| Anaheim, CA | Badly understated — this is the most commercially valuable fact on the page. Anaheim publishes a Pre-Approved Plan Catalogue of four detached ADU plans, each listed 'Free': Plan 001 studio, 224 sq ft; Plan 002 one bedroom / one bathroom, 499 sq ft; Plan 003 two bedroom / two bathroom, 990 sq ft; Plan 004 three bedroom / three bathroom, 1,199 sq ft. Plans include Building Code requirements effective 1 July 2024 and the city says it keeps adding plans. Two ways to use them: in the standard review process, or through ADU Express, an accelerated track for qualified single-family properties where the plans may NOT be modified. ADU Express steps include a free 400-amp multi-meter 'meter spot' from Anaheim Public Utilities (usually within three business days), an in-person site-plan meeting at City Hall, then payment of impact and school fees, after which the permit issues. Eligibility is checked by address through the city's ADU Express Eligibility Tool. Caveat to publish honestly: some catalogue plans still require the owner to hire a design professional for the site plan, Title 24, structural details and soils report. | costs |
| El Cajon, CA | El Cajon has produced pre-approved ADU plans per local industry sources, but most posted plans region-wide need 2025 code-cycle updates — confirm availability with the Planning Division | costs |
| Ontario, CA | State of California offers pre-approved ADU plans | costs |
| Pasadena, CA | Paused — the city's ADU Standard Plans expired Dec 31, 2025 due to California Building Code updates. Since Jan 1, 2026 the 5 free city designs (374-750 sq ft) may only be used on properties red-tagged in the Eaton Fire; the city is evaluating new plans | costs |
| Rancho Cucamonga, CA | City provides standard ADU designs | costs |
| Sacramento, CA | True but it conflates two distinct programmes, and only one of them actually has plans in it today. (1) SHELF READY ADU PLANS — three free city-designed detached plan sets: studio 367, one-bedroom 559, two-bedroom 747 habitable sq ft. All-electric, meet 2022 Residential Building Code, also loaded into Symbium Build for site planning. Modifications are NOT allowed, though mirroring is; the applicant supplies a site plan. All three are deliberately under the 750 sq ft impact-fee threshold — a homeowner using the two-bedroom plan saves roughly $5,350 in impact fees versus a 750 sq ft custom unit. (2) AB 1332 PREAPPROVED ADU PROGRAM (Gov. Code 65852.27) — the city has stood up the required process and web page for third-party preapproved plans, but the catalog is CURRENTLY EMPTY: the page says 'Check back for regular updates' with no plans listed. Either route still requires site-specific planning and zoning approval before permit issuance. Recommend our page distinguishes the two and states the shelf-ready sizes, since that is the concrete saving. | costs |
| San Francisco, CA | MISLEADING AS WRITTEN — rewrite. DBI runs a Pre-approved ADU Plans program, but it is a program for BUILDING DESIGNERS to submit designs for pre-approval, not a homeowner catalogue. Verified terms: a $2,408 flat fee per plan submitted for pre-approval (a widely repeated $1,519 figure is stale); plans 'should be designed for 25 ft lots'; pre-approval 'is only valid during the current code cycle'; pre-approved plans CANNOT be used in slope protection areas, landslide and liquefaction zones, Maher Zones or flood zones; and site-specific plan check is still required (Planning Code compliance, soils report and site survey, fire separation distance, foundation design, SFUSD fees, tree removal, drainage). Submissions go to dbi.preapprequests@sfgov.org and DBI schedules a Permit Review Roundtable. Do NOT claim it 'saves 2-3 months on design' — nothing on the city's pages supports a time saving. I found NO published catalogue of pre-approved plans; SF Planning's ADU page, Planning Director Bulletin No. 3 and the Local ADU Program Chart do not mention the program at all. | costs |
| Santa Ana, CA | WRONG — THE PROGRAM IS LIVE. 10 free downloadable pre-approved plan sets for DETACHED ADUs: 3 studio (Ranch, Spanish, Traditional), 6 one-bedroom (Ranch, Spanish, Traditional, Contemporary by Design Path Studio; Craftsman and Spanish by James Gartner & Associates), 1 two-bedroom (Contemporary). Each downloads as a ZIP with the required submittal documents. Planning fee drops to $524 vs $1,940 standard, and the city says an over-the-counter submittal 'may be approved in as little as one day.' ELIGIBILITY LIMITS: property must have a single-family dwelling; NOT in flood zone A or AE; NOT in a historic district; NOT in Heninger Park; must meet grading permit exemption requirements. Requires a recent title report (within 6 months) and a pre-submittal consultation via planning@santa-ana.org. | costs |
| Santa Monica, CA | Program established (under AB 1332) for vendor-submitted preapproved Standard ADU Plans — detached ADUs only, no modifications allowed; as of mid-2026 no vendor plans are listed yet ('NONE AT THIS TIME') | costs |
| Denver, CO | Pre-approved/standard plan options available | costs |
| Washington, DC | Standard basement conversion and detached plans available | costs |
| Atlanta, GA | Limited availability | costs |
| Honolulu, HI | Limited pre-approved designs; custom plans more common | costs |
| Chicago, IL | Limited availability | costs |
| Rochester, NY | Limited availability | costs |
| Durham, NC | Limited availability | costs |
| Raleigh, NC | Limited availability | costs |
| Portland, OR | Extensive pre-approved library available | costs |
| Nashville, TN | City has DADU design standards and guidelines | costs |
| Austin, TX | City offers expedited review for pre-approved plans | costs |
| Houston, TX | Limited pre-approval program | costs |
| Salt Lake City, UT | City offers ADU standard plans; ADU Handbook available | costs |
| Alexandria, VA | Limited availability | costs |
| Spokane, WA | Limited availability | costs |
Birmingham, AL, Huntsville, AL, Mobile, AL, Chandler, AZ, Gilbert, AZ, Mesa, AZ, Scottsdale, AZ, Tempe, AZ, Tucson, AZ, Corona, CA, Folsom, CA, Oceanside, CA, Jacksonville, FL, Tampa, FL, Savannah, GA, Boston, MA, Cambridge, MA, Newton, MA, Quincy, MA, Somerville, MA, Worcester, MA, Ann Arbor, MI, Detroit, MI, Grand Rapids, MI, Henderson, NV, Las Vegas, NV, Jersey City, NJ, Montclair, NJ, Princeton, NJ, Beaverton, OR, Pittsburgh, PA, Charleston, SC, Fort Worth, TX, San Antonio, TX, Bellevue, WA. In these cities, budget for custom architectural plans (typically $3,000–$15,000) — see each city's cost guide for the full picture.
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