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LADBS ADU Permit Process in Beverly Hills — Step by Step
Last Updated: · Reviewed by Netanel Presman, CSLB #1105249
Pulling an ADU permit in Beverly Hills is not one step — it's seven, in a specific order, through a specific jurisdiction (Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD)). Skip a step or hand the wrong drawing to the wrong counter and you lose 4–8 weeks. This page walks the exact process NPLD uses on every ADU project in Beverly Hills: filing, plan-check corrections, issuance, inspections, and final sign-off.
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Quick Answer — TL;DR
Quick Answer
The ADU permit process in Beverly Hills is a 7-step path through Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD): scoping, plan prep, filing, plan check + corrections, issuance, inspections, and final sign-off. Expect 12–28 weeks from filing to issuance and 26–52 weeks permit-to-final inspection. NPLD owns the whole sequence — we file, respond to corrections, and schedule inspections so you never deal directly with the building counter.
The Beverly Hills ADU-Permit Trap Most Contractors Don't Mention
Beverly Hills ADU permits look standard until the Baseline Hillside Ordinance reveals itself in plan check. Most contractors quote $185K-$285K assuming a flat valley lot. the Baseline Hillside Ordinance alone can add $35K-$80K AND 8-16 weeks. NPLD's ADU feasibility report (free) tells you BEFORE you commit whether your lot actually pencils — so you don't get $40K into a project that should never have started.
ADU Permit Cost Breakdown — Beverly Hills, 2026
Every fee, every charging authority, every waiver option. Highlighted rows are Beverly Hills-specific overlays — most contractors leave these out of the original quote.
Permit cost breakdown for ADU in Beverly Hills, 2026
Permit Component
Typical Fee
Who Charges It
Waiver Eligibility
Building Permit Fee
$1,800 – $4,800
LADBS
No
Plan Check Fee
$1,200 – $3,600
LADBS
No
Electrical Permit
$420 – $980
LADBS
No
Plumbing Permit
$380 – $880
LADBS
No
Mechanical Permit
$280 – $620
LADBS
No
Title 24 Energy + HERS Rating
$650 – $1,800
CA Energy Commission (consultant + HERS rater)
No
School District Fee (AB-602)
$4.79/sq ft (LAUSD); waiver for <750 sq ft
LAUSD Facilities
Yes — under 750 sq ft
LADWP Service Upgrade (if needed)
$2,500 – $8,500
LADWP
No
Sewer Capacity Charge
$1,800 – $4,200
LA Sanitation
Sometimes waived — first 750 sq ft
Issuance / Permit Service Fee
$95 – $180
LADBS
No
Hillside Ordinance Review (BHO)(overlay)
$680 – $1,400 plan-check addition
LADBS (or local jurisdiction)
No — required on slope-affected parcels
Geotech / Soils Report(overlay)
$3,500 – $9,500 (independent)
Licensed geotechnical engineer
Sometimes — if recent prior report on file
Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD) Architectural Review(overlay)
$1,200 – $4,800 + 4–8 weeks review
Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD)
Sometimes — minor-improvement exemptions
Fees current 2026. Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD) fee schedules update annually — NPLD verifies against the live schedule on every quote.
Beverly Hills-Specific Regulatory Overlays
Beverly Hills is its own city — permits go through Beverly Hills Community Development (BHCD), NOT LADBS. Every exterior-impacting project requires Architectural Commission Review (4-8 weeks added) regardless of size — this is the slowest permit path on this list. Hillside neighborhoods (Trousdale, Coldwater Canyon) add slope-based FAR and a geotech soils report. The flat parcels south of Sunset (BH Flats) skip hillside review but still face Architectural Commission. Projects on parcels with single-family historic-character buildings may trigger Designation Review.
Baseline Hillside Ordinance
Slope-based FAR caps, haul-route plan, mandatory grading review. Driven by LADBS P/BC 2020-077 (or local equivalent).
Geotech Soils Report Likely
Hillside lots and most additions require a licensed geotech soils report ($3,500–$9,500). Sometimes a recent prior report (within 5 years) on the same parcel is acceptable.
Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD) Architectural Review
Permits flow through Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD) — NOT LADBS. Architectural Review is required on most exterior-impacting work, adding 4–8 weeks regardless of project size.
The Beverly Hills ADU Permit Process — 7 Steps
Step 1 — Scoping + FeasibilityNPLD walks your ADU scope, photographs existing conditions, pulls your parcel's zoning + overlay status (R1 vs RD, BHO, VHFHSZ, HPOZ, Coastal), and confirms what permit(s) you'll need. Free, on-site, no obligation. Beverly Hills-specific: the Baseline Hillside Ordinance.
Step 2 — Plan PreparationOur in-house design team (or your existing architect) produces the LADBS-format plan set: floor plan, electrical, plumbing, T-24 energy compliance, structural calcs where required. Geotech soils report engaged on parcels where likely.
Step 3 — Filing with Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD)NPLD files the application — plans, energy compliance, applicant info, owner authorization — with Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD).
Step 4 — Plan Check + CorrectionsPlan check round 1 takes 6–9 weeks. NPLD's first-pass acceptance rate is 73% — when corrections do come back, we turn them around within 5 business days (industry average is 3-4 weeks). Architectural Review Board concurrent review adds 4-8 weeks.
Step 5 — Permit Issuance + Fee PaymentOnce all corrections are signed off, Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD) issues the permit. NPLD pays the fees on your behalf out of the contract deposit — you don't make a separate trip to the building counter. Permit card goes on the job site for inspectors.
Step 6 — InspectionsNPLD schedules each inspection (foundation, framing, electrical rough, plumbing rough, mechanical rough, insulation, drywall nailing, final). Inspectors are typically next-day or 2-day schedule. We're on-site for every inspection — you don't have to take time off work.
Step 7 — Final Sign-Off + Certificate of Occupancy (if applicable)After final inspection passes, Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD) issues a final sign-off (or Certificate of Occupancy for ADU/room addition work that adds habitable sq ft). NPLD packages your final permit records, warranty packet, and final-condition photos before walk-away.
Most Common Plan-Check Rejections on ADU Projects in Beverly Hills
These are the corrections NPLD sees most often when reviewing competitors' plans before takeover. Every one of them adds 2–6 weeks to your timeline.
Setback non-compliance — detached ADU under 800 sq ft is 4 ft side/rear, but plans show under that
Fire sprinkler omission when primary residence is sprinklered (CRC R313 — ADU inherits the requirement)
Owner-occupancy declaration missing for SB-9 / SB-1069 ADU pathways
T-24 energy compliance form not signed by HERS rater (mandatory for new conditioned sq ft)
Utility easement / sewer lateral capacity letter from LADWP not attached
Parking replacement waiver not asserted on plans (state law waives parking — must be cited)
Slope-based FAR calculation not shown on plan — required under the Baseline Hillside Ordinance (or local equivalent) for any parcel with >15% average natural slope.
Architectural Review Board approval not attached — Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD) requires ARB sign-off on exterior-impacting projects before final permit issuance.
How NPLD Handles Your Beverly Hills ADU Permit
We pull every permit in our contractor name (CSLB License #1105249) at no additional fee for
build clients. That means: NPLD files the application, owns plan-check corrections, pays the fees out of
your contract deposit, schedules every inspection, meets the inspector on site, and delivers the final
permit packet at project closeout.
Why this matters in Beverly Hills: Beverly Hills is its own city — permits go through Beverly Hills Community Development (BHCD), NOT LADBS. Every exterior-impacting project requires Architectural Commission Review (4-8 weeks added) regardless of size — this is the slowest permit path on this list. Hillside neighborhoods (Trousdale, Coldwater Canyon) add slope-based FAR and a geotech soils report. The flat parcels south of Sunset (BH Flats) skip hillside review but still face Architectural Commission. Projects on parcels with single-family historic-character buildings may trigger Designation Review.
✓ 73% first-or-second-correction-pass rate — vs LA County average of 4–6 correction rounds
✓ Fixed-price permit cost — overlay fees ARE in your proposal, not surprise change orders
✓ Single point of contact — Netanel Presman (owner, GC) — direct line throughout permit + build
✓ 18+ projects shipped in Beverly Hills and immediate neighbors — we know the local inspectors and the local plan checkers
✓ 12-month workmanship warranty + lifetime warranty on water-related labor
How much does an ADU permit cost in Beverly Hills?
An ADU permit in Beverly Hills runs $5,520–$19,575 all-in for plan check + fees. The base Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD) cost is $4,800–$14,500; Beverly Hills-specific overlays (the Baseline Hillside Ordinance) add the rest. NPLD itemizes every line in the fixed-price proposal before you sign.
How long does an ADU permit take in Beverly Hills?
Permit issuance in Beverly Hills takes 12–28 weeks (plan check + corrections + issuance). Permit-to-final inspection runs 26–52 weeks total. The variance depends on overlay reviews and correction rounds. NPLD's 73% first-or-second-pass acceptance rate keeps most jobs on the early end of the range.
Does NPLD pull the permit, or do I?
NPLD pulls the permit in our contractor name (CSLB #1105249) at no additional fee for build clients. We file with Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD), respond to plan-check corrections, pay the fees out of your contract deposit, and schedule every inspection. You don't make a single trip to the building counter.
What ADU size triggers school district fees in LA?
AB-602 school district fees ($4.79/sq ft LAUSD) apply to ADUs over 750 sq ft of habitable floor area. Under 750 sq ft, the school fee is waived. NPLD designs to the threshold when it's the right move for your scope.
Does Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD) have different permit fees than LADBS?
Yes — Beverly Hills Community Development Department (BHCD) sets its own fee schedule, which is typically 15–35% higher than LADBS plus Architectural Review fees of $1,200–$4,800. The schedule updates annually; NPLD verifies the live fee on every proposal.
Is a geotech soils report always required in Beverly Hills?
For new additions and ADUs on hillside parcels, yes — typically $3,500–$9,500. Sometimes a recent prior report (within 5 years) on the same parcel is acceptable. Pure interior remodels on existing foundations usually skip the geotech. NPLD checks the parcel history first.
Tell us about your Beverly Hills ADU project. We'll book a free in-home consultation within 5 business days, deliver a fixed-price proposal within 48 hours of the visit (including every Beverly Hills-specific overlay fee — no surprises), and you decide if NP Line Design is the right fit. CSLB License #1105249, A+ BBB accredited.
“LA's LA-PAS pre-approved standard plans program is the single best decision the city has made for ADUs. We can take a client from contract to permit in 30-60 days using pre-approved plans, vs 4-6 months for custom designs. We have 8 pre-approved designs ready to go — picking one cuts about $20K-$35K out of the architectural fee and 90 days off the permit timeline. Trade-off: less design flexibility, but for a rental ADU most owners take the speed.”
Pro Tip
Beverly Hills ADU permits via BHCD have one critical difference from LADBS: any exterior-visible work triggers mandatory Architectural Review — even if scope is mostly interior. The Review board meets twice monthly, requires renderings + materials samples + plan elevations. Skip-the-board only works for fully-interior scope. Most contractors don't mention this at contract — then the project stalls 4-8 weeks while you commission renderings. We pre-build the Architectural Review package for any BH project where exterior visibility exists. Cost: $3K-$6K (architectural + rendering). Beats discovering it at week 6.