Inglewood Zoning and ADU Guide for Homeowners and Sellers

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team. Information comes from the City of Inglewood; sources are listed at the end.

Inglewood allows accessory dwelling units (ADUs) when they meet the city’s development standards, which the city publishes in an ADU Development Standards document. The city adopted ADU regulations into its zoning code by Ordinance No. 24-02 and has since taken up further zoning code amendments to keep its standards in line with state law.

Inglewood zoning and ADU at a glance

How do I find out what is allowed on an Inglewood lot?

Start with the city’s ADU Development Standards document and the Inglewood zoning code, and ask the Planning Division what applies to your lot. Because the city has been amending its code to align with state law, confirm that you are reading the current version.

What are the ADU rules in Inglewood?

The city’s ADU FAQ answers that an ADU may be permitted if it meets the development standards. City documents describe a JADU as a unit no more than 500 square feet that is accessory to a primary residential unit.

Specific limits on size, height, setbacks and parking are in the standards document and zoning code, and they change with state law, so check current rules before relying on a general summary.

Selling an Inglewood house with an ADU or converted garage

A permitted ADU is part of the property and can matter to buyers. An unpermitted unit is different: the Code Enforcement Division enforces zoning rules, and a buyer’s inspector or lender may notice a unit that does not match the records. See our Inglewood building permits guide and code enforcement guide.

What the city’s ADU development standards sheet says

Inglewood’s ADU Development Standards handout lists size, setback, parking and process rules. According to that sheet, a detached or attached ADU is 150 to 1,200 square feet, and an attached ADU may not exceed 50 percent of the existing primary residence.

It lists a 5-foot rear setback for detached units and 25 feet for attached units, side setbacks of 3 to 5 feet and a 25-foot front setback, citing sections 12-18.2 through 12-18.4 of the code.

The handout is older, and state ADU law has been amended several times since, so treat its numbers and its owner-occupancy language as something to check against the city’s current ordinance, not as final.

Parking as the handout describes it

The handout asks for one enclosed or unenclosed parking space for the ADU, which may be tandem on the driveway. No parking is required if the ADU is within half a mile of a public transit stop, is part of the existing legal primary residence or an existing accessory structure, or if on-street parking permits are required but not offered to the occupant, along with other exceptions in state law.

Application and approval steps

• A site inspection is required for all proposed ADUs.
• Every ADU must record a covenant with the Los Angeles County Recorder.
• Applicants submit four sets of fully scaled and dimensioned plans, at least 24 by 36 inches, including a site plan, floor plan and elevations.
• Applicants provide proof of residency, such as a utility bill, and proof of ownership, such as a recorded grant deed.
• New ADUs submit a Master Land Use Application and an Environmental Checklist.
• Site plan review fees apply if the new ADU is valued over $20,000, under section 12-39.50 of the municipal code.

The recorded covenant is the document to find

For a seller, the recorded covenant is the first thing to look for in the title file or closing paperwork. If a prior owner built or converted an ADU without recording one, the unit may not be treated as legal.

Ask the Building Safety Division what it holds, and read the covenant if there is one, because it states the conditions the city attached to the unit.

The handout says that where the owner did not occupy the primary or accessory dwelling, the unit would revert to use as an accessory structure not rented separately, so confirm whether such a condition still applies to your property.

Zoning code updates

The city’s document center also posts Ordinance No. 24-02 and a citywide zoning code amendment item, which show that the zoning rules have been changing. If a buyer’s agent asks what is allowed on the lot, a written answer from the Planning Division is more reliable than any summary.

Selling a house with a back unit

See our statewide as-is guide for the disclosure rules and our tenant-occupied sale guide if the unit is rented. State law under AB 2533 can ease the fees for legalizing a unit built before January 1, 2020, but plan check and permit fees still apply.

How to sell a house in Inglewood with an ADU or zoning problem

1. Check the permit logs and ask the Permit Section about the unit or garage conversion.
2. Check the ADU standards that apply to the lot.
3. Compare options: legalize the unit, sell with a price credit, or sell as-is to a cash buyer who prices the risk in.
4. Disclose honestly. Known unpermitted work should be disclosed.

We buy Inglewood houses as they are. See how we buy houses in Inglewood or our cash home buyer page.

Not sure what your zoning or unit means for a sale? Call (424) 435-2326 or request a cash offer. There is no cost and no obligation.

Why the ordinance date matters

Inglewood put its ADU rules into the zoning code through Ordinance No. 24-02, and a later Zoning Code Amendment, ZCA25-00001, was taken to the Planning Commission to bring the city’s standards in line with state law.

If your back unit was built or approved before those changes, it may have been judged under different rules than a unit proposed today. Ask the Planning Division which version applied when your unit was permitted, and keep any approval letter you find.

A checklist for a house with a back unit

• Is the unit shown on the permit record as an ADU, a JADU, a garage conversion or an accessory building?
• If it is a JADU, is it no more than 500 square feet and accessory to the primary unit?
• Does the unit have the approvals and final inspection the city’s process calls for?
• Is there a recorded covenant, and do you have a copy?
• Has the Code Enforcement Division, at 310-412-5590, ever opened a case on the unit?

If the answers are not clear

Many owners buy a house with a unit already in place and never see the paperwork. If you cannot tell whether the unit was approved, start with the city’s records and the Inglewood building permits guide. If the records do not support the unit, you can still sell.

The options are to legalize it, to sell with a price adjustment, or to sell as-is to a cash buyer, and the California as-is guide explains what has to be disclosed.

Inglewood zoning and ADU FAQ

Does Inglewood allow ADUs?

Yes. The city’s FAQ says an ADU may be permitted if it meets the development standards.

How big can a junior ADU be in Inglewood?

City documents describe a JADU as no more than 500 square feet.

Which ordinance set Inglewood’s ADU rules?

Ordinance No. 24-02 established ADU regulations in the zoning code; later amendments have been taken up to align with state law.

Can I sell a house in Inglewood with an unpermitted ADU?

Yes. It can complicate a traditional sale, so disclose it and choose between legalizing it, discounting the price, or selling as-is to a cash buyer.

What size can an Inglewood ADU be?

The city’s ADU development standards sheet lists 150 to 1,200 square feet for detached and attached ADUs, with attached units not exceeding 50 percent of the existing primary residence. Check current standards, since state law has changed.

Does an Inglewood ADU need a recorded covenant?

The city’s sheet says all ADUs must record a covenant with the Los Angeles County Recorder specifying the conditions of approval.

What do I submit for an Inglewood ADU?

The sheet lists four sets of scaled plans, proof of residency and ownership, and for new ADUs a Master Land Use Application and Environmental Checklist, plus a site inspection.

Which ordinance created Inglewood’s ADU rules?

The city says ADU regulations were established in the zoning code by Ordinance No. 24-02, with later amendments to align with state law.

How large can a JADU be in Inglewood?

City documents describe a JADU as no more than 500 square feet and accessory to a primary residential unit.

Sources

• City of Inglewood: ADU Development Standards
• City of Inglewood: Ordinance No. 24-02
• City of Inglewood: Planning Commission item, ZCA25-00001

This guide is general information, not legal advice. ADU and zoning rules change; confirm with the City of Inglewood.