Encino Homeowner Guide: Permits, Code Enforcement and ADUs

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team.

Encino homeowners deal with the City of Los Angeles, not a separate city. This guide covers the community plan, the Ventura/Cahuenga Boulevard overlay and the permit, code and ADU questions that come up when you sell.

Encino at a glance

Governing city	City of Los Angeles
Community plan	Encino-Tarzana (updated December 1998)
Overlay named by City Planning	Ventura/Cahuenga Boulevard Corridor Specific Plan
Permits	LADBS
Zoning and ADUs	Los Angeles City Planning
County	Los Angeles County

Where Encino sits in Los Angeles planning

Encino is a neighborhood inside the City of Los Angeles, so Los Angeles City Planning and the Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) govern it rather than a separate city hall. City Planning places Encino in the Encino-Tarzana Community Plan area.

The plan was last updated in December 1998, and its own background section describes large estate-size single-family lots south of Ventura Boulevard and a mix of single-family and multiple-density housing north of the boulevard, between the 101 Freeway and Ventura.

Ventura-Cahuenga Boulevard and Mulholland overlays

City Planning lists the Ventura/Cahuenga Boulevard Corridor Specific Plan as the overlay for the Encino-Tarzana area, and its project page names Encino as one of six communities the plan covers.

That plan mainly shapes commercial and mixed development along Ventura Boulevard, so it matters most if your property fronts the boulevard. The community plan also names the Mulholland Scenic Parkway Specific Plan for hillside development.

The community plan says it keeps hillside areas in restrictive land-use categories to protect views and the single-family character south of the boulevard.

We did not find a published list of which Encino parcels are in a hillside or fire hazard area in the pages we checked. Look up your address in the city’s ZIMAS parcel tool, which shows the zoning, specific plan and overlay information for each lot, and ask LADBS whether hillside grading or brush rules affect your project.

Permits and selling an Encino house

Buyers and lenders ask about permit history, and California sellers generally disclose known unpermitted work on the Transfer Disclosure Statement. Our statewide guide to selling as-is with unpermitted work explains what disclosure involves, and the seller closing costs guide shows what else to budget. If tenants live in the home, read the tenant-occupied home sale guide.

When an Encino home has an open permit, an expired one, or work done without a permit, you generally have three options: finish and finalize the permit before listing, disclose the work and negotiate on the open market, or sell as-is to a cash buyer who takes the house in its current condition. Use this checklist:

• Ask the city’s building division for the permit record on your address.
• List every addition, garage conversion, enclosed patio or outbuilding, and note which have permits.
• Gather final inspection records, plans and contractor invoices.
• Ask what plans, fees and inspections it would take to permit each unpermitted item.
• Compare that cost and time with a no-repairs cash sale. New construction can also be reassessed for property tax, which our Prop 13 guide explains.

Questions to ask the Encino building division before you start

• Does my project need Planning or Engineering approval in addition to a building permit?
• Is there an exemption that applies, and what conditions come with it?
• What plan-check deposit and fees apply, and how long will review take right now?
• What inspections will be required, and in what order?
• Can an existing unpermitted structure be legalized, and what would that involve?

Selling an Encino house with open code violations

An open notice or citation does not stop you from selling. California sellers generally disclose known notices on the Transfer Disclosure Statement, which asks about notices of abatement or citations against the property, and a title search will show any recorded lien. Our as-is and unpermitted work guide explains the disclosure rules, and the closing costs guide covers how liens and fees are paid at closing.

In practice, sellers with open violations usually choose one of three paths: correct the problem and ask the city to close the case before listing, disclose it and sell with a price adjustment, or sell as-is to a cash buyer who takes on the cleanup. Which one fits depends on how big the problem is, how much time you have and whether fines are still growing. Before you decide:

• Get the case number, notice date and the specific code sections cited.
• Ask the city what must be done to close the case and whether it will re-inspect.
• Ask for a current statement of fines, fees and any recorded liens.
• Get quotes for the work so you can compare repair cost with a no-repairs sale.
• Check whether tenants, an estate or a co-owner need to be part of the decision.

Questions to ask the Encino code enforcement team

• What exactly is the violation, and what would count as fixed?
• What is the deadline, and can it be extended if work is under way?
• Are fines accruing, and what is the total today?
• Has a lien or special assessment been recorded against the property?
• How do I request a re-inspection once the work is done?

State ADU law and Encino

California’s ADU statute, Government Code section 66314 and following, sets a floor that every city must follow, and local ordinances fill in the details.

The state requires ministerial review within 60 days of a complete application, bars a city from requiring more than a limited set of standards, and generally allows an ADU or conversion inside existing space without added setbacks.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) publishes a handbook and keeps a list of the state requirements. Because state law changes often, treat the city’s current ordinance and handout as the final word on size, height, parking and fees for your lot.

ADUs, garage conversions and selling an Encino house

Many older homes have a converted garage or a backyard unit built without permits. Buyers and lenders ask about them, and California sellers generally disclose known unpermitted work. Our guide to selling as-is with unpermitted work explains the rules, and our Prop 13 guide explains how new construction can affect property tax. Before you list:

• Check city records for permits on any ADU, conversion or addition.
• Ask Planning whether the structure could qualify under current rules.
• Estimate plans, fees and corrections needed to legalize it.
• Compare that with selling as-is and letting a cash buyer take on the legalization.

How to sell a house in Encino

1. Request a cash offer by phone, text or the form on this page; we ask about the address, condition and your timeline.
2. We review the property and any permit or violation issues you tell us about, then make a written cash offer with no repair demands.
3. If you accept, we open escrow, order title and confirm payoff amounts, liens and any association or tax balances.
4. You choose the closing date, and you can stay or move out on a schedule that fits. See the Encino cash offer process.
5. You sign at escrow and receive your proceeds with no commissions or listing fees.

Related: cash home buyers in Encino and we buy houses in Encino.

Frequently asked questions

Which agency issues building permits for a house in Encino?

Encino is in the City of Los Angeles, so permits come from LADBS, and zoning questions go to Los Angeles City Planning. See our Los Angeles building permits guide.

Is Encino in a specific plan area?

City Planning lists the Ventura/Cahuenga Boulevard Corridor Specific Plan as an overlay for the Encino-Tarzana Community Plan area. Whether it affects a given lot depends on the parcel, so check ZIMAS or ask City Planning.

Can I sell my Encino house with unpermitted work?

Yes. California sellers generally disclose known unpermitted work. You can legalize it first, sell with disclosure, or sell as-is to a cash buyer.

Do I need to fix code violations before selling in Encino?

No law forces you to fix them first, but open notices and liens come up in title and disclosure. See our Los Angeles code enforcement guide.

Where do I find ADU rules for an Encino lot?

Start with our Los Angeles zoning and ADU guide, then confirm lot-specific limits with City Planning.

More guides

• We Buy Houses in Encino
• We Buy Houses in Los Angeles County
• Los Angeles County Property Tax Guide
• Sell a House As-Is in Encino
• Sell My House Fast in Encino
• Sell an Inherited House in Encino
• Sell a House During Divorce in Encino
• Encino Cash Offer Process
• Los Angeles Building Permits Guide
• Los Angeles Code Enforcement Guide
• Los Angeles Zoning and ADU Guide
• LA County Recorder and Deed Transfer Guide
• LA County Probate Guide
• All California Guides

Sources

• LA City Planning: Encino-Tarzana Community Plan
• Encino-Tarzana Community Plan (PDF)
• LA City Planning: Ventura-Cahuenga Boulevard Corridor Specific Plan
• Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety
• California HCD: Accessory Dwelling Units

This guide is general information from public sources, not legal advice. Confirm current rules, fees and hours with the city.