Building an ADU in Burbank.
Rules, permits, design, and real 2026 costs — written from primary sources.

What you can build in Burbank

Number of units allowed

Per BMC § 10-1-620.3(B) and (P)(2):

• Single-family residential lots (R-1, R-1-H): up to one ADU and one Junior ADU per lot. Lots with multiple detached single-family structures are not eligible for a JADU.
• Multifamily lots (R-2, R-3, R-4, MDR-3, MDR-4): up to two detached ADUs per lot (Burbank current rule), plus conversion ADUs within the multifamily structure up to 25% of existing dwelling units (minimum one). Note: California SB 1211 (2024) raised the state-law detached ADU floor to eight on multifamily lots — see the state-law preemption section below.
• Mountain Fire Zone (R-1 or R-1-H in designated hillside areas): max one ADU up to 800 sqft OR one JADU up to 500 sqft per lot, per BMC § 10-1-620.3(M)(1).
• R-1-H (Single-Family Horse Keeping): conversions only — no new detached ADU construction per BMC § 10-1-620.3(N)(1). See state-law preemption discussion below: the categorical new-construction exclusion in R-1-H is likely preempted by state law.

Size limits

Per BMC § 10-1-620.3(F):

• Attached and detached ADUs: up to 850 sqft for an ADU with one bedroom or less, and up to 1,000 sqft for an ADU with more than one bedroom.
• Junior ADUs: up to 500 sqft per BMC § 10-1-620.3(P)(1).
• FAR, lot coverage, open space, and minimum lot size: new ADUs are exempt from those standards in the base zone, unless the ordinance specifies otherwise.
• Parking-for-size swap (Burbank-specific): per BMC § 10-1-620.3(F)(9), for each additional on-site parking stall provided beyond the minimum required, an additional 120 sqft is added to the max size of one ADU on the lot (up to a maximum +120 sqft total). Requires a deed restriction preserving the parking stall for as long as the larger ADU remains. Rare provision and a design lever worth knowing.
• Ceiling height counts twice (Burbank-specific): per BMC § 10-1-620.3(F)(3) and (5), any interior space over 12 ft in height counts as two stories for square-footage purposes, and any attic space over 5 ft counts the same way. Design consequence: vaulted or double-height interiors eat into your allowable square footage.
• Conversions: an existing accessory structure may be converted to an ADU up to the 850/1,000 sqft cap, with an expansion of up to 150 sqft beyond the existing physical dimensions limited to accommodating ingress and egress.

Statewide Exemption ADU floor: Per California Gov. Code § 66323, every eligible lot is entitled to at least one ADU of up to 800 sqft, 16 ft in height, with 4-ft side and rear setbacks, regardless of local development standards — as long as the unit complies with building code and health/safety requirements. Burbank cannot deny that entitlement on lot coverage, FAR, or similar local development-standard grounds.

Height

This is where Burbank is meaningfully more restrictive than several neighboring cities. Per BMC § 10-1-620.3(G):

• Detached ADU — default: maximum 17 feet to any architectural feature. This is a 1-story cap for most Burbank lots (§ 10-1-620.3(G)(3)).
• Detached ADU — 18-ft exceptions:
  • Lot within 1/2 mile walking distance of a major transit stop or high-quality transit corridor (Public Resources Code § 21155 definitions): max 18 ft, with an additional 2 ft permitted to accommodate a roof pitch that matches the primary dwelling — effective max of 20 ft (§ 10-1-620.3(G)(3)(a)).
  • Lot with an existing or proposed multistory multifamily dwelling: max 18 ft (§ 10-1-620.3(G)(3)(b)).
• ADU constructed on top of a detached garage or accessory structure: maximum 20 ft top of plate and 23 ft to any architectural feature (§ 10-1-620.3(G)(2)). This is the Burbank envelope that accommodates a two-story Signature Home. The ordinance also permits an ADU built above another ADU "when applicable under this Code," but on a single-family lot only one ADU is permitted per § 10-1-620.3(B)(2), so stacking-ADU-on-ADU is a multifamily-lot concept, not an SFR path.
• Attached ADU: must comply with the height requirements for the main dwelling under BMC § 10-1-603(A).
• ADU above garage — structural rules (§ 10-1-620.3(G)(4)): the ADU cannot touch grade level except through support posts or stair access. The finished floor must be above the top plate of the garage. Ground floor access (stairs and landing) is limited to 150 sqft, and no interior circulation is allowed between the ADU and the garage below.

What this means for design: Burbank is effectively a 1-story detached-ADU market by default. For most homeowners on an R-1 lot not within 1/2 mile of transit and without a multistory multifamily neighbor, the straightforward path is a 1-story detached ADU or an ADU above an existing or replacement garage.

Setbacks

Per BMC § 10-1-620.3(H):

• New detached or attached ADU: 4 feet to the rear property line and 4 feet to the side-yard property line — including ADUs constructed on top of a garage or accessory structure (§ 10-1-620.3(H)(1)).
• Front setback: ADU cannot be located closer to the front property line than the prevailing front yard setback for single-family zones or the minimum required front setback for multifamily or nonresidential zones (§ 10-1-620.3(H)(2)).
• Front-yard exceptions: conversion of an existing building footprint in the front yard is permitted. An ADU may also be built within the front setback if it is physically infeasible to construct an 800 sqft ADU on other areas of the lot with at least a 2-ft side and rear setback (including a two-story option). The infeasibility determination is made by the City during plan review, based in part on the feasibility of running utility connections. A side or rear setback less than 3 ft triggers a no-openings rule on the impacted elevation.
• Garage or accessory structure conversions: existing legal non-conforming setbacks can be maintained (§ 10-1-620.3(H)(3)). The 4-ft minimum setback applies only to new space beyond the existing footprint.
• Building separation: new ADUs must maintain a 5-ft linear separation face-to-face and a 4-ft separation eave-to-eave from any adjacent structure (§ 10-1-620.3(H)(4)), unless it is physically infeasible to construct an 800 sqft ADU elsewhere with 4-ft side/rear setbacks.
• Conversions in the same footprint: no setback is required when an ADU is constructed in the same location and to the same dimensions as an existing legal structure that is being converted — even if that structure has been demolished (§ 10-1-620.3(H)(6)).

Parking

Per BMC § 10-1-620.3(C), (D), and (E):

• Default rule (§ 10-1-620.3(C)(1)): one on-site parking space per ADU or per bedroom, whichever is less. Tandem parking and mechanical lifts are allowed.
• No replacement parking for demolished garages (§ 10-1-620.3(C)(2)): when an existing garage, carport, or covered parking structure is demolished in conjunction with ADU construction or is converted to an ADU, replacement parking for the primary dwelling is not required.
• Six state-preemption exemptions (§ 10-1-620.3(E)): no on-site parking required for an ADU that meets any of the following:
  • Within 1/2 mile walking distance of public transit (Gov. Code § 66314(d) definitions).
  • Within an architecturally and historically significant historic district.
  • Part of the proposed or existing primary dwelling or an existing accessory structure.
  • On a lot where on-street parking permits are required but not offered to the ADU occupant.
  • Within one block of a car-share vehicle.
  • Applicant provides dimensioned, scaled building plans demonstrating no feasible location for parking.
• Parking location (§ 10-1-620.3(D)): on-site parking can be tandem and within any existing setback area, unless specific findings are made that setback-area or tandem parking is infeasible on site-specific, topographical, or fire/life-safety grounds.
• Front-yard garage conversions: the existing driveway and curb cut may be kept only if the driveway provides parking stalls that meet minimum dimensions of 18 ft deep by 8 ft 6 in wide. Otherwise the curb cut is removed.

Owner-occupancy: not currently required

BMC § 10-1-620.3(I) opens with a Special Note: “Pursuant to California Government Code Section 65852.2(a)(8), the City shall not impose any owner-occupancy and restrictive covenant requirements noted in this section.” For ADUs, owner-occupancy is not currently required in Burbank. The ordinance preserves the old owner-occupancy covenant language in dormant form with an explicit spring-back provision: “If state law is amended at a future date to allow owner-occupancy restrictions, then this Owner Occupied and Restrictive Covenant Section shall spring back into effect without further action of the City Council.”

Practical consequence: you can build an ADU in Burbank today and rent out both the primary dwelling and the ADU without living on-site. Monitor state law on the 10+ year horizon if that is a material factor in your investment plan.

JADU owner-occupancy is different — see the JADU section below.

Short-term rentals: 90-day minimum

Per BMC § 10-1-620.3(Q): “ADUs and Junior ADUs, which are rented, shall be rented for terms longer than 90 days.” This is a 90-day minimum rental term — materially stricter than the California state-law default of 30 days under Gov. Code § 66314(e). Burbank chose to tighten this deliberately.

For practical purposes: no Airbnb, no Vrbo, no corporate-housing month-to-month on a new Burbank ADU. Rental terms must be 90+ days — typical long-term residential tenancy. This matters for your rental-income model: Burbank ADUs are long-term leases only.

Selling the ADU separately: not yet allowed

Per BMC § 10-1-620.3(R): “Any ADU may be rented separate from the primary residence, but may not be sold or otherwise conveyed separate from the primary residence.” Burbank has not adopted an AB 1033 opt-in ordinance, so ADUs cannot be sold as condominium units in Burbank. This is a material difference from Santa Monica (which opted in via SMMC § 9.31.026) and Culver City (which opted in February 9, 2026 via CCMC § 17.400.096).

If a condo-sale exit is part of your investment thesis, this is a decision point — either Burbank is the wrong geography for that strategy, or you wait until Burbank adopts AB 1033 before breaking ground.

Junior ADUs (JADUs)

Per BMC § 10-1-620.3(P):

• Size: up to 500 sqft.
• Density: one JADU per residentially-zoned lot with an existing or proposed single-family dwelling structure. Lots with multiple detached single-family structures are not eligible.
• Location: must be constructed within the existing walls of the SFR or an attached garage. Subject to the primary-dwelling development standards in BMC § 10-1-603.
• Entrance: separate entrance from the main entrance to the SFR. If the JADU does not include a separate bathroom, a separate entrance is still required plus an interior entry to the main living space.
• Kitchen: efficiency kitchen required — cooking facility with appliances, food preparation counter, and storage cabinets reasonably sized to the JADU.
• Parking: no additional parking may be required for a JADU.
• Utilities: a JADU is not considered a separate dwelling for water, sewer, or power service — including connection fees.
• Deed restriction: required before Certificate of Occupancy, runs with the land, prohibits separate sale of the JADU.
• Owner-occupancy — still required under Burbank’s ordinance: per § 10-1-620.3(P)(13), the owner must reside in either the remaining portion of the single-family residence or the JADU. Exception: government agency, land trust, or housing organization. Restrictive covenant required. AB 1154 preemption (effective Jan 1, 2026) narrows this — see the state-law backstop section below.

Mountain Fire Zone

Per BMC § 10-1-620.3(M)(1), R-1 and R-1-H lots located within the City’s designated Mountain Fire Zones (see General Plan Safety Element) have a materially smaller ADU envelope:

• Maximum one ADU up to 800 sqft, OR one JADU up to 500 sqft.
• All applicable brush clearance requirements apply.

Fire sprinklers under § 10-1-620.3(M)(2): required in the new ADU only if required in the primary dwelling. ADU construction by itself does not trigger a sprinkler retrofit in the primary.

R-1-H Single-Family Horse Keeping zone

Per BMC § 10-1-620.3(N), the R-1-H zone is the most restrictive ADU zone in Burbank as written:

• Maximum one ADU or one JADU per lot.
• No new detached ADU construction. Only conversions are permitted:
  • Existing permitted garage conversion.
  • Existing permitted guest dwelling unit conversion.
  • Conversion of existing square footage within the main dwelling.
  • Additions to or conversions of existing square footage within the main dwelling, outside the rear 35 feet of the lot (the area reserved for horse keeping).
• Conversion of storage, shed, pool house, recreation room, barn, stable, corral, or tack room into an ADU is not permitted.
• Openings in any ADU must comply with § 10-1-605(B).

State-law preemption flag: the categorical prohibition on new detached ADU construction in R-1-H is likely preempted by California state law. Gov. Code § 66314 requires ministerial approval of ADUs in all residential zones that allow single-family or multifamily dwellings, and Gov. Code § 66323 guarantees every eligible lot the right to at least one Statewide Exemption ADU (800 sqft, 16 ft, 4-ft setbacks) regardless of local development standards. R-1-H is a residential zone that allows single-family dwellings, so R-1-H lots appear to retain the state-law entitlement to a Statewide Exemption ADU. If you own an R-1-H lot and want to build new construction, ask Burbank Planning specifically about the § 66323 Statewide Exemption ADU entitlement — and consult a California land-use attorney if needed.

Design and development standards

• Garage conversions (§ 10-1-620.3(J)(1)): the garage door must be removed and replaced with one or more windows and/or a residential entry door.
• Main entrance orientation (§ 10-1-620.3(J)(3)): if a detached ADU is visible from the street, the main entrance must face the same direction as the primary dwelling’s main entrance, or face the side property lines. An entrance facing an alley is allowed if the entrance is at least 5 feet from the property line abutting the alley and another entrance is provided facing the front or side.
• Architectural design review: detached ADUs on lots with structures listed in the California Register of Historic Places are subject to compatibility review.
• Mechanical equipment: AC and other mechanical equipment must be ground-mounted or installed within enclosed attic space. Parapet-shielded roof-mounted AC is permitted only if not visible from adjacent-property grade level.

Impact fees and utilities

• Under 750 sqft: no development impact fees (BMC § 10-1-620.3(K)(2)). This matches Gov. Code § 66318.
• Over 750 sqft: impact fees are charged proportional to the square footage of the primary dwelling, calculated using the ADU square footage.
• Utilities: the primary and ADU may be connected to a common gravity-fed sewage system. A separate utility connection may be required for ADUs not built within the existing space of the primary dwelling or an accessory structure. Burbank Water and Power determines the connection process and fees.

Permitting your ADU in Burbank

Permit review: ministerial, not discretionary

Per BMC § 10-1-620.3(A) and California Gov. Code § 66317: Burbank must approve or deny a complete ADU or JADU application ministerially within 60 days of the application being deemed complete. No design review. No Planning Board hearing. No neighbor notice. No discretionary conditions. If your plans meet the objective standards in BMC § 10-1-620, the City must approve.

The statutory clock is strict. The real-world elapsed time is longer because most projects go through multiple correction cycles and because Planning review runs alongside Building Safety plan check. Based on the LA-area jurisdictions we work in, expect approximately 3 to 5 months from initial submission to permit issuance in Burbank for a straightforward ADU project. Complex sites (Mountain Fire Zone, R-1-H, or easement conflicts) run longer.

Where to submit (BMC § 10-1-620.7)

Applications go to the Burbank Community Development Department’s Planning Division. Required materials:

• Completed ADU and/or Junior ADU Permit application on forms established by the City Planner.
• Site plans, floor plans, elevations, photos, and additional materials the City Planner deems necessary.
• Copy of the property deed establishing record ownership (when applicable).
• ADU/JADU Permit application fee per the current Citywide Fee Schedule.
• Separate demolition permit when replacing a detached garage with an ADU — reviewed concurrently with the ADU application and issued together.
• Non-ADU structures on the lot must be reviewed under a separate permit.

Pre-submission review we recommend

Burbank’s Planning Division is smaller and more hands-on than LADBS. A pre-submission meeting with the assigned planner confirms code compliance before you enter the fee-paid review queue, catches Mountain Fire Zone or R-1-H nuances specific to your parcel, and identifies any state-law preemption positions (SB 1211, AB 1154, § 66323 Statewide Exemption) you may need to assert. We do this on every Burbank-area project and it materially reduces correction cycles.

What an ADU costs in Burbank (2026)

Burbank construction costs track the broader LA market. Same labor pool. Same suppliers. Here are typical ranges:

The biggest cost lever in Burbank is the 750 sqft impact-fee threshold (BMC § 10-1-620.3(K)(2)). Build at 740 sqft instead of 760 sqft and you save thousands in impact fees alone. For a 1-bedroom rental, the extra 20 sqft will not change the product. The fee savings can.

Our Signature Homes are designed to permit in Burbank at a fixed price. Two strong fits:

• The Sunset — 1 BR, 480 sqft, $239,000 all-inclusive. Under the 750 sqft threshold, so no impact fees. Perfect for a long-term rental.
• The Melrose — 2 BR / 2 BA, 800 sqft, $329,000 all-inclusive. Fits Burbank’s 1,000 sqft cap with room to spare. Strong long-term tenant appeal.

Run the numbers for your lot: ADU Cost Calculator · ROI Calculator.

Why Burbank is a strong ADU market

• Media District employment base. Disney, Warner Bros., NBCUniversal, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon create a deep, recession-resistant tenant pool for long-term 1-story ADU rentals.
• Providence Saint Joseph and healthcare anchor. One of LA County’s largest hospitals draws nurses, residents, and medical staff who need quiet, private detached housing close to shift work.
• Impact-fee-exempt sweet spot at 750 sqft. BMC § 10-1-620.3(K)(2) waives impact fees under 750 sqft. Combined with Burbank’s 1-story detached default, a 1-bedroom ADU under 750 sqft is the highest-return product in this market.
• Owner-occupancy not required. BMC § 10-1-620.3(I) is dormant — you can rent both the primary and the ADU without living on-site.
• No short-term rental dilution. The 90-day minimum under § 10-1-620.3(Q) stabilizes the long-term rental market and benefits fully-permitted ADU owners.
• Ministerial approval is real. If your plan meets BMC § 10-1-620.3 on paper, the City has no discretion to reject it under Gov. Code § 66317. No design review, no neighbor appeal path.
• State law backstops the city. Even where Burbank’s ordinance has not caught up with state law (SB 1211, AB 1154, R-1-H Statewide Exemption), Gov. Code §§ 66310–66342 preempts. The 60-day clock under § 66317 runs. The state-mandated minimums apply.