Pre-approved ADU plans
in San Diego County.
Many San Diego County cities offer pre-approved or standard ADU plans, but the programs differ. Some let you adapt the plans and some do not. Carlsbad’s plans were listed as unavailable when we last checked. In every case, a city’s plan covers the building. You still need the work that places it on your lot.
By Tony Bennett, Bennett Design Studio · Programs read from each city’s own materials; each row shows the date its guide was last verifiedThe programs, by jurisdiction
| Jurisdiction | What the program offers | Check before relying on it | Guide last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vista | Four plans: a 499 sf studio, 745 sf and 749 sf two-bedrooms, and a 1,149 sf three-bedroom. Plan check fees are waived for them. | Lots with an existing one-family home only. The City does not say whether the plans may be modified. | October 27, 2026 |
| Carlsbad | Permit-ready, single-story detached plans. | Listed as unavailable while the plans are updated to the 2025 codes. The City's page still gave summer 2026 as the target when we read it on November 2, 2026, and that date has passed. Confirm the current status. | October 27, 2026 |
| San Marcos | Pre-approved detached, one-story plans with a 30-day decision. | The City considers no alterations to the plans. | October 27, 2026 |
| Encinitas | Downloadable plans with options for exterior materials and for doors and windows. Plan review and inspection fees are waived for ADUs. | State fees still apply, and a property in the Coastal Zone may need a coastal development permit. | October 27, 2026 |
| Escondido | A pre-approved program with published customization options and an Old Escondido adaptation guide. | The plans are not site specific. A building permit and the standard ADU process still apply. | October 27, 2026 |
| Chula Vista | City standard plans, reviewed in about 14 business days rather than 21. The City indicates roughly $1,000 lower plan review fees. | Compare with a custom submittal for your lot. | October 29, 2026 |
| La Mesa | Published pre-approved plans. | You still need a site plan, Title 24 energy calculations and supplemental documents. | October 29, 2026 |
| Lemon Grove | A pre-approved program under AB 1332 with 30-day approval. | Confirm the current plan list. | October 29, 2026 |
| El Cajon | Pre-approved plans through the Planning Division, and an ADU loan program for owner-occupied properties. | Confirm the loan terms with the City. | October 29, 2026 |
| Santee | Standard plans, submittal checklists and permit guidance. | Confirm which plans suit your lot. | October 29, 2026 |
| Solana Beach | A Pre-Approved ADU Program, with the City's submittal requirements published. | Review the City's submittal requirements. | October 29, 2026 |
| Imperial Beach | Pre-approved plans under AB 1332. | Confirm the current plan list. | August 16, 2026 |
| City of San Diego | Standard-plan and custom paths. | A standard plan still needs site, zoning, utility and agency information. | August 18, 2026 |
| Unincorporated San Diego County | County standard dwelling plans may provide a starting point. | Site-specific completion and departmental review are still required. | October 29, 2026 |
Oceanside, Poway, Del Mar, Coronado and National City are not listed because their guides do not describe a pre-approved program. That does not mean none exists; check with the city. The list is limited to programs a city’s own materials describe.
What a pre-approved plan does not cover
The drawings are the building, not the project. You will usually still need:
- A site plan placing the unit against your setbacks, coverage and access
- Utility connections, and the routing to reach them
- Grading and drainage where the engineering division requires it
- A site-specific Title 24 energy report
- Soils, survey or fire department review where the parcel triggers them
- Agency coordination and responses to corrections
When a pre-approved plan is the wrong choice
Think twice if your city has no open program, the layouts do not suit your household, or the lot cannot take the plan without reshaping it. A plan you cannot adjust has to fit the lot as drawn.
Check your address first
The mailing city is not always the permitting authority, so confirm who governs your parcel before you choose a plan. The free California Site Report identifies the jurisdiction from official boundaries.
I built ParcelForm, and Bennett Design Studio prepares plan sets through it. Our Express Plan produces the property-specific work around a pre-approved plan, from $4,500 in San Diego and Ventura counties, where the program is open and the property qualifies. You can also take a city’s plans to another designer or do the coordination yourself. What a plan set costs, and what is quoted separately, is on the cost page.
Programs change. Verify with the local jurisdiction before relying on this page. Page checked November 2, 2026.