ADU permits
California ADU permit process — San Diego coastal lots
State ADU law is real, and so are city overlays. A Del Mar or Encinitas lot is not processed the same way as an inland tract. This is the sequence we walk with homeowners before anyone talks start dates.
State law vs the city in front of you
California has made it easier to add an accessory dwelling unit: ministerial review for many qualifying ADUs, reduced parking in some cases, and limits on how cities can block them. That is the floor, not the whole path.
Coastal overlay, lot coverage, existing nonconformities, and HOA design review still apply. Del Mar, Encinitas (including Cardiff), Solana Beach, the City of San Diego (Carmel Valley, La Jolla), Carlsbad, and unincorporated Rancho Santa Fe each have their own forms and findings.
A practical sequence
1. Confirm the lot can physically take a unit: setbacks, utilities, access, and slope.
2. Identify the jurisdiction and whether coastal or association review applies.
3. Decide detached new build vs conversion. Conversions can be faster when the structure is legal and sound.
4. Draw a scope that matches what that city will actually accept.
5. Permit, then build. We do not schedule a slab date as if the stamp already exists.
Where we help
MA Properties is the builder. We coordinate construction around the permitted scope and tell you early if the lot is a poor candidate. For jurisdiction-specific notes, see the city pages under Service Areas and our ADU construction service.