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Can I build an ADU in Malibu, California?

Malibu, Los Angeles County · Ordinances checked 2026-10-05 · Reviewed · 15 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

Yes. Under Malibu's 2026 ADU ordinance (Ord. 535), a single-family lot can have a converted ADU plus a junior ADU, and a new detached ADU of up to 800 sq ft with 4-ft side and rear setbacks, approved ministerially with an ADU permit and a building permit. Ord. 535 allows other ADUs up to 1,000 sq ft, but all of Malibu is in the Coastal Zone and the certified coastal rules we reviewed still cap a second unit at 900 sq ft, with the city's coastal amendment still pending, so confirm with Planning which size limit applies to your lot.

Detached ADU (state-protected category)Up to 800 sq ft, 4-ft side/rear setbacks [1]
Max size (other ADUs)1,000 sq ft [2]
Size floor regardless of other limits800 sq ft of interior livable space [3]
Side and rear setback4 feet [4]
Max height (detached)16 feet (some exceptions) [5]
Max height (attached)25 feet or zone limit, whichever is lower; 2 stories [6]
Owner-occupancy (ADU)Not required [7]
Owner-occupancy (JADU)Required if bathroom is shared [15]
Minimum rental term30 days [8]
Parking1 space per ADU or per bedroom, whichever is less (exceptions apply) [9]
ReviewMinisterial, no hearing; decision within 60 days [11]
Impact feesNone under 750 sq ft [14]
Coastal LIP second-unit cap900 sq ft living area [13]

What you can build

Ordinance 535 (adopted June 22, 2026) replaced Malibu Municipal Code Chapter 17.44. On a lot with a single-family home you can combine:

  • One converted ADU and one junior ADU (JADU) inside the house or an existing accessory structure.
  • One new detached ADU, if it has at least 4-ft side and rear setbacks and is 800 sq ft or smaller [1].

Other ("Class 2") ADUs can be detached or attached and up to 1,000 sq ft [2]. An attached ADU on a lot with an existing home is limited to 50% of the home's floor area, but no size, FAR, front-setback or lot-coverage rule can force an ADU below 800 sq ft [3]. Side and rear setbacks are 4 ft [4]. JADUs are capped at 500 sq ft.

Height

An ADU may be 16 ft tall [5], or up to 18-20 ft near a major transit stop. An attached ADU may be up to 25 ft or the zone's height limit, whichever is lower, and no more than two stories [6].

Occupancy, rentals and parking

  • No owner-occupancy requirement for ADUs [7]. For a JADU that shares a bathroom with the house, an owner must live on the property [15].
  • ADUs and JADUs can't be rented for less than 30 days [8], so they can't be used as short-term rentals.
  • One parking space per ADU or per bedroom, whichever is less [9]. No parking is needed near public transit, for a conversion inside the house or an existing structure, and in a few other cases. Garages converted or demolished for an ADU don't need to be replaced.

Approval process

The Community Development Director approves ADU permits ministerially, without a hearing [10], and must act within 60 days of a complete application [11]. No impact fee applies to an ADU under 750 sq ft [14]. If you're on septic, you must include a recent percolation test.

Coastal Zone

All of Malibu is in the Coastal Zone, so ADU applications may also have to meet the Local Coastal Program [12]. The certified Local Implementation Plan we reviewed (current through 2020) still limits a second unit to 900 sq ft of living area [13]. Ord. 535 amends only the Municipal Code (Title 17). The city's coastal (LCP) ADU amendment was submitted to the Coastal Commission in 2024 and, as far as the city's ADU page shows, hasn't been certified. State ADU law generally doesn't override the Coastal Act, so until the amendment is certified the 900 sq ft coastal cap may still limit larger ADUs; ask Planning which limit applies to your lot.

Coming in 2027

Starting January 1, 2027, state law (AB 956) will require cities to approve two new detached ADUs on a single-family lot by right. Ord. 535 was adopted before that law and allows one.

See how Malibu compares with 8+ other California towns on accessory dwelling units (adus) →

Next steps

  1. Decide which ADU type fits your lot: a conversion or JADU inside the house, a detached unit of 800 sq ft or less with 4-ft side/rear setbacks, or a larger unit up to 1,000 sq ft.
  2. Ask the Planning Department (City Hall, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road, 310-456-2489) whether your project needs a coastal development permit or is exempt.
  3. Submit an ADU permit application and building permit plans; if you're on septic, include a percolation test from the last five years.
  4. Expect a completeness decision within 15 business days and an approval or denial within 60 days of a complete application.

Common questions

Can I build an ADU in Malibu, California?
Yes. Under Malibu's 2026 ADU ordinance (Ord. 535), a single-family lot can have a converted ADU plus a junior ADU, and a new detached ADU of up to 800 sq ft with 4-ft side and rear setbacks. The Community Development Director approves ADU permits ministerially, without a hearing, within 60 days of a complete application.
How big can an ADU be in Malibu, California?
It depends. Ord. 535 allows ADUs up to 1,000 sq ft, and no rule can force one below 800 sq ft. But all of Malibu is in the Coastal Zone, and the certified coastal rules still cap a second unit at 900 sq ft while the city's coastal amendment is pending, so confirm with Planning which limit applies to your lot.
What are the ADU height and setback rules in Malibu, California?
Side and rear setbacks are 4 feet. An ADU may be 16 feet tall (some exceptions apply), and an attached ADU may be up to 25 feet or the zone's height limit, whichever is lower, and no more than two stories.
Can I rent my ADU as a short-term rental in Malibu, California?
No. ADUs and JADUs in Malibu can't be rented for less than 30 days, so they can't be used as short-term rentals. There's no owner-occupancy requirement for ADUs; for a JADU that shares a bathroom with the house, an owner must live on the property.
Does an ADU need parking in Malibu, California?
Usually one space per ADU or per bedroom, whichever is less. No parking is needed near public transit, for a conversion inside the house or an existing structure, and in a few other cases, and garages converted or demolished for an ADU don't need to be replaced.

California's statewide ADU law

California's ADU law (Gov. Code §§66310–66342, recodified from §65852.2; latest amendments effective January 1, 2026) overrides conflicting city rules, including in charter cities. Cities must approve ADUs ministerially (no hearing) within 60 days of a complete application, or the permit is deemed approved.

What cities cannot require or do:

  • Owner-occupancy for an ADU.
  • A minimum lot size.
  • Side or rear setbacks over 4 feet for a new ADU, or any setback for a converted existing structure.
  • Size, lot coverage or floor-area rules that block an ADU of at least 800 sq ft. Size caps can't be under 850 sq ft (1,000 for 2+ bedrooms).
  • Parking within half a mile walking distance of public transit, or replacement parking for a garage converted to an ADU.
  • Impact fees on ADUs of 750 sq ft or less.

By right on a single-family lot: one converted ADU plus one junior ADU (JADU, up to 500 sq ft inside the house), plus one new detached ADU (up to 800 sq ft, 16 ft tall). Owner-occupancy may be required only for a JADU that shares a bathroom.

Short-term rentals: cities may bar ADU rentals under 30 days, and must for by-right ADUs, JADUs and SB 9 units.

Coming January 1, 2027: AB 956 raises the by-right count to two new detached ADUs per single-family lot.

SB 9 (§§65852.21, 66411.7) allows two homes on a single-family lot, or a split into two lots of at least 1,200 sq ft (with a 3-year owner-occupancy affidavit).

State sources: Gov. Code §66314 (ADU ordinance standards) · Gov. Code §66315 (no owner-occupancy requirement) · Gov. Code §66317 (ministerial review, 60-day deadline) · Gov. Code §66321 (size, setback and height limits on local rules) · Gov. Code §66322 (parking exemptions) · Gov. Code §66323 (by-right ADUs and JADUs) · Gov. Code §66333 (junior ADUs) · Gov. Code §66311.5 (impact fees) · AB 956 (2026), Stats. 2026, ch. 791 · Gov. Code §65852.21 (SB 9 two-unit projects) · Gov. Code §66411.7 (SB 9 urban lot splits) · HCD, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU Handbook, updated March 2026)

What the ordinance says

Exact text from Malibu's published ordinances. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. MMC 17.44.060(A)(2), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 7
    The side-and rear-yard setbacks are at least four feet. b. The total floor area is 800 square feet or smaller.
  2. MMC 17.44.090(A)(1), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 13
    The maximum floor area of a detached or attached ADU is 1,000 square feet.
  3. MMC 17.44.090(A)(3), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 13
    Application of other development standards in this Section might further limit the size of the ADU, but no application of the percent-based size limit in subsection A.2 or of a FAR, front-setback, lot-coverage, or open-space requirement may require the ADU to be less than 800 square feet of interior livable space.
  4. MMC 17.44.090(B)(2), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 13
    No part of any ADU that is subject to this Section may be located within four feet of a side or rear property line.
  5. MMC 17.44.080(K)(a), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 12
    No ADU subject to this chapter may exceed 16 feet in height above grade, except as provided in subsections (K)(b) through (K)(d) of this section.
  6. MMC 17.44.080(K)(d), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 12
    An ADU that is attached to the primary dwelling may not exceed 25 feet in height or the height limitation imposed by the underlying zone that applies to the primary dwelling, whichever is lower. Notwithstanding the foregoing, ADUs subject to this subsection (K)( d) may not exceed two stories.
  7. MMC 17.44.080(G)(c), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 11
    ADUs. ADUs are not subject to an owner-occupancy requirement.
  8. MMC 17.44.080(B), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 10
    An ADU or JADU may not be rented for a term that is shorter than 30 days. This prohibition applies regardless of when the ADU or JADU was created.
  9. MMC 17.44.090(F)(1), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 14
    One off-street enclosed or unenclosed parking space is required for each ADU or bedroom, whichever is less.
  10. MMC 17.44.070(B), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 9
    An ADU permit is considered and approved ministerially by the community development director without discretionary review or a hearing.
  11. MMC 17.44.070(C), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 9
    The city must approve or deny an application to create an ADU or JADU within 60 days from the date that the city receives a complete application.
  12. MMC 17.44.060, as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 6
    Because the city of Malibu lies entirely within the Coastal Zone, ADU applications may be subject to the requirements in the Local Coastal Program (LCP) in addition to the provisions of this chapter.
  13. LIP Sec. 3.6(N)(1)(c)(ii), Malibu LCP Local Implementation Plan (current through Supp. 13, Sept. 2020; Ord. 461, 4-13-2020), p. 113
    The maximum living area of a second residential unit shall not exceed 900 square feet, including the total floor area of all enclosed space, including any mezzanine or storage space.
  14. MMC 17.44.100(A)(1), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 14
    No impact fee shall be charged for an ADU that is less than 750 square feet of interior livable space.
  15. MMC 17.44.080(G)(a), as amended by Ord. 535, Ordinance No. 535 - Zoning Text Amendment 25-003 updating ADU regulations (Title 17), p. 10
    A natural person with legal or equitable title to the property must reside on the property, in either the primary dwelling or JADU, as the person's legal domicile and permanent residence.
This page summarizes Malibu's posted ordinances as of 2026-10-05. Ordinances are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Code Enforcement (Community Development / Planning), 23825 Stuart Ranch Road (310-456-2489 ext. 484) before you build. Spot an error?