California ADU rules · Los Angeles County
Can I Build an ADU in Torrance?
Yes — you can build an ADU in Torrance. California's statewide ADU law requires every city, including Torrance, to approve a qualifying accessory dwelling unit by right, plus a junior ADU (JADU) on a single-family lot. What varies city to city are the local specifics below.
Can you build one?
ADUs allowed
CA state lawYes — by right
ADUs and JADUs are allowed by right in all residential and mixed-use zones; ministerial approval, no hearing.
Units on a single-family lot
CA state law1 ADU + 1 JADU
At least one ADU and one JADU per single-family lot (a conversion ADU may also be possible).
Units on a multifamily lot
CA state lawConversion ADUs (≥1, up to 25% of units) + up to 8 detached
Conversions of non-livable space (at least 1, or up to 25% of existing units) plus up to 8 detached ADUs on a lot with existing multifamily — never exceeding the number of existing units. JADUs are single-family only.
Junior ADU (JADU)
CA state lawAllowed
Up to 500 sq ft, within the walls of an existing single-family home (single-family lots only).
Size & height
Max detached ADU size
Local rule1,000 sq ft
Torrance caps an attached OR detached ADU at 1,000 sq ft — below the 1,200 sq ft statewide default, but above the 800 sq ft by-right floor the city must always allow, so the cap is permissible. The 1,000 sq ft maximum does not apply to a conversion of an existing accessory structure (§ 92.2.10(E)(6)(C)).
Max attached ADU size
Local rule1,000 sq ft maximum (Torrance applies a single 1,000 sq ft cap to both attached and detached ADUs); the state minimums (≥850 sq ft, ≥1,000 sq ft for 2+ bedrooms) still must be allowed
Guaranteed minimum size
CA state law800 sq ft
An 800 sq ft ADU must be allowed regardless of FAR/lot-coverage caps; a city also cannot cap an attached ADU below 850 sq ft (1,000 for 2+ bedrooms).
Max JADU size
CA state law500 sq ft
Max height
Local rule18 ft
Torrance's height table runs by configuration: a detached one-story ADU is 16 ft (or the greater height Gov. Code § 66321 requires near transit / for two-story primaries), with a city-wide allowance of 18 ft one-story / 23 ft two-story; attached ADUs are 18 ft one-story / 25 ft two-story. The state-mandated 16-ft (18-ft near transit / two-story) floor governs where it is more permissive.
Setbacks
Side setback
CA state law4 ft
A city cannot require more than 4 ft side or rear setback; conversions of existing structures are exempt.
Rear setback
CA state law4 ft
Front setback
CA state lawNo front setback may block the mandatory 800 sq ft / 16-ft / 4-ft-setback ADU; otherwise per base zone
Separation from main house
Local rule6 ft
Torrance requires 6 ft of building separation (wall to wall) between a detached ADU and another structure. State law sets no separation requirement; the state-protected 800 sq ft / 16-ft / 4-ft-setback ADU and conversions of existing structures cannot be blocked by this standard.
Parking
Parking required
CA state lawUp to 1 space
At most 1 space per ADU (or per bedroom, whichever is less) — and waived in the common cases below.
Transit parking exemption
CA state lawYes — no parking required near transit & for conversions
No parking may be required within ½ mi walking distance of transit, in a historic district, for an ADU within an existing structure, within one block of car-share, or in certain permit-parking areas.
Garage-conversion replacement parking
CA state lawNot required
When a garage/carport is demolished or converted to build an ADU, replacement parking cannot be required.
Approval, timeline & cost
Approval path
CA state lawMinisterial (by right)
No public hearing or discretionary design review for a qualifying ADU.
Approval timeline
CA state law60 days
The agency must act within 60 days of a complete application — and the ADU is deemed approved if it does not.
Owner-occupancy
CA state lawOnly for a JADU
No owner-occupancy requirement for ADUs (the prior sunset was removed). A JADU may require owner-occupancy, principally where it shares sanitation with the main house.
Impact-fee waiver
CA state lawWaived under 750 sq ft
An ADU of 750 sq ft or less pays no impact fees (the 750 sq ft threshold itself is exempt under § 66311.5); larger ADUs pay fees proportional to the primary dwelling. JADUs (≤ 500 sq ft) are exempt.
Permits required
CA state lawBuilding permit
Only a ministerial building permit — no conditional use permit or discretionary design review for a qualifying ADU.
Torrance-specific factors that can change the answer
State law sets the floor, but these local conditions often decide whether a specific parcel works.
Coastal Zone (California Coastal Act)
ADUs and JADUs in Torrance's Coastal Zone must comply with the California Coastal Act in addition to the local ADU standards; a coastal development permit or exemption may be required.
Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones
Torrance cannot ban ADUs in a fire-hazard zone, but a project must still satisfy local fire- and building-code requirements, which can add fire-safety construction standards on affected lots.
JADU short-term-rental prohibition
A JADU in Torrance may not be operated as a short-term rental or rented for fewer than 30 days (§ 92.2.10 JADU definition).
Torrance has its own ADU ordinance in Torrance Mun. Code § 92.2.10, comprehensively amended by Ordinance No. 3954 (final reading August 2025), which folded JADUs into § 92.2.10 and repealed the former § 92.2.11. The most consequential local deviations: ADUs are capped at 1,000 sq ft (vs. the 1,200 sq ft state default), a detached ADU needs 6 ft of building separation, and a JADU cannot be a short-term rental. ADUs are reviewed and approved ministerially through the building-permit process. HCD's 2021 review of Torrance's prior ordinance (Ord. 3889) flagged several over-restrictive provisions (unit counts, owner-occupancy, JADU zoning) that the city was required to bring into state compliance — confirm the current § 92.2.10 text with Torrance Planning before relying on any single standard.
Frequently asked questions
Can I build an ADU in Torrance?
Yes. California's statewide ADU law requires Torrance to approve a qualifying accessory dwelling unit ministerial (by right), plus a junior ADU (JADU) on a single-family lot.
How big can an ADU be in Torrance?
A detached ADU of at least 1,000 sq ft must be allowed, and an ADU of 800 sq ft can never be zoned out by floor-area or lot-coverage limits. A JADU can be up to 500 sq ft.
What are the setback requirements for an ADU in Torrance?
Side and rear setbacks are limited to 4 ft. No front setback may block the mandatory 800 sq ft / 16-ft / 4-ft-setback ADU; otherwise per base zone.
Is parking required for an ADU in Torrance?
Up to 1 space. No parking can be required within ½ mile of transit, for conversions, or for units inside the primary home. When a garage is converted, replacement parking is not required.
How long does ADU approval take in Torrance?
A complete application must be acted on within 60 days, with ministerial (by right) — no public hearing or discretionary design review for a qualifying ADU.
Do I have to live on the property to build an ADU in Torrance?
Owner-occupancy: only for a jadu. ADUs under 750 sq ft are also exempt from impact fees.
Sources
- Torrance Mun. Code § 92.2.10 (Accessory & Junior Accessory Dwelling Units; Ord. 3954)
- Torrance Mun. Code § 92.2.10(E)(6)(A)(i)
- Torrance Mun. Code § 92.2.10(E)(4) (Height)
- Torrance Mun. Code § 92.2.10(E)(3) (Setbacks — Building Separation)
- Torrance Mun. Code § 92.2.10 (Coastal Zone)
- Torrance Mun. Code § 92.2.10 (JADU)
- Cal. Gov. Code §§ 66310–66342 (ADU Law)
- HCD 2025 Accessory Dwelling Unit Handbook
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66317 (ministerial approval, 60-day deadline)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66323 (by-right ADU/JADU, 800 sq ft, 4-ft setbacks)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66333 (junior ADUs)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66321 (size minimums & height)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66322 (ADU parking; § 66334 covers JADU parking)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66314 (local ordinance standards)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66315 (owner-occupancy)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66311.5 (impact fees: none for an ADU ≤ 750 sq ft or JADU ≤ 500 sq ft)
Last updated 2026-06-28. This is an AI-assisted summary of Torrance's ADU rules, drawn from its published ordinance and California ADU law — general information, not legal advice, and it may be incomplete or out of date. Verify the controlling rule for your specific parcel with Torrance Planning before relying on it.
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