City summary
Everything for Santa Monica on one page.
Santa Monica sits about 14 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles, and review sits with the City of Santa Monica. This page brings together what is spread across the Santa Monica pages: the verified conditions, the statutes that apply, how fees are paid, how a licence is verified and where official records come from.
Location and context
Where Santa Monica actually sits.
- From the studio
- 7.2 mi
- south-west of Beverly Hills.
- From Downtown LA
- 14.4 mi
- west of the Civic Center.
- County area
- Westside
- Editorial grouping inside Los Angeles County.
- Coordinates
- 34.019, -118.491
- Approximate municipal centre.
Local review conditions
What sets a Santa Monica project apart.
These are the conditions on record for Santa Monica. Each one changes the design, the studies or the agencies involved — and each one still has to be confirmed for the exact parcel.
Coastal-zone review
Inside the coastal zone a project can need a coastal development permit in addition to the city's own approvals, and the boundary runs parcel by parcel rather than along a tidy line.
VerifyConfirm whether the parcel sits inside the coastal zone, whether the city has a certified local coastal program, and which body issues the coastal permit.
Residential and mixed-use districts
A parcel two streets apart can sit in a residential district or a mixed-use one, and the two follow different standards for height, parking, ground-floor use and review path.
VerifyConfirm the exact zoning district and any specific-plan or overlay assigned to the address before assuming a residential path.
Historic resources and districts
A designated resource or a contributing property in a district changes what can be demolished, how additions read from the street, which materials are acceptable and what documentation the file needs.
VerifyCheck whether the property is designated or a district contributor, which review applies to exterior change and demolition, and what documentation is expected.
Recorded parameters
Typical local figures for Santa Monica.
Typical editorial values — not a quote and not an official determination. Verify each figure with the city before deciding anything.
- Maximum ADU size
- Set by SMMC 9.31.025; the city applies the state size floor and its own standards for attached units
- Height limit
- 16 ft detached; up to 18 ft within ½ mile of a major transit stop; up to 25 ft attached (Gov. Code § 66321)
- Rear / side setbacks
- 4 ft rear and 4 ft side minimum (Gov. Code § 66321)
- Owner occupancy
- No local owner-occupancy requirement for an ordinary ADU (§ 66315); qualified-buyer separate sales have an exception (§ 66341(c)(3)). For a JADU, shared sanitation triggers occupancy, subject to ownership exceptions (§ 66333(b)).
- JADU rules
- Up to 500 sq ft within a single-family residence; efficiency kitchen; occupancy only with shared sanitation, subject to statutory ownership exceptions (§ 66333)
- Short-term rental
- Vacation rentals are prohibited; only hosted home-sharing in your own residence is allowed
- Fire sprinklers
- Only required if the primary dwelling has sprinklers (Gov. Code § 66314)
- Solar PV
- Newly built detached ADUs fall under the Title 24 solar PV requirement
- Construction hours
- Set by the SMMC noise chapter; Sunday and holiday work is prohibited
Local detailADU review is ministerial with no design review, and the city maintains a pre-approved ADU plan set. Parcels in the Coastal Zone still need coastal review.
Closest jurisdictions
Which cities surround Santa Monica.
Real distances between municipal centres. Each city keeps its own code and process, so identifying the right jurisdiction comes before any design detail.
- Culver City5.4 mi · Westside
- Beverly Hills6.4 mi · Westside
- El Segundo8.2 mi · South Bay
- Inglewood8.9 mi · South Bay
- West Hollywood8.9 mi · Westside
Official Santa Monica sources: santamonica.gov · santamonica.gov
ADU · First submission
Before filing in Santa Monica
State baseline: confirm the ADU path under current state law. The municipal steps below do not decide parcel eligibility. State ADU rules
- First agency
- City Planning publishes the single-unit parcel guide; Community Development handles building-permit intake. Coastal review may add another authority.
- Bring
- Parcel address, existing home and proposed ADU type, lot measurements and any coastal or historic designation; a sloped lot may need a survey.
- First action
- Use the November 2025 single-unit-parcel ADU guide to identify the building-permit path and check coastal status before submittal.
- Municipal implementation
- The city guide says ADUs and JADUs generally need a building permit; a Coastal Development Permit or waiver may also apply in the Coastal Zone. California-register historic resources can have additional standards.
- Parcel checks still open
- Coastal boundary, historic listing, slope and design-specific plan check remain parcel-dependent.
- Next decision
- Confirm coastal and historic status, then request the current building-permit submittal requirements for the chosen ADU type.
Official documents · links checked Sep 26, 2026
- City Planning — ADUs on single-unit dwelling parcelsDocument: 2025-11 · Only parcels with a single-unit dwelling; coastal/historic status requires property check
Condition notices
What to verify before designing in Santa Monica.
Each notice matches a mapped condition verified for Santa Monica. The exact address still decides what applies.
Coastal-zone review
Confirm whether the parcel sits inside the coastal zone, whether the city has a certified local coastal program, and which body issues the coastal permit.
California Coastal ActHistoric resources and districts
Check whether the property is designated or a district contributor, which review applies to exterior change and demolition, and what documentation is expected.
California Office of Historic PreservationResidential and mixed-use districts
Confirm the exact zoning district and any specific-plan or overlay assigned to the address before assuming a residential path.
santamonica.gov
Legislative sources
The law that governs a project in Santa Monica.
State statute, building standards, county records and Santa Monica's own official sources. Each item links to the document it can be read in. Rules change, and only the exact address decides what applies.
- MunicipalLocal zoning and standardsSanta Monica planning sourceSanta Monica's own official source for zoning, land use, applications and review — where the current ordinance and municipal code applying to the address are confirmed.
- MunicipalMunicipal portal and departmentsCity of Santa MonicaThe city's official portal for current building, planning and fire contacts, and for the published municipal code.
- StateState accessory dwelling unit lawCal. Gov. Code § 66310 et seq.The statute that frames how California cities must treat accessory dwelling units, including the limits on what a local ordinance may require.
- StateLocal ADU ordinance standardsCal. Gov. Code § 66314Sets the framework for the standards a local ADU ordinance may impose, which is why a city ordinance has to be read against the state section rather than on its own.
- StateJunior accessory dwelling unitsCal. Gov. Code § 66333The statutory treatment of junior accessory dwelling units, which follow a different path from a detached unit and are often the first option studied on a small lot.
- StateTwo-unit residential development (SB 9)Cal. Gov. Code § 65852.21The two-unit development pathway on eligible single-family parcels, with its own eligibility conditions and exclusions.
- StateUrban lot splitCal. Gov. Code § 66411.7The urban lot split provision that sits alongside the two-unit pathway, including the parcel conditions that decide whether it is available at all.
- StateHCD accessory dwelling unit guidanceCalifornia HCDThe state housing department's own guidance and handbook material on accessory dwelling units, useful for reading a local ordinance against state expectations.
- StateCalifornia Building Standards CodeCalifornia Code of Regulations, Title 24The building standards adopted statewide and enforced locally, published in editions — which is why the edition in effect at permit submittal matters.
- StateCALGreen building standardsTitle 24, Part 11 (CALGreen)The green building standards that apply to residential work, covering water, materials and construction waste requirements.
- StateBuilding energy efficiency standardsTitle 24, Part 6 (Energy Code)The energy standards applied by climate zone, which affect envelope, glazing, mechanical and on-site generation decisions.
- StateContractor licence verificationCal. Bus. & Prof. Code, CSLBThe state licence board's public lookup, the primary way to verify that whoever signs a construction contract holds an active licence.
- CountyCounty parcel and assessment recordsLos Angeles County AssessorPublic parcel records — the starting point for confirming ownership, parcel number and recorded characteristics before any design work.
- StateCoastal Act and local coastal programsCalifornia Coastal ActThe coastal planning and permitting framework, including local coastal programs, that can add a review layer for parcels inside the coastal zone.
- StateHistoric preservation frameworkCalifornia Office of Historic PreservationState-level preservation programs and registers, read together with the city's own designation and review process for exterior change and demolition.
Recommended reading
What to read before deciding in Santa Monica.
Start with the parcel, not the city
Santa Monica sits roughly 14.4 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles, within the Westside group. Even so, the rules that decide a project are assigned by address: zoning district, overlays and mapped conditions. Confirm those three on santamonica.gov before any drawing is commissioned.
Coastal-zone review
Inside the coastal zone a project can need a coastal development permit in addition to the city's own approvals, and the boundary runs parcel by parcel rather than along a tidy line. Confirm whether the parcel sits inside the coastal zone, whether the city has a certified local coastal program, and which body issues the coastal permit.
Residential and mixed-use districts
A parcel two streets apart can sit in a residential district or a mixed-use one, and the two follow different standards for height, parking, ground-floor use and review path. Confirm the exact zoning district and any specific-plan or overlay assigned to the address before assuming a residential path.
Historic resources and districts
A designated resource or a contributing property in a district changes what can be demolished, how additions read from the street, which materials are acceptable and what documentation the file needs. Check whether the property is designated or a district contributor, which review applies to exterior change and demolition, and what documentation is expected.
Compare with the neighbouring jurisdictions
The closest incorporated cities are Culver City, Beverly Hills, El Segundo. Each publishes its own ordinance and its own review process, so experience in one of them does not predict requirements or timing in Santa Monica. Read the ordinance of the city that actually issues the permit.
Read the state statute alongside the local ordinance
State accessory-dwelling and two-unit statutes set the framework; the Santa Monica ordinance applies that framework locally; and the building standards edition in effect at submittal decides what can be built. All three layers are read together, and it is the current edition that governs.
Municipal services
Banks, licences, payments and records in Santa Monica.
RSA takes no referral fees for recommending banks, lenders or vendors, and names none. Below is the service type, the rule that governs it and the official office where it is verified — plus Santa Monica's own fee and records sources.
Financing: banks and lenders
Home equity line or loan
Draws on equity already built up in the existing house. Compare rate, term, closing costs and whether the rate is variable before signing — terms are set by the lender, not by the city.
Cash-out refinance or construction loan
A refinance replaces the existing mortgage; a construction loan releases funds in stages against verified progress. Both depend on appraisal, income and the approved project scope.
Verify the licence of whoever offers the loan
Mortgage lenders and loan officers are publicly registered. Check the register before sharing financial documents or paying any upfront fee.
Effect on property tax
New construction can trigger an added assessment on what was built. The framework is published by the state; the actual assessment for a parcel is made by the county assessor.
Project payments: deposits, fees and control
Statutory deposit limit in a home improvement contract
California law limits the down payment on a home improvement contract; the exact wording and its exception are read in the code and in the licence board's own guidance.
Verify licence and bond before the first payment
A contractor's licence, its status and the bond are public. Check them by licence number, not by the trade name printed on a proposal.
Permit and plan-check fees
Each city publishes and updates its own fee schedule. Confirm the current schedule with the city that issues the permit — another city's figure is not a reference.
Obtaining documents and records
Parcel and assessment data
Parcel number, recorded ownership and stated characteristics — the starting point of any feasibility study.
Deeds, easements and recorded maps
County recorded documents show easements, restrictions and earlier divisions that can decide where building is possible at all.
Permit history and building records
Earlier permits on the existing house explain what is legalised. They are requested from the city that issued the original permit.
Hazard maps that apply to the parcel
Flood, fire hazard severity and geologic hazards are checked by address in the official sources, not by neighbourhood impression.
Santa Monica fees and records
Payments and financing
How a project is paid for and financed in Santa Monica.
Payments and fees
Statutory limit on the first payment
On a California home-improvement contract the down payment may not exceed $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. Later payments must follow work actually completed.
California Business & Professions Code section 7159.5Verify the licence and bond before paying
Check the contractor licence status, classification, bond and workers compensation on the state licence board record before any money changes hands.
Contractors State License BoardPermit and plan-check fees in Santa Monica
Santa Monica publishes its own permit, plan-check and impact fees, and school or utility charges may be collected separately. Confirm the current schedule with the city before budgeting.
Santa Monica planning source
Financing
Confirm any lender is licensed
Home-equity lines, cash-out refinances and construction loans are the common routes. Look up any lender or loan officer in the national licensing registry before sharing documents.
NMLS Consumer AccessHow the project affects your assessment
New construction is generally assessed on the value added by the new work rather than reassessing the whole property. The county assessor publishes how new construction is handled.
Los Angeles County AssessorState ADU rules that shape financing
State ADU law sets the baseline every city applies, including review timelines and what a city may require. The state handbook is the reference to read alongside any loan estimate.
California HCD ADU guidance
City pages