Pasadena combines a Standard Plan option with separate site review, address, fee, and permit steps. The City pages currently describe one free 374-square-foot studio plan updated to the 2025 California Building Code and available for most single-family residential properties citywide. Site fit and fee eligibility still depend on the parcel and project.
Check whether the current plan fits the site
Before preparing the permit package, contact Pasadena’s Permit Center to confirm whether the Standard Plan suits the property. The City page gives general site criteria and notes that slope, hillside or expansive soils, setbacks, site dimensions, utility equipment, drainage, fire sprinklers, solar, and other conditions can require changes or additional documents. The City-designed plan may not be modified while retaining its pre-reviewed status; a modification requires a licensed design professional and standard plan review.
Prepare a scaled, dimensioned site plan with the structures and property-line distances, paved areas and driveway, trees, existing addresses, transit-distance information, electrical service, mechanical equipment, water heater, sewer route, drainage, and relevant sprinkler or solar information. Pasadena also requires a Hold Harmless Agreement for the Standard Plan route. Upload the selected plan, site plan, agreement, and any supplemental material through the Citizen Self-Service portal. A separate address application is required for the ADU.
The former Standard Plans expired on December 31, 2025. The City’s August 2026 page identifies the 374-square-foot 2025-code prototype for general use and limits older plans to residential properties red-tagged because of the Eaton Fire, subject to conditions for projects already submitted for review. Check the live program page before relying on a saved plan.
Track completeness, payment, and plan check
Pasadena states that completeness review for the Standard Plan submittal and address application takes 1–2 business days after submission. The City issues separate invoices, and fees must be paid before processing for review. The stated plan-check period is approximately 3–4 weeks; if corrections are issued and resubmitted, review is approximately two weeks. These are stage estimates and do not add up to a guaranteed permit-issuance or construction date.
Check the fee-reduction class before paying
The City’s listed fee reductions apply to ADUs on single-family sites; sites with two or more attached units do not qualify for these classes. For an ADU of 900 square feet or less without a Housing Agreement, Pasadena lists an exemption from Residential Impact Fees (RIFs), a 25% reduction in Construction Tax, General Plan Maintenance Fee, and Technology Fee, and a $1,000 Construction and Demolition deposit.
For an ADU of any size using a City ADU Standard Plan or with a qualifying Housing Agreement, the City lists a 50% plan-check discount, exemption from RIFs, Construction Tax, General Plan Maintenance Fee, and Technology Fee, and the same $1,000 deposit. Other ADUs receive the reduced deposit only. The City says the ordinary stated waivers and reductions took effect May 6, 2025, with reduced RIFs and Construction Tax effective July 17, 2025; they are not retroactive. A Housing Agreement must be executed before permit issuance. If it is not, standard fees apply and previously applied reductions must be repaid.
Use Pasadena’s fee-classification questionnaire in the permit portal and verify the current schedule and eligibility before paying. These reductions are specific to the listed local fee classes and are not a full project-cost estimate. Other review, agency, utility, survey, or permit charges may remain. For fee context across more jurisdictions, see ordinary permit and inspection fees.