Long Beach, CA Accessory Structures: Garage Conversions (2026)
Garage conversion rules in Long Beach, CA, sometimes called garage-to-ADU or accessory living unit conversions, govern permits, ceiling height, egress, and parking replacement.
Key Facts
- Garage door
- must be removed, opening finished to match
- Rebuild allowance
- for code compliance, keeps nonconforming setback
- Replacement parking
- 1 space for ADU, some exemptions apply
- Second story
- allowed above nonconforming detached structure
Summary
Converting a Long Beach garage into an ADU means losing the garage door for good: LBMC § 21.51.276(D)(3)(b) requires the opening to be removed and finished to match the house, while § 21.51.276(E)(3) lets the converted structure be rebuilt as needed for building, fire and life-safety code compliance without losing its existing nonconforming setback rights.
Any garage door(s) shall be removed from a garage or other accessory structure that is converted to an ADU, and the opening shall be treated and finished to match the building per Subsection 21.51.276.D.3.a ... An existing garage or other accessory structure that is converted to an ADU, or above which a new ADU is constructed, may be rebuilt as necessary to comply with building, fire, and other life safety codes without loss of rights to nonconforming setbacks.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 52 Update 1 | City Charter: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
276(D)(3)(a), complementary color palette, exterior finish, and roof pitch consistent with the primary dwelling. 276(D)(1) and (E)(3) work together to protect that existing footprint: the structure can be rebuilt as necessary to meet current building, fire and life-safety code requirements without losing its nonconforming-setback status, and a second story can even be added above a nonconforming detached structure as long as any new construction meets the applicable setback standards and the City's certified Local Coastal Program policies. 276-2 still requires one parking space for the ADU in addition to whatever the primary dwelling already provides, unless the property qualifies for an exemption (within a half-mile of transit, in a historic district, part of an existing structure, or served by a nearby car-share vehicle).
276(E)(1)(c) also requires that all required on-site parking for the property stay available to the residents of both the primary dwelling and the ADU, and not be handed off to any other person.
Violations & Fines
Converting a garage to an ADU without removing the garage door and finishing the opening to match the building violates § 21.51.276(D)(3)(b); rebuilding beyond what's needed for code compliance can forfeit the structure's nonconforming-setback protection under § 21.51.276(E)(3), and diverting the required replacement parking away from the property's residents violates § 21.51.276(E)(1)(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
If I convert my garage to an ADU, do I have to remove the garage door?
My garage sits closer to the property line than current setbacks allow: can I still convert it?
Do I still need a parking space if I convert my garage?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Beach
California rules heatmap·Compare Long Beach to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
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Garage Conversions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle garage conversions.