Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Permit Application

Streamline Your ADU Permit Application Process

If you're planning to add an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to your property—whether it's a backyard cottage, garage conversion, or basement apartment—navigating the permit application process can feel overwhelming. Our ADU Permit Application form template simplifies the entire process, helping homeowners, contractors, architects, and property managers submit complete, accurate permit applications without the back-and-forth delays.

Why Use Paperform for ADU Permit Applications?

Built with municipalities, planning departments, and property owners in mind, this template guides applicants through every required detail—from property information and size calculations to parking provisions, utility capacity assessments, owner occupancy declarations, and design review submissions. Instead of juggling paper forms, email chains, and multiple office visits, applicants can complete everything online in one streamlined experience.

Paperform's doc-style editor makes it easy for planning departments to customize this template to match local zoning codes, design standards, and regulatory requirements. You can add conditional logic to show or hide questions based on ADU type (detached, attached, garage conversion, or basement), automatically calculate allowable square footage based on lot size, and require specific documentation only when relevant.

Perfect for Planning Departments, Homeowners & Contractors

This ADU permit template serves multiple audiences:

For municipal planning departments and building departments: Replace outdated PDF forms with a modern, mobile-friendly application that guides residents through the process, reduces incomplete submissions, and integrates directly with your permitting software or case management system via Stepper, Zapier, or webhooks.

For homeowners and property owners: Get clarity on exactly what information you need to provide, from property dimensions and setback measurements to utility hookup plans and occupancy declarations. The form validates inputs as you go, helping you avoid common mistakes that delay approval.

For contractors, architects, and designers: Submit permit applications on behalf of clients with all required attachments, design drawings, and technical specifications in one organized package. Use calculation fields to demonstrate compliance with size restrictions and lot coverage limits automatically.

For real estate professionals and property managers: Help clients navigate ADU regulations as part of property improvement planning, rental income strategies, or multi-generational housing solutions.

Key Features That Save Time and Reduce Errors

This template includes intelligent fields for:

• Property information collection: Address, parcel number, lot size, existing structures, and zoning designation
• ADU type selection: Detached cottage, attached addition, garage conversion, basement conversion, or junior ADU
• Automatic size calculations: Calculate maximum allowable ADU size based on lot size and local regulations, with built-in formulas that show compliance in real time
• Parking provision documentation: Capture existing parking spaces, proposed parking solutions, and eligibility for parking requirement waivers
• Utility capacity assessment: Document water, sewer, electrical, and gas service capacity and any required upgrades
• Owner occupancy declaration: Collect legally required statements about owner occupancy of either the primary residence or ADU
• Design review materials: Upload site plans, floor plans, elevations, photos of existing conditions, and neighborhood context documentation
• Contractor and design professional information: Capture licensed contractor details, architect credentials, and engineer stamps where required

The form uses conditional logic to adapt to different ADU scenarios—for example, only asking about foundation plans for new construction, or requesting garage conversion details only when relevant. This keeps the form focused and prevents applicant confusion.

Integrate with Your Permitting Workflow

Once submitted, ADU permit applications need to move through review, approval, and inspection stages. Paperform makes this easy:

Use Stepper to automatically route new applications to the appropriate planning staff, send acknowledgment emails with reference numbers, create tasks in project management tools, update permitting databases, and trigger follow-up workflows when additional information is needed. You can even set up automatic notifications to applicants when their permit moves from submitted to under review to approved.

For departments using permitting software like Accela, EnerGov, or custom GIS systems, Paperform's webhooks and API access let you push application data directly into your existing tools, eliminating manual data entry and reducing processing time.

Secure Document Collection and Record Keeping

ADU permits require extensive documentation—site plans, architectural drawings, structural calculations, utility letters, and more. Paperform's file upload fields let applicants attach all required documents in one submission, with automatic file type validation and size limits to ensure you receive usable files.

All submissions are stored securely with SOC 2 Type II compliance, giving both applicants and municipal staff confidence that sensitive property information and personal data are protected. You can export applications as PDFs for official records or integrate with cloud storage solutions like Google Drive or Dropbox for long-term archiving.

Reduce Incomplete Applications with Smart Validation

One of the biggest bottlenecks in permit processing is incomplete applications. This template uses Paperform's validation rules to ensure applicants provide all required information before submitting:

• Required fields for critical information like property address, parcel number, and owner contact details
• Email validation for applicant and contractor contact information
• Phone number formatting for callback numbers
• File upload requirements for mandatory attachments like site plans and elevations
• Conditional requirements that only appear when certain ADU types or situations are selected

By catching missing information upfront, you reduce the need for follow-up requests and speed up the entire approval process.

Customizable for Local Regulations and Design Guidelines

Every jurisdiction has unique ADU regulations—setback requirements, height limits, design standards, and parking rules vary widely. Paperform's flexible editor makes it easy to customize this template to reflect your local code:

• Adjust maximum size calculations to match your percentage-of-primary-residence or fixed-square-footage limits
• Add questions about specific design review criteria like roof pitch, exterior materials, or architectural compatibility
• Include local parking waiver eligibility criteria (transit proximity, car-share availability, etc.)
• Incorporate links to zoning maps, design guidelines, and local ADU resources
• Add pre-application meeting questions or early consultation requirements

You can also embed the form directly on your city or county website, making it a seamless part of your digital permitting services.

Payments and Fees Made Simple

Most ADU permits require application fees, plan review fees, and impact fees. With Paperform's built-in payment processing through Stripe, PayPal, or Square, applicants can pay permit fees at the time of submission. Use calculation fields to automatically determine the correct fee based on ADU size, type, or construction value, and collect payment securely without manual invoicing.

This speeds up processing, improves cash flow for municipal budgets, and gives applicants a complete, one-stop submission experience.

eSignatures for Owner Declarations and Certifications

ADU permits often require sworn declarations about owner occupancy, property rights, or compliance commitments. Instead of requiring wet signatures and in-person document submission, use Papersign to turn key declarations into legally binding eSignature documents that applicants sign digitally as part of the application process.

This creates a complete audit trail, speeds up processing, and eliminates the need for applicants to print, sign, scan, and email documents separately.

Who Benefits from This Template?

Municipal planning and building departments looking to modernize permitting, reduce staff time spent on incomplete applications, and offer residents convenient online services.

Homeowners and property developers who want to understand ADU requirements clearly and submit complete applications the first time, avoiding costly delays.

Architecture and design firms that prepare ADU permit packages for clients and need a consistent, professional way to submit applications across multiple jurisdictions.

General contractors and builders specializing in ADU construction who submit frequent permit applications and want to streamline the process.

Real estate agents and housing advocates helping clients explore ADU opportunities for rental income, aging-in-place, or multi-generational living.

Ready to Modernize Your ADU Permitting Process?

Whether you're a planning department serving a growing community or a homeowner ready to add rental income with a backyard cottage, this ADU permit application template gives you a professional, efficient, and user-friendly way to collect all the information needed for review and approval.

With Paperform's powerful calculations, conditional logic, secure file uploads, payment processing, and workflow automation, you can turn a traditionally frustrating process into a smooth, digital-first experience that saves time for everyone involved.

Start with this template, customize it to your local requirements, and integrate it with your existing permitting systems using Stepper for a complete end-to-end solution. Trusted by over 500,000 teams worldwide and backed by SOC 2 Type II compliance, Paperform is the smart choice for modern municipal services and professional permit applications.