Custom home planning resource · Los Angeles County and the South Bay
Planning a custom home in Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills splits single-family property into three areas — Central, Hillside and Trousdale Estates — each with its own rules. Which one the lot sits in shapes design review and the permit path.
KB Remodeling takes new-home inquiries from owners planning here. Share the lot and the project; KB reviews scope, licensing and location for each inquiry before suggesting a next step.
Planning sequence
01
Find the lot's area on the zoning map
The City's single-family regulations page explains the Central, Hillside and Trousdale areas and links the zoning map.
Official resource: Beverly Hills · Single-Family RegulationsCity-wide guidance · Passage checked
02
Know whether design review applies
In the Central Area, street-visible parts of a house are subject to design review. The City states there is no design review process in the Hillside Area, which has its own landform and view rules.
Official resource: Beverly Hills · Single-Family RegulationsCity-wide guidance · Passage checked
03
Use the single-family planning application
The application lists common entitlements (Central, Hillside or Trousdale R-1 permits) and recommends consulting staff first.
Official resource: Single-Family Residential Planning Application (updated Oct 2, 2024)City-wide guidance · Passage checked · Effective or dated
04
Start plan review at the Permit Center
The City encourages a Permit Center consultation before the online plan review and permit application.
Official resource: Beverly Hills · Electronic Plan ReviewCity-wide guidance · Passage checked
Each step links to the official page it comes from. Requirements differ by parcel; confirm with the agency.
Who reviews a new home here
Beverly Hills is an incorporated city in Los Angeles County.
City of Beverly Hills — Community Development (Planning Division and the Permit Center).
Local planning journey
Which planning question to resolve first here, and why it shapes the brief. Each answer comes from the cited City page or stays a question for staff.
Question 1
Is the lot in the Central, Hillside or Trousdale area?
The three areas have different single-family rules and entitlements, so the area decides which application and standards the design starts from.
source: Beverly Hills · Single-Family RegulationsQuestion 2
Does design review apply to the street-visible design?
In the Central Area street-visible design is reviewed; the City states Hillside has no design review but its own landform and view rules. That changes when the façade must be resolved.
source: Beverly Hills · Single-Family RegulationsQuestion 3
Which R-1 permit does the planning application list for this area?
The application names area-specific entitlements and recommends consulting staff first, which sets the pre-application meeting agenda.
source: Single-Family Residential Planning Application (updated Oct 2, 2024)
Finding the current official checklist
Open the City's single-family regulations page for your area, then the single-family planning application (dated October 2024 on our last read); ask the Permit Center which current submittal list applies before electronic plan review.
Local issues and the budget lines they touch
| Local issue | Budget line it affects |
|---|---|
| Central Area design review | Design iterations and presentation drawings |
| Hillside or Trousdale landform rules | Survey, grading and view studies |
No dollar amounts or local premiums are implied.
Hypothetical: two families buy teardown lots the same month, one on a flat Central Area street and one in Trousdale Estates. The Central brief schedules design review of the street façade early; the Trousdale brief starts with the survey and view-related rules instead.
What shapes the budget here
- Design review drawings and presentation in the Central Area
- Landform alteration and view studies on Hillside lots
- Tree protection or removal requirements
These items affect cost; none is a price. See how to build a realistic budget: Custom home budget guide
Parcel questions to answer first
- Is the lot in the Central, Hillside or Trousdale Estates area?
- Which R-1 permit, if any, does the planned house need?
- Do trees on the site fall under the City's tree regulations?
Gather before a first conversation
- Address or APN and recent site photos
- Survey, title report and prior permits if available
- Architect drawings, or a written list of rooms and priorities
- Target timing and how you plan to finance construction
Related guides: Buying land to build · Lot utility due diligence · Choosing a custom-home builder · 2025 Energy Code for new homes · Hillside lot due diligence
Official sources
Each source shows what it covers and whether its passage was checked in our review.
- Beverly Hills · Single-Family Regulations
Three single-family areas; design review in Central Area; none in Hillside Area.
City-wide guidance · Passage checked - Single-Family Residential Planning Application (updated Oct 2, 2024)
Entitlement list and submittal checklist.
City-wide guidance · Passage checked · Effective or dated - Beverly Hills · Electronic Plan Review
Permit Center consultation, then online application.
City-wide guidance · Passage checked
3 of 3 official source passages checked (latest October 12, 2026).
Page content last updated:
Nearby places worth comparing
- Custom home planning in Los Angeles — Surrounding City of LA parcels follow LADBS
- Custom home planning in West Hollywood — Neighboring city with its own review