The short answer: Sacramento ADU rules let you choose between two frameworks. Under the local ordinance you can build up to two ADUs in any mix of attached, detached or Junior ADU (JADU), with detached units up to 1,200 sq ft. Under state standards you can build up to three: a converted ADU, a JADU and an 800 sq ft detached ADU with 4-ft setbacks. Impact fees are waived for ADUs under 750 sq ft.
Last verified: October 5, 2026 ยท Written by the ADU Scope editorial team
This guide covers the City of Sacramento. Sacramento County and neighboring cities such as Elk Grove have their own rules. The numbers come from the city’s ADU planning page and its handout (revised January 29, 2026).
Sacramento ADU rules: where ADUs are allowed
ADUs are allowed on residential lots in the city, subject to overlay zones such as EA-2 and EA-3 and to the city’s historic design standards. Properties in the EA-2 or EA-3 overlay zones are limited to one ADU per lot. Historic districts allow ADUs if they follow the city’s design standards.
Sacramento ADU rules: local ordinance or state standards
| Rule | Local ADU ordinance | State standards (single-unit lot) |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Up to 2, in any combination of attached, detached or JADU | Up to 3: one attached conversion, one JADU, one detached |
| Detached size | Up to 1,200 sq ft; two detached ADUs combined cannot exceed 1,200 sq ft | Not more than 800 sq ft |
| Attached size | 50% of the main home or 850 sq ft (1,000 sq ft with 2+ bedrooms), whichever is greater | A conversion can expand by up to 150 sq ft |
| JADU | 500 sq ft | 500 sq ft |
| Height | Follows the zone’s limit (R-1 example: 35 ft) | 18 ft, plus 2 ft to match a roof pitch |
| Side and rear setbacks | 3 ft minimum, for ADUs less than 60 ft from the front property line | 4 ft minimum |
The state’s own baseline height is 16 ft, with 18 ft allowed near major transit. The city’s page lists 18 ft for state-standard ADUs, so ask which allowance applies to your lot.
Sacramento ADU rules on fees
- Impact fees are waived for ADUs under 750 sq ft and apply to units of 750 sq ft and larger.
- School district impact fees are charged separately.
- The city publishes a fee estimate form (CDD-0419) so you can price a project before you apply.
See ADU Impact Fees: When You Pay Them for the statewide rules.
Sacramento ADU rules: the process
- Check with the city on sequencing: planning approval (or concurrent review) is generally needed alongside the building permit application.
- Each ADU needs its own address and must meet the California Building Code and local ordinances.
- Under state law, the city has 15 business days to check completeness and 60 days to decide on a complete application.
Step by step: the city’s seven-step process and timeline
The city runs a dedicated ADU site that walks you through seven steps: check whether an ADU is allowed (step 1), set goals and build a team (2), prepare the site plan and design (3), set a budget (4), submit the application (5), build and pass inspections (6), and occupy or rent the unit (7).
Step 2 lists the ADU types the city recognizes: detached, interior conversion, above-garage conversion, attached addition, garage conversion and modular or pre-manufactured. Step 3 asks for a fully dimensioned site plan drawn to scale, which can be digital or hand-drawn. It must show lot lines, existing structures, impervious surfaces, the proposed ADU and its distances to the property lines.
At submittal (step 5) the city lists the following:
- Construction documents for the building permit.
- An Address Request Form (CDD-0104). A new address is required, and the city says getting it can take up to four weeks.
- A tree permit if you remove trees.
- Optionally, an ADU Optional Zoning Review application (CDD-0009). The city says no separate planning or zoning approval is required before you apply for the building permit.
The city’s own review estimates, which exclude the time you take to respond, are 1 to 3 weeks for the optional zoning review and about 1.5 to 2 months for building plan review, split into review cycles of 20, 15 and 5 business days. These are service estimates. The state deadlines described above, 15 business days for completeness and 60 days to decide, are separate legal limits. Before you can occupy the unit it must pass a series of inspections, and the city warns that material and labor shortages can add costs and delays.
What the city says about budgeting
The city’s budget step says the optional zoning review costs $0, building permit fees are based on project valuation and include inspection and impact fees, and plan review fees vary. Per state law, impact fees are waived for an ADU of 749 sq ft or less. Additional fees are invoiced when you pick up the permit. As a rule of thumb the city puts construction at about 80% of an ADU budget and consulting, design and permits at about 20%. The pages we read publish no dollar amounts for plan check, water and sewer capacity or school fees, so use the fee estimate form to price your project (see the fees section above) and read ADU permit cost by city for how this compares with other cities.
Shelf Ready Plans
The city offers free, city-designed plans for detached ADUs in three sizes: a 367 sq ft studio, a 559 sq ft one-bedroom and a 747 sq ft two-bedroom. They meet the 2022 Residential Building Code, are all-electric, and cannot be modified. You still have to submit a site plan for your lot. A separate pre-approved ADU program under AB 1332 is run by the Building Division; we could not confirm its details, so ask the city.
Sacramento ADU rules on utilities and site constraints
- Water: a detached ADU may have its own domestic water service and meter, which costs more up front, or tie into the existing line. An attached ADU must connect to the existing domestic water line. The city says sub-metering may be possible if the ADU is a long-term rental.
- Sewer: your property is served by either the Sacramento Area Sewer District or the city. The city says sewer billing for the ADU is combined with the main residence.
- Stormwater: if the net increase in impervious area is more than 500 sq ft, you need onsite detention.
- Electric: SMUD is the electric provider, and the city advises contacting SMUD early.
For how these rules compare with other California cities, see our guide to utility meters for ADUs.
Parking, owner occupancy and rentals in the city code
The city handout does not discuss parking, but the city code does. Section 17.608.020.L, added by Ordinance 2024-0017 (effective July 25, 2024), says that when parking is removed in connection with building an ADU or JADU, no replacement parking is required for the ADU or for the other homes on the lot. We could not confirm the rest of the parking table, including the JADU rows.
For owner occupancy, city code section 17.228.105 requires the owner to live on site for a JADU unless a government agency, land trust or housing organization owns it. In a January 20, 2026 review letter, the state housing department (HCD) told Sacramento that this has to match state law, under which owner occupancy is required only if the JADU shares sanitation facilities with the main home. We found no owner-occupancy requirement for full ADUs in the code text we could read.
On rentals, the city handout says an ADU can be rented but not sold separately, and the city’s step 7 says rentals must follow its Tenant Protection Program and fair-housing law. Rules on rentals shorter than 30 days differ between the local and state frameworks in the ordinance, so read section 17.228.105 before you plan any short-term use.
Why the rules may change in 2026
The same HCD letter lists changes it expects Sacramento to make, including incorporating recent state laws (AB 130, AB 462, AB 1154, SB 9 and SB 543), allowing the full combination of units that state law gives each lot, and revising the multifamily allowance. The city may amend its ordinance in 2026, so check the city’s ADU site for the version in force when you apply.
What is still unconfirmed
We could not confirm the following from the city’s pages: the parking ratio for JADUs and any other parking exemptions in the code, whether the city has amended its code since the versions we read, the rules for short-term rentals under the local framework, flood-zone requirements, and the details of the pre-approved ADU program. Ask the city about each one before you rely on it.
FAQ
Which framework is better?
Neither is always better. The local ordinance allows larger detached units (1,200 sq ft); the state standards allow three units and apply even if local rules are stricter. Pick based on your lot.
Can I build in a historic district?
Yes, if the ADU meets the city’s design standards for historic properties.
Do I need a separate address?
Yes. Each ADU gets its own address.
Next steps
- California ADU Laws 2026: What Changed and What You Can Build
- ADU Permit Cost by City: California Fees Compared
- ADU Setback Requirements Explained: California, Washington, Colorado and Portland
- ADU Impact Fees: When You Pay Them and How to Avoid Them
- How Long Does It Take to Get an ADU Permit in California?
General information, not legal advice. Local rules vary and change; confirm with your planning department.
Sources: City of Sacramento, Step 1: Is an ADU Allowed on My Property? ยท City of Sacramento, ADU handout (CDD-0423, revised January 29, 2026) ยท HCD ADU Handbook ยท City of Sacramento, ADU utilities and additional considerations ยท City of Sacramento, Shelf Ready Plans ยท HCD, Sacramento ADU ordinance review letter (January 20, 2026)