San Francisco / Bay Area, CA
Bay Area ADU Rules & Requirements (2026)
Check San Francisco ADU setbacks, height, parking, JADU eligibility, and 60-day statutory review under California AB 68.
Bay Area (San Francisco), California ADU Rules
By-right approval available
Max Size
1,200 sq ft (detached); up to 50% of primary dwelling (attached)
Setbacks
4 ft rear/side (state-mandated under AB 68)
Height Limit
16 ft (single-story); 18 ft within 0.5 mi of transit
Parking
None required within 0.5 mi of transit; otherwise 1 space per unit
Owner-Occupancy
Not required (AB 68 / AB 976 preempts local owner-occupancy rules)
JADU Eligibility
Yes. 500 sq ft max, within primary residence. One JADU + one ADU per lot.
Review Type
Ministerial (by-right). 60-day approval required by state law.
Approval Timeline
60 days statutorily; SF averages 75–120 days in practice.
Short-Term Rentals
Prohibited on ADUs (most common)
Local note: SF ADU fees are the highest in California ($10,500–$25,000 total). The city accepts pre-approved plans from its ADU Portal to cut review time by ~30 days.
Source: City zoning codes and state ADU statutes (CA AB 68/976, OR HB 2001, CO HB24-1152), updated April 2026.
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Bay Area (San Francisco) ADU rules at a glance
San Francisco enforces California's statewide ADU framework through SF Planning and the Department of Building Inspection. Detached ADUs up to 1,200 sq ft are allowed by-right on virtually all residential lots, with 4-foot rear and side setbacks (the state minimum under AB 68) and a 16-foot height limit. Because SF sits entirely within half a mile of major transit, parking minimums never apply.
Owner-occupancy is preempted by AB 68 and AB 976 — you can rent both the primary home and the ADU without restriction. JADUs up to 500 sq ft can be carved out of the existing home, and California allows one JADU plus one ADU on a single-family lot. Review is ministerial, meaning SF Planning cannot deny a compliant application based on design or neighborhood aesthetics.
SF has the highest ADU fees in California
The catch: SF's total permit fees run $10,500 to $25,000 — the highest in the state. This reflects elevated utility hookup costs (SFPUC water and sewer), expensive staff time, and the city's fee recovery model. Impact fees are still waived for ADUs under 750 sq ft per state law, but plan-check, building permit, and utility fees all run significantly higher than peer California cities.
Pre-approved plans help
SF Planning maintains an ADU Portal with pre-approved plans that skip architectural review. Using a pre-approved design cuts plan-check by roughly 30 days and saves $10,000 to $20,000 in design fees. For narrow SF lots with the classic 25-foot frontage, pre-approved plans often fit where custom designs would violate setbacks.
What SF does not allow
SF prohibits short-term rental use on ADUs under its Short-Term Residential Rental ordinance — ADUs must be leased for 30 days or longer. The city's rent-control ordinance applies to ADUs built within existing multi-unit buildings, affecting future rent increase limits.
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