What's the total ADU permit fee in Sacramento?

Total Sacramento ADU permit fees in 2026 run roughly $4,000–$10,500 depending on size, type, and any utility hookups required.

How long does Sacramento ADU permit review take?

Standard Sacramento ADU plan review takes 6–16 weeks. Pre-approved plans and complete submittals can shorten that significantly.

What fees are NOT included in the base Sacramento permit cost?

Utility connection fees (water, sewer, electric), school impact fees, drainage and fire-line upgrades, and any private-engineering studies typically add 30–60% to the base permit number.

Can I get my Sacramento ADU permit fees reduced or waived?

Some jurisdictions offer fee reductions for deed-restricted affordable ADUs, JADUs under 500 sq ft, or projects using pre-approved plans. Check Sacramento's current ADU ordinance for available waivers.

ADUCosts

Sacramento, CA

Sacramento ADU Permit Fee Calculator (2026)

Name: aduglossary.com — Sacramento CA ADU Resources
Price range: $

Instant fee breakdown for Sacramento, California. Total range: $4,000–$10,500.

Sacramento, California ADU Permit Fees

Total estimated range: $4,000–$10,500

Plan Check

$800–$2,000

Building Permit

$1,200–$3,500

Impact Fees

Waived (< 750 sf)

School Fees

$2–$4/sf

Utility Hookups

$2,000–$5,000

Source: City permitting schedules and FeeBuilder surveys, updated April 2026.

Sacramento permit process at a glance

Permitting office: Sacramento Community Development Department

Typical plan review: 8-14 weeks

Fee waivers: ADUs under 750 sq ft are exempt from impact fees per AB 681 (2023).

Sacramento has one of the faster permit paths in California — Community Development typically runs 8-14 weeks, and the city's pre-approved ADU program (now around 12 published designs) cuts that to 3-6 weeks. The dominant build-cost wildcard is summer construction in the Central Valley: 100°+ days slow framing crews and HVAC sizing has to handle 110° design-day cooling loads, which often pushes spec'd condensers up a half ton.

Sample real-world fee example

Scenario: 700 sq ft detached ADU on a typical Sacramento lot

Plan check (mid)	$1,000
Building permit (mid)	$1,500
Utility connection (low end)	$2,000
Misc fees (records, inspections)	$1,500
TOTAL (rough mid example)	~$5,500

Common Sacramento ADU permit mistakes

Skipping the Title 24 energy compliance docs at submittal — adds 4-6 weeks of correction cycles.
Confusing the AB 681 impact-fee waiver — it only applies to ADUs strictly under 750 sq ft of conditioned floor area.
Missing the separate water-meter and sewer-capacity applications, which run on a parallel track from the building permit.
Underestimating summer construction delays — 100°+ days slow framing crews June-September.
Not sizing HVAC for the 110°F cooling design day — undersized condensers fail final inspection.

How Sacramento compares nearby

City	Total fee range	Link
Sacramento	$4,000–$10,500	(this page)
San Francisco	$10,500–$25,000	View →
San Jose	$6,200–$17,500	View →

Full Sacramento cost guide ROI calculator Compare all 18 cities

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