San Diego, CA
San Diego ADU Permit Fee Calculator (2026)
Instant fee breakdown for San Diego, California. Total range: $5,000–$13,500.
San Diego, California ADU Permit Fees
Total estimated range: $5,000–$13,500
Plan Check
$1,000–$2,500
Building Permit
$1,500–$4,000
Impact Fees
Waived (< 750 sf)
School Fees
$2–$4/sf
Utility Hookups
$2,500–$7,000
Source: City permitting schedules and FeeBuilder surveys, updated April 2026.
San Diego permit process at a glance
Permitting office: City of San Diego Development Services Department
Typical plan review: 12-18 weeks
Fee waivers: ADUs under 750 sq ft are exempt from impact fees per AB 681 (2023).
San Diego's Affordable Homes Bonus Program ('Bonus ADU') lets you stack multiple units on a single lot if you deed-restrict one as affordable, and the city's no-impact-fee policy for ADUs under 750 sq ft (per AB 681) makes sub-750 builds noticeably cheaper. Lots inside the Coastal Zone face a separate Coastal Development Permit through California Coastal Commission review, which can add 3-6 months to the timeline.
Sample real-world fee example
Scenario: 700 sq ft detached ADU on a typical San Diego lot
| Plan check (mid) | $1,200 |
| Building permit (mid) | $1,800 |
| Utility connection (low end) | $2,500 |
| Misc fees (records, inspections) | $1,500 |
| TOTAL (rough mid example) | ~$6,500 |
Common San Diego 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.
- Forgetting the Coastal Development Permit when the lot falls in the Coastal Zone — required even for in-kind replacement.
How San Diego compares nearby
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