Fresno ADU Regulations

• ✓Five pre-approved plans with three elevations each (Craftsman / Contemporary / Gable)
• ✓Solar panel details included in pre-approved plan sets
• ✓ADU Hotline at (559) 621-8077 for program help
• ✓No Zone Clearance required — apply directly for the Building Permit

Pre-approved catalog spans 340 sq ft (studio) through 1,015 sq ft (3BR/2BA). Custom ADUs follow applicable Development Code standards under Municipal Code §15-2754.

State guarantee: California requires every city to allow at least an 800 sq ft ADU exempt from local lot coverage, FAR, and front-setback rules.

Height baseline: 16 ft for detached, rising to 18 ft within ½ mile of major transit. Attached ADUs follow the primary home, capped at 25 ft.

Not spelled out on the ADU Program page. Fire sprinklers/access/water-supply triggers described. Broader parking follows state ADU standards unless Planning identifies site-specific triggers.

Pre-approved + custom ADU plans skip Zone Clearance — apply directly for the Building Permit via Accela Citizen Access. Tutorial video plus Permit Application Packet provided.

State backstop: A complete ADU permit must receive a decision in 60 business days. If the city stalls past 30 business days, AB 253 lets you hire a certified private plan checker to force a 10-business-day decision.

Pre-approved plans are free. Building permit, school, and impact fees apply per project. City provides a cost estimator and brochure.

SB 543: No impact fees on ADUs ≤750 sq ft. Above 750 sq ft, fees scale to the ratio of ADU size vs the main home.

Visit the official Fresno ADU page (link in hero) for current eligibility and downloads.

Standard ADUs in Fresno: no owner-occupancy required (made permanent in 2023).

JADUs: limited to 500 sq ft of interior livable space within an existing single-family home. Owner occupancy is required only when sanitation facilities are shared with the main house. JADUs cannot be used as short-term rentals (AB 1154 / SB 543).