Poway ADU Regulations

• ✓Detached ADUs up to 1,500 sq ft — among the most generous size caps in the county
• ✓Detached ADUs need 10 ft separation from other structures
• ✓Online-only submittals since 2022 (EnerGov portal)
• ✓SB 9 companion handout published alongside ADU materials

Detached ADU: lesser of 50% of primary home or 1,500 sq ft. Attached ADU same cap with 1,000 sq ft minimum for 1BR+ or 850 sq ft studio. JADU up to 500 sq ft.

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.

Generally one off-street ADU space. Exempt within ½ mile of transit, in historic districts, for existing accessory conversions, in permit-restricted on-street areas, or near car-share.

Online Services (EnerGov) — electronic-only submittals since June 1, 2022 per PMC 17.08.180(A).

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.

Impact and stormwater fees apply for ADUs ≥750 sq ft (50% of development impact fees per ADU footnote). No impact or stormwater fees for JADUs.

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 Poway ADU page (link in hero) for current eligibility and downloads.

Standard ADUs in Poway: 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).