Compare · checked Oct 18, 2026

San José vs Santa Cruz County ADU fees: San José is about $2,670 lower for a 1,000 sq ft ADU

Modeled from each place’s official fee schedules for a detached ADU next to a 2,000 sq ft main home (example assumption), law in force today. Ranges count fees that always apply (low) and fees that may apply (high). Both places are fully modeled, so the totals compare like for like.

Modeled fee totals by ADU size

	San José	Santa Cruz County	Lower
499 sq ft	$7,030–$9,608	$4,277–$8,667	Santa Cruz County by $941
750 sq ft	$8,785–$15,397	$6,167–$16,316	San José by $918
1,000 sq ft	$14,045–$29,202	$19,702–$31,872	San José by $2,670
1,200 sq ft	$15,443–$31,676	$22,034–$36,638	San José by $4,962

Where the money goes at 1,000 sq ft

	San José	Santa Cruz County
Planning & zoning	$0–$449	$2,248
Building permit & plan check	$5,103–$6,372	$8,366
Public works & encroachment	–	$3,083
Construction taxes	$7,242–$7,321	–
Impact fees	$1,700–$8,900	$6,004–$12,794
School district fee	$0–$5,380	$0–$5,380
Utility connections	$0–$780	–
Impact fees under SB 1117 (from 2027)	$2,225	$3,199
ADU permits issued, 2025	502	43

Line-by-line figures with the quoted source text: San José · Santa Cruz County. Permits: HCD Annual Progress Report data.

Rules side by side

	San José	Santa Cruz County
Maximum size	Detached ADU: 1,000 sq ft on lots under 9,000 sq ft; 1,200 sq ft on lots over 9,000 sq ft. JADU: 500 sq ft.	Detached new-construction ADU: 850 sq ft (1 bedroom) or 1,000 sq ft (2+ bedrooms) on parcels under 1 acre; 1,200 sq ft on parcels over 1 acre. Minimum 150 sq ft.
Height	Detached ADU: 18 ft for one story, 25 ft for a second story; up to 2 stories.	Stand-alone ADU inside the Urban Services Line: 16 ft. Outside it: the zone district standard (usually 28 ft). ADU over a detached garage inside the USL: 24 ft (20 ft at the outside wall).
Setbacks	Side and rear: 4 ft. Front: the zoning district's setback (Table 20-60). Behind the main home or 45 ft from the front; max 40% rear-yard coverage; 6 ft between buildings.	Front: zone district standard. Street side and rear: 4 ft.
Parking	None required.	1 space per ADU, with exceptions (state law exempts many ADUs, for example within half a mile of public transit or conversions). Conversion ADUs: none.
Owner occupancy	Not required for an ADU. Owner-occupancy of the main home is required for a JADU that shares sanitation.	Not required for an ADU. A JADU requires the owner to live on site.
Pre-approved plans	San José runs a Preapproved ADU program of plans already reviewed by the City.	The County links a set of pre-designed ADU plans from its ADU page.
Junior ADU (JADU)	Not captured yet.	Up to 500 sq ft, converted from within the walls of the single-family home; owner must live on site if sanitation is shared. JADUs get the same fee waivers as ADUs (County, since March 2022).

Grey text is the state floor where we haven’t captured the local rule yet.

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FAQ

San José vs Santa Cruz County: questions

Are ADU fees higher in San José or Santa Cruz County?

For a detached 1,000 sq ft ADU with a 2,000 sq ft main home, our model of the official schedules gives San José $14,045–$29,202 and Santa Cruz County $19,702–$31,872.

Which charges more impact fees on an ADU, San José or Santa Cruz County?

At 1,000 sq ft: San José $8,900, Santa Cruz County $12,794 (proportional to a 2,000 sq ft house). Neither can charge impact fees at 750 sq ft or less. From 2027, SB 1117 limits them to the area over 750 sq ft: $2,225 and $3,199 in our model.

What does a 750 sq ft ADU cost in fees in each?

San José: $8,785–$15,397. Santa Cruz County: $6,167–$16,316. At 750 sq ft or less, state law bars impact fees in both.

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