Compare · checked Oct 18, 2026

Santa Cruz vs Santa Cruz County ADU fees: Santa Cruz is about $10,707 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

	Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz County	Lower
499 sq ft	$6,095–$7,592	$4,277–$8,667	Santa Cruz by $1,075
750 sq ft	$7,463–$13,748	$6,167–$16,316	Santa Cruz by $2,567
1,000 sq ft	$12,785–$21,165	$19,702–$31,872	Santa Cruz by $10,707
1,200 sq ft	$14,590–$24,646	$22,034–$36,638	Santa Cruz by $11,993

Where the money goes at 1,000 sq ft

	Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz County
Planning & zoning	$2,623	$2,248
Building permit & plan check	$6,204	$8,366
Public works & encroachment	–	$3,083
Construction taxes	$0–$3,000	–
Impact fees	$3,958	$6,004–$12,794
School district fee	$0–$5,380	$0–$5,380
Impact fees under SB 1117 (from 2027)	$990	$3,199
ADU permits issued, 2025	79	43

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

Rules side by side

	Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz County
Maximum size	Non-exempt detached ADU: 10% of net lot area up to 1,200 sq ft, or 850 sq ft (studio or 1 bedroom) / 1,000 sq ft (2+ bedrooms). A Statewide Exemption detached ADU: up to 800 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	Non-exempt detached ADU: up to 22 ft to the roof peak. Statewide Exemption ADU: 16 ft (18 ft near transit).	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	Non-exempt detached ADU: 3 ft from interior side and rear lines; 4 ft for any part over 16 ft tall. Statewide Exemption ADU: 4 ft.	Front: zone district standard. Street side and rear: 4 ft.
Parking	None outside the Coastal Zone. Inside it, one space near the coast (City GIS layer "ADU Parking 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. Required for a JADU.	Not required for an ADU. A JADU requires the owner to live on site.
Pre-approved plans	State law: every city must run a program to pre-approve ADU plans (Gov. Code 65852.27).	The County links a set of pre-designed ADU plans from its ADU page.
Junior ADU (JADU)	Up to 500 sq ft; the owner must live in the JADU or the main home and record a land use agreement.	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

Santa Cruz vs Santa Cruz County: questions

Are ADU fees higher in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz $12,785–$21,165 and Santa Cruz County $19,702–$31,872.

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

At 1,000 sq ft: Santa Cruz $3,958, 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: $990 and $3,199 in our model.

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

Santa Cruz: $7,463–$13,748. Santa Cruz County: $6,167–$16,316. At 750 sq ft or less, state law bars impact fees in both.

By project type

Specific projects

800 sq ft ADU fees in Santa Cruz

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