ADU fees in San Francisco: $0–$5,380 in modeled fees for 1,000 sq ft, plus valuation-based permits
San Francisco charges no development impact fees on ADUs smaller than 750 sq ft, or on lots with three or fewer existing units at any size. A typical single-family-lot ADU therefore pays none. The main costs are Department of Building Inspection (DBI) permit fees, which depend on construction valuation, and the school fee.
3 fee lines · 3 official sources · checked Oct 18, 2026 · Sources · Calculator
Totals leave out dbi building permit and plan review fees.
Modeled fees by ADU size
Detached ADU, 2,000 sq ft main home (example assumption), law in force today. Bars: solid = fees that apply, hatched = fees that may apply.
Each fee with its official source (numbers link to the source list). Est. = computed by us from the official rate; May apply = high total only; Up to = statewide cap, district may charge less.
Fee
499 sq ft
750 sq ft
1,000 sq ft
1,200 sq ft
Building permit & plan check
DBI building permit and plan review fees3Set by DBI's fee tables from construction valuation. Not modeled yet.
Needs valuation
Needs valuation
Needs valuation
Needs valuation
Impact fees
Development impact fees1$0 on lots with 3 or fewer existing units (most single-family and duplex lots). On larger multifamily lots, ADUs of 750 sq ft or more pay proportional impact fees, which we haven't modeled.
No impact fees on ADUs or JADUs under 750 sq ft, or on lots with 3 or fewer existing units. Above that, fees are proportional to the primary unit's gross floor area. 1
Rules
What you can build in San Francisco
Maximum size
State floor: cities must allow at least 850 sq ft (1,000 sq ft with 2+ bedrooms); detached ADUs can be capped at 1,200 sq ft. Local rule not captured yet.5
Height
State program detached ADU: 16 ft, or 18 ft near transit or on a lot with a multifamily building (+2 ft for roof pitch). Attached: 25 ft or the primary dwelling's limit, whichever is lower. 1
Setbacks
New construction: 4 ft side and rear. None when replacing an existing structure at the same dimensions. 1
Parking
State limit: at most 1 space per ADU or bedroom, and none within ½ mile of transit and in other cases. Local rule not captured yet.5
Owner occupancy
State law: cities can't require the owner to live on site for an ADU (JADUs: owner on site if sanitation is shared). Local rule not captured yet.5
Pre-approved plans
State law: every city must run a program to pre-approve ADU plans (Gov. Code 65852.27). Local rule not captured yet.5
Deed restriction
State-program ADUs: no deed restriction. Local-program ADUs need a Costa-Hawkins regulatory agreement and a recorded deed restriction. 1
State law
Why a 750 sq ft ADU pays no impact fees
California bars impact fees on ADUs of 750 sq ft or less of interior livable space. Above that, they must be proportional to the main home’s size; we assume 2,000 sq ft unless you enter yours. School fees start at 500 sq ft. From January 1, 2027, SB 1117 limits impact fees to the area over 750 sq ft. How the state rules work →
ADU permits issued
San Francisco issued 171 ADU building permits in 2025
2,356 from 2018 to 2025, as the jurisdiction reported to the state in its Housing Element Annual Progress Reports (Table A2, ADU rows; may include JADUs). “–” means no ADU rows were reported that year.
The Governor approved SB 1117 (Chapter 809, Statutes of 2026) on September 29, 2026. It amends Gov. Code 66311.5: on lots with up to two ADUs, impact fees on an ADU over 750 sq ft must still be proportional to the primary home, and may only be charged on the area over 750 sq ft. Regular 2026 statutes take effect January 1, 2027. Until then, fees on a larger ADU are figured on its full size. Our calculator has a 2027 setting that shows the difference.
The Department of Housing and Community Development updated its ADU Handbook to reflect the laws that took effect January 1, 2026. Its proportional-fee example: a 1,000 sq ft ADU next to a 2,000 sq ft home pays 50% of the fee a new home would pay. Our models use 2,000 sq ft as the example primary-home size unless you enter your own.
On January 28, 2026 the State Allocation Board raised the statewide maximum Level 1 developer fee for residential construction from $5.17 to $5.38 per sq ft (+4.06%). School districts collect it on ADUs of 500 sq ft or more, at their own adopted rate up to this cap (higher Level 2/3 fees need extra findings). Where we haven't confirmed a district's rate, we use $5.38 as the upper bound.
SB 543 (Chapter 520, Statutes of 2025) took effect January 1, 2026. It restates the impact-fee rule in Gov. Code 66311.5: no impact fees on an ADU of 750 sq ft of interior livable space or less, or a JADU of 500 sq ft or less; above that, fees must be proportional to the primary home. It also caps JADUs at 500 sq ft of interior livable space. Many city documents still cite the older section numbers (65852.2 or 66324).
For a detached ADU with a 2,000 sq ft main home (an example assumption), our model of San Francisco’s official fee schedules comes to $0–$4,035 at 750 sq ft and $0–$5,380 at 1,000 sq ft. These totals leave out dbi building permit and plan review fees. Ranges show fees that may or may not apply to your project.
Does San Francisco charge impact fees on a 750 sq ft ADU?
No. California Government Code section 66311.5 bars impact fees on an ADU of 750 sq ft of interior livable space or less (500 sq ft or less for a JADU). Above 750 sq ft, impact fees must be proportional to the size of the main home.
Do school fees apply to an ADU?
Only at 500 sq ft or more. School districts charge their adopted developer fee per sq ft, capped at the State Allocation Board’s Level 1 maximum ($5.38 per sq ft since January 28, 2026) unless they qualify for higher levels.
A local agency, special district, or water corporation shall not impose any impact fee upon the development of an accessory dwelling unit that has 750 square feet of interior livable space or less