ADU fees in Scotts Valley: $17,183–$23,110 in modeled fees for 1,000 sq ft, plus valuation-based permits
Scotts Valley charges development impact fees per unit. ADUs of 750 sq ft or less pay none; above that, the per-unit amounts are prorated, and parks have a separate "second unit" rate. Building permit fees come from a valuation scale, but the City doesn't publish the per-sq-ft valuation it uses, so we can't model them.
14 fee lines · 3 official sources · checked Oct 18, 2026 · Sources · Calculator
Totals leave out valuation-based building fees and permit technology fee at some sizes. Enter a construction valuation in the calculator to include them.
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.
Design review, single-family/ADU (up to 1 hour)1The ADU manual says a compliant ADU needs only a building permit, so this may not apply. High total only.
May apply$360
May apply$360
May apply$360
May apply$360
Building permit & plan check
Building plan check and processing (valuation scale, includes MEP)1Scale on the building valuation, which the City sets and doesn't publish per sq ft. Enter your own valuation in the calculator to compute it. Example: from $100,001, $3,158 + $7 per extra $1,000.
Needs valuation
Needs valuation
Needs valuation
Needs valuation
Green Building Education Fund (0.25% of valuation)1
Park & recreation facilities (second-unit rate)2The City's own rate for a second unit; we don't prorate it further.
Exempt
Exempt
$7,018
$7,018
Storm drainage (per sq ft of new impervious area)2$0.15–$0.33 per sq ft of impervious surface, depending on the watershed. We assume new impervious area equals the ADU's floor area (one story).
School fees (Scotts Valley Unified)4District rate not checked; statewide Level 1 maximum shown as an upper bound.
Exempt
Up to$4,035
Up to$5,380
Up to$6,456
Modeled total
$0–$360
$0–$4,395
$17,183–$23,110
$19,160–$26,200
Water & sewer
Scotts Valley Water District serves most of the city. New ADUs within 200 ft of a sewer connection point must connect to municipal sewer. The City lists a sewer lateral connection inspection fee; water district charges are not modeled. 3
Rules
What you can build in Scotts Valley
Maximum size
850 to 1,200 sq ft, depending on zoning and whether the ADU meets the primary-dwelling setbacks. 3
Height
Up to 35 ft for a detached ADU in R-1, R-R or R-MT that meets single-family setbacks; otherwise the state limits apply. 3
Setbacks
4 ft from side and rear lines; the primary dwelling's front setback applies. None for conversions or replacements. 3
Parking
Usually one space; none for JADUs and in several other cases. 3
Owner occupancy
Never for an ADU. For a JADU, only if it shares a bathroom with the main home. 3
Pre-approved plans
Pre-Reviewed ADU Program: vendor plans accepted by the City, still with a site-specific application. 3
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
Scotts Valley issued 9 ADU building permits in 2025
38 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.
Building permit, General Plan maintenance and green building fees depend on a building valuation the City sets (no per-sq-ft rate published). They're left out of the modeled totals; the calculator computes them if you enter a valuation.
Per-unit impact fees use the Single Family (R-1-10) column; other zones differ (shown on the City's sheet).
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.
Scotts Valley's development impact fee schedule, effective July 7, 2026, restates that ADUs of 750 sq ft or less pay no development impact fees. It lists per-unit fees by zone and a separate "Second Unit" park fee of $7,018. A 4% administrative charge applies to impact fees.
Scotts Valley's master fee schedule for fiscal year 2026-27 took effect July 6, 2026. It sets the building plan check and processing scale on valuation, a 4% permit technology fee, and an ADU design review fee.
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.
For a detached ADU with a 2,000 sq ft main home (an example assumption), our model of Scotts Valley’s official fee schedules comes to $0–$4,395 at 750 sq ft and $17,183–$23,110 at 1,000 sq ft. These totals leave out valuation-based building fees and permit technology fee at some sizes. Ranges show fees that may or may not apply to your project.
Does Scotts Valley 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. At 1,000 sq ft, the impact fees we model for Scotts Valley come to at most $17,370.
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.
How big can an ADU be in Scotts Valley?
850 to 1,200 sq ft, depending on zoning and whether the ADU meets the primary-dwelling setbacks.
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