California ADU rules · Sacramento County
Can I Build an ADU in Citrus Heights?
Yes — you can build an ADU in Citrus Heights. California's statewide ADU law requires every city, including Citrus Heights, to approve a qualifying accessory dwelling unit by right, plus a junior ADU (JADU) on a single-family lot. What varies city to city are the local specifics below.
Can you build one?
ADUs allowed
CA state lawYes — by right
ADUs and JADUs are allowed by right in all residential and mixed-use zones; ministerial approval, no hearing.
Units on a single-family lot
CA state law1 ADU + 1 JADU
At least one ADU and one JADU per single-family lot (a conversion ADU may also be possible).
Units on a multifamily lot
CA state lawConversion ADUs (≥1, up to 25% of units) + up to 8 detached
Conversions of non-livable space (at least 1, or up to 25% of existing units) plus up to 8 detached ADUs on a lot with existing multifamily — never exceeding the number of existing units. JADUs are single-family only.
Junior ADU (JADU)
CA state lawAllowed
Up to 500 sq ft, within the walls of an existing single-family home (single-family lots only).
Size & height
Max detached ADU size
CA state law1,200 sq ft
Statewide default cap for detached new-construction ADUs in the absence of a compliant local ADU ordinance. The unconditional by-right floor a city must always allow is 800 sq ft (see Guaranteed minimum size); a city with a compliant ordinance may set its own ceiling.
Max attached ADU size
Local ruleUp to 60% of the primary dwelling's size, capped at 1,200 sq ft (≥850 sq ft for ≤1 bedroom, ≥1,000 sq ft for 2+ bedrooms always allowed)
Citrus Heights limits an attached ADU to 60% of the primary dwelling. The state guaranteed minimums (850 sq ft, or 1,000 for 2+ bedrooms) still override this percentage where it would cut below them.
Guaranteed minimum size
CA state law800 sq ft
An 800 sq ft ADU must be allowed regardless of FAR/lot-coverage caps; a city also cannot cap an attached ADU below 850 sq ft (1,000 for 2+ bedrooms).
Max JADU size
CA state law500 sq ft
Max height
Local rule18 ft
18 ft for a detached ADU; an attached ADU may follow the primary structure up to 30 ft. State transit/two-story allowances still apply to detached units.
Setbacks
Side setback
Local rule4 ft
Detached new-construction ADUs use a 4-ft side/rear setback. An ATTACHED ADU is held to a 5-ft side / 20-ft rear setback (rear reducible to 10 ft in some cases) — but the state-protected 800 sq ft / 4-ft-setback by-right ADU cannot be blocked by those larger attached-unit setbacks.
Rear setback
Local rule4 ft
4 ft for a detached ADU; an attached ADU faces a 20-ft rear setback (reducible to 10 ft in some cases), subject always to the state by-right minimums.
Front setback
CA state lawNo front setback may block the mandatory 800 sq ft / 16-ft / 4-ft-setback ADU; otherwise per base zone
Separation from main house
CA state lawNone required
No statewide separation requirement between the ADU and the primary dwelling.
Parking
Parking required
CA state lawUp to 1 space
At most 1 space per ADU (or per bedroom, whichever is less) — and waived in the common cases below.
Transit parking exemption
CA state lawYes — no parking required near transit & for conversions
No parking may be required within ½ mi walking distance of transit, in a historic district, for an ADU within an existing structure, within one block of car-share, or in certain permit-parking areas.
Garage-conversion replacement parking
CA state lawNot required
When a garage/carport is demolished or converted to build an ADU, replacement parking cannot be required.
Approval, timeline & cost
Approval path
CA state lawMinisterial (by right)
No public hearing or discretionary design review for a qualifying ADU.
Approval timeline
CA state law60 days
The agency must act within 60 days of a complete application — and the ADU is deemed approved if it does not.
Owner-occupancy
CA state lawOnly for a JADU
No owner-occupancy requirement for ADUs (the prior sunset was removed). A JADU may require owner-occupancy, principally where it shares sanitation with the main house.
Impact-fee waiver
CA state lawWaived under 750 sq ft
An ADU of 750 sq ft or less pays no impact fees (the 750 sq ft threshold itself is exempt under § 66311.5); larger ADUs pay fees proportional to the primary dwelling. JADUs (≤ 500 sq ft) are exempt.
Permits required
CA state lawBuilding permit
Only a ministerial building permit — no conditional use permit or discretionary design review for a qualifying ADU.
Citrus Heights-specific factors that can change the answer
State law sets the floor, but these local conditions often decide whether a specific parcel works.
Lot-coverage limits above 800 sq ft
An ADU of 800 sq ft or less is exempt from lot-coverage limits. An ADU larger than 800 sq ft must fit within the property's lot-coverage cap (roughly 30%–50% depending on zoning), which can constrain a bigger build on a small lot.
Citrus Heights has local ADU standards in Code § 106.42.015: attached ADUs are limited to 60% of the primary dwelling (capped at 1,200 sq ft), detached ADUs are capped at 18 ft (attached may reach 30 ft), and any ADU over 800 sq ft must meet the zone's lot-coverage limit. Attached ADUs carry larger 5-ft side / 20-ft rear setbacks than detached units, though the state by-right 800 sq ft / 4-ft ADU is always protected. While the City finishes updating its code, applicants may elect either the local standards or the state ADU regulations. Short-term (under-30-day) rental is prohibited. Verify the current standard with the Citrus Heights Planning Division.
Frequently asked questions
Can I build an ADU in Citrus Heights?
Yes. California's statewide ADU law requires Citrus Heights to approve a qualifying accessory dwelling unit ministerial (by right), plus a junior ADU (JADU) on a single-family lot.
How big can an ADU be in Citrus Heights?
A detached ADU of at least 1,200 sq ft must be allowed, and an ADU of 800 sq ft can never be zoned out by floor-area or lot-coverage limits. A JADU can be up to 500 sq ft.
What are the setback requirements for an ADU in Citrus Heights?
Side and rear setbacks are limited to 4 ft. No front setback may block the mandatory 800 sq ft / 16-ft / 4-ft-setback ADU; otherwise per base zone.
Is parking required for an ADU in Citrus Heights?
Up to 1 space. No parking can be required within ½ mile of transit, for conversions, or for units inside the primary home. When a garage is converted, replacement parking is not required.
How long does ADU approval take in Citrus Heights?
A complete application must be acted on within 60 days, with ministerial (by right) — no public hearing or discretionary design review for a qualifying ADU.
Do I have to live on the property to build an ADU in Citrus Heights?
Owner-occupancy: only for a jadu. ADUs under 750 sq ft are also exempt from impact fees.
Sources
- Citrus Heights Code of Ordinances § 106.42.015 (Accessory Dwelling Units)
- Cal. Gov. Code §§ 66310–66342 (ADU Law)
- HCD 2025 Accessory Dwelling Unit Handbook
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66317 (ministerial approval, 60-day deadline)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66323 (by-right ADU/JADU, 800 sq ft, 4-ft setbacks)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66333 (junior ADUs)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66321 (size minimums & height)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66322 (ADU parking; § 66334 covers JADU parking)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66314 (local ordinance standards)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66315 (owner-occupancy)
- Cal. Gov. Code § 66311.5 (impact fees: none for an ADU ≤ 750 sq ft or JADU ≤ 500 sq ft)
Last updated 2026-06-28. This is an AI-assisted summary of Citrus Heights's ADU rules, drawn from its published ordinance and California ADU law — general information, not legal advice, and it may be incomplete or out of date. Verify the controlling rule for your specific parcel with Citrus Heights Planning before relying on it.
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