California ADU rules · Santa Cruz County
Can I Build an ADU in Scotts Valley?
Yes — you can build an ADU in Scotts Valley. California's statewide ADU law requires every city, including Scotts Valley, 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
Local ruleconversions (>=1 or 25% of units); up to 8 detached or number of existing units (whichever is less); 2 detached on proposed multifamily lot
Detached ADUs on multifamily lots capped at 8 or number of existing units; 2 detached allowed on proposed multifamily.
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
Local rule1,100 sq ft
1,100 sq ft max on lots <10,000 sq ft; 1,200 sq ft on lots ≥10,000 sq ft if all district yard/setback standards are met. If not, 850/1,000 sq ft cap applies. State minimum of 800 sq ft always allowed.
Max attached ADU size
Local ruleSame as detached, but also limited to 50% of primary dwelling floor area; must allow at least 850 sq ft (1,000 for 2+ bedrooms)
Attached ADUs capped at detached max or 50% of primary, whichever is less, but state minimums apply.
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 rule16 ft
Detached ADUs: 16 ft (single-family/1-story multifamily), 18 ft (2+ story multifamily); attached ADUs may go up to 25 ft or height of primary dwelling per state law.
Setbacks
Side setback
CA state law4 ft
A city cannot require more than 4 ft side or rear setback; conversions of existing structures are exempt.
Rear setback
CA state law4 ft
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
Local rule10 ft
No separation required for ADUs ≤16 ft. For >16 ft, 10 ft plus 1 ft per 2 ft above 16 ft, but state minimums override for 800 sq ft/16 ft units.
Parking
Parking required
Local ruleUp to 1 space
One space per ADU unless exempt; converted ADUs require no parking.
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
Local ruleNot required
No replacement parking required for garage/carport conversions.
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
Local ruleWaived under 750 sq ft
No city development impact fees for ADUs <750 sq ft.
Permits required
CA state lawBuilding permit
Only a ministerial building permit — no conditional use permit or discretionary design review for a qualifying ADU.
Scotts Valley-specific factors that can change the answer
State law sets the floor, but these local conditions often decide whether a specific parcel works.
California Fire Code and Santa Cruz County Fire Prevention Standards
ADUs must comply with local fire code and prevention standards.
Hillside Residential Combining District
ADUs in hillside areas must comply with Chapter 17.40 objective standards.
Highway 17 Access
ADUs not permitted where access is solely from certain Highway 17 locations.
Scotts Valley caps detached ADUs at 1,100 sq ft on smaller lots and 1,200 sq ft on larger lots, with further reductions if setback standards are not met. Multifamily lots may have up to 8 detached ADUs or the number of existing units, whichever is less. Hillside and fire code standards may further restrict ADUs in some areas.
Frequently asked questions
Can I build an ADU in Scotts Valley?
Yes. California's statewide ADU law requires Scotts Valley 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 Scotts Valley?
A detached ADU of at least 1,100 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 Scotts Valley?
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 Scotts Valley?
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 Scotts Valley?
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 Scotts Valley?
Owner-occupancy: only for a jadu. ADUs under 750 sq ft are also exempt from impact fees.
Sources
- Scotts Valley Municipal Code Chapter 17.57 (ADUs) and Chapter 17.58 (JADUs), last amended by Ord. No. 16.142, effective December 4, 2024
- SVMC §17.57.040(C)-(D), §17.58.030(B)
- SVMC §17.57.050(A), §17.57.040(B)
- SVMC §17.57.050(A)
- SVMC §17.57.040(B)(2), §17.57.040(D)(2)
- SVMC §17.57.040, Table 1 Notes
- SVMC §17.57.050(F)
- SVMC §17.57.050(F)(3)
- SVMC §17.57.050(P)
- SVMC §17.57.030(L)-(Q)
- 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 § 66315 (owner-occupancy)
Last updated 2026-06-25. This is an AI-assisted summary of Scotts Valley'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 Scotts Valley Planning before relying on it.
Will an ADU work on your Scotts Valley lot?
Ask GoCodebook about your address and get the size, setback, parking and permit rules that actually apply to your parcel — with the exact citation.
Check my parcel free