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Tehama County, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Impact Fees (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Base SF/ADU fee
$2,750 per unit
Includes
"Second units" (ADUs) by code
State exemption
ADUs under 750 sq ft: no fee
Fee due
At building permit issuance

Summary

Tehama County folds accessory dwelling units into its single-family development impact fee, $2,750 per unit, under § 9.15.030, though California law exempts small ADUs and reduces the fee for larger ones.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Tehama County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

"Single family residential" means detached single family units, attached single family units, and second units, but does not include guest cottages... (§ 9.15.020(I)) Fee Schedule — Single Family Res. (per unit): Library $129.50, General Govt. $436.00, Sheriff $82.00, Corrections $215.00, Fire Protection $576.50, Parks and Rec. $55.00, Transportation $1,256.00, Total Fee $2,750.00 (§ 9.15.030(B)(1))

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23).

Full Breakdown

Tehama County Code § 9.15.020(I) defines 'single family residential' for impact-fee purposes to include 'second units', the pre-2017 term for ADUs, alongside detached and attached single-family units. Section 9.15.030(B)(1) sets the single-family development impact fee at $2,750 per unit (library, sheriff, corrections, fire, parks, transportation, and general government combined), due at building permit issuance under § 9.15.080. Because this fee schedule predates the state's current ADU rules, it doesn't reflect California's mandatory exemption: an ADU under 750 square feet owes no development impact fee at all, and a larger ADU's fee must be charged in proportion to the primary home's square footage, not the flat per-unit rate. This applies only in unincorporated Tehama County.

Violations & Fines

Building permits for new construction, including an ADU, won't issue or be finaled without payment of the fee, under §§ 9.15.030(C) and 9.15.080; unpermitted construction is separately a misdemeanor under § 1.04.042.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Tehama County charge an impact fee for building an ADU?
Its code folds 'second units' into the $2,750 single-family impact fee under § 9.15.030(B)(1), but California law exempts ADUs under 750 square feet and prorates the fee for larger ones.
When is the fee due?
At building permit issuance, and no later than final inspection or certificate of occupancy, under Tehama County Code § 9.15.080.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Tehama County

Noise Ordinances: Quiet HoursSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Construction HoursSome RestrictionsADU RulesSome RestrictionsShed & Carport RulesFew RestrictionsADU Owner OccupancyLight RestrictionsGarage ConversionsFew RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Vehicle NoiseSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Aircraft NoiseFew RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Leaf Blower RulesSome Restrictions

All Tehama County rules

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