Ventura, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Impact Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- ADU under 750 sq ft
- No impact fee
- ADU 750 sq ft+
- Fee prorated to primary home's area
- Impact fee defined by
- Gov't Code §66000(b), §66477
- Excluded
- Water/sewer connection & capacity charges
- Converted single-family ADU
- No new utility connection fee
Summary
Ventura waives development impact fees for small accessory dwelling units. Municipal Code Section 24.430.070(A) exempts any ADU under 750 square feet from Mitigation Fee Act and Quimby Act impact fees entirely, and prorates any impact fee owed on a larger ADU based on its floor area relative to the primary home.
24.430.070 Fees. The following requirements apply to all ADUs that are approved under Section 24.430.040(A) or (B). A. Impact Fees. 1. No impact fee is required for an ADU that is less than 750 square feet in size. For purposes of this subsection A, “impact fee” means a “fee” under the Mitigation Fee Act (Government Code Section 66000(b)) and a fee under the Quimby Act (Government Code Section 66477). “Impact fee” here does not include any connection fee or capacity charge for water or sewer service. 2. Any impact fee that is required for an ADU that is 750 square feet or larger in size must be charged proportionately in relation to the square footage of the primary dwelling unit (e.g., the floor area of the ADU, divided by the floor area of the primary dwelling, times the typical fee amount charged for a new dwelling.)
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-008, passed May 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
040. Under subsection (A)(1), no impact fee applies to any ADU smaller than 750 square feet; the code defines "impact fee" for this purpose as a fee under the state Mitigation Fee Act, Government Code Section 66000(b), or a fee under the Quimby Act, Government Code Section 66477, for park land dedication, and specifically excludes utility connection fees or capacity charges from that exemption. For an ADU of 750 square feet or larger, subsection (A)(2) requires the city to prorate any impact fee based on the ADU's floor area relative to the primary dwelling, for example dividing the ADU's square footage by the primary home's square footage and multiplying that ratio by the standard fee charged for a new dwelling, rather than charging the ADU the full fee a new single-family home would pay.
040(A) on an existing single-family lot needs no new or separate utility connection and pays no connection fee or capacity charge, while other ADUs on the city's own utility system pay a proportionate connection fee tied to floor area or drainage-fixture-unit values under the Uniform Plumbing Code.
Violations & Fines
There is no fine tied to Section 24.430.070 itself; the fee schedule is applied by Community Development and Ventura Water at permit issuance. An owner who is charged a full, non-prorated impact fee, or a connection fee barred by subsection (B)(2) for a qualifying converted ADU, can challenge the assessment through the city's standard fee-appeal and permit-review process rather than through code enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do small ADUs pay development impact fees in Ventura?
How are fees calculated for a larger ADU?
Does a garage-conversion ADU need a new water or sewer connection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ventura
California rules heatmap·Compare Ventura to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
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ADU Impact Fees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle adu impact fees.