Whittier, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Impact Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- Fee waived
- Impact, connection, capacity charges
- Qualifying units
- Unpermitted ADU/JADU built before 1/1/2020
- Exception
- Utility fixes required under H&S Code 17920.3
- Governing section
- WMC 18.10.020(I)(5)(j)(vi)
Summary
Whittier waives impact, connection and capacity fees for homeowners legalizing a junior or accessory dwelling unit built without permits before January 1, 2020, under Whittier Municipal Code Section 18.10.020(I)(5)(j)(vi). The waiver does not cover utility upgrades required to meet state health and safety standards for substandard buildings.
vi.No impact fees or connection or capacity charges shall be imposed on a homeowner applying for a permit for a previously unpermitted junior or accessory dwelling unit built before January 1, 2020, except when the utility infrastructure is required to comply with Health and Safety Code Section 17920.3 and authorized by Government Code Section 66324(e).
Full Breakdown
3 or the building is substandard. The intent is to let owners of long-standing, informally built units come into compliance without the city using a fee bill as a barrier, while still requiring life-safety utility corrections where a building is genuinely substandard. The exemption applies specifically to units built before January 1, 2020 and does not extend to new construction commenced after that date, which is subject to whatever standard ADU/JADU development-impact fee schedule the city otherwise applies.
Violations & Fines
This provision is a fee exemption rather than a prohibition, so there is no separate penalty tied to it. If a permit reviewer improperly bills impact, connection or capacity fees on a qualifying pre-2020 unit, the applicant can cite Section 18.10.020(I)(5)(j)(vi) directly to the planning or building division to have the charge removed before permit issuance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ADUs qualify for the impact fee waiver?
Can the city ever still charge a connection fee on a qualifying unit?
How do I claim the fee exemption when applying?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whittier
California rules heatmap·Compare Whittier to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
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ADU Impact Fees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle adu impact fees.