Monterey County, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Owner Occupancy (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- Owner must occupy main house or the JADU
- Exempt owners
- Government agency, land trust, housing org
- JADU size cap
- 500 square feet
- Enforcement
- Recorded deed restriction before permit
- Scope
- Coastal Zone (Title 20) districts only
Summary
In Monterey County's Coastal Zone, an owner who builds a junior accessory dwelling unit must live in either the remaining part of the main house or in the JADU itself, unless the owner is a government agency, land trust or housing organization, per the coastal ADU/JADU zoning regulations.
10.The owner must reside in either the remaining portion of the structure or the newly created JADU, unless the owner is another governmental agency, land trust, or housing organization.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
030(F)(1)), limits it to 500 square feet (§(F)(4)), and requires no additional off-street parking (§(F)(5)). 030(F)(10): the property owner must reside in either the remaining portion of the main structure or the newly created JADU itself. The requirement is waived only if the owner is a governmental agency, land trust, or housing organization rather than an individual. 030(F)(9) separately requires the owner to record a deed restriction running with the land that bars selling the JADU apart from the single-family residence and locks in the size and attribute limits of this Section, so the owner-occupancy expectation is backed by a recorded document a title search will surface, not just an unrecorded promise.
This owner-occupancy condition applies specifically to JADUs approved under the Title 20 Coastal Zoning Ordinance, meaning it governs construction within the county's Coastal Zone districts (all carrying the '(CZ)' designation), not the parallel Title 21 Inland Zoning Ordinance that covers the rest of unincorporated Monterey County.
Violations & Fines
Renting or occupying a coastal-zone JADU while the owner moves out of both the main dwelling and the JADU violates the owner-occupancy condition of §20.64.030(F)(10) and the recorded deed restriction required by §20.64.030(F)(9); the county can enforce the deed restriction against the owner or a future purchaser who takes title subject to it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a JADU on my coastal-zone property and rent out both units?
Does the owner-occupancy rule ever not apply?
How does the county make sure the owner-occupancy promise sticks after a sale?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monterey County
California rules heatmap·Compare Monterey County to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
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