Pasadena, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Permits (2026)

Pasadena's ADU regulations live in PMC §17.50.275 (Accessory Dwelling Units) within Title 17 (Zoning Code), Article 5 (Standards for Specific Land Uses). Ordinance No. 7420, effective May 20, 2024, updated the chapter to align with the cumulative state amendments through AB 1033, AB 976, and AB 1332. The Pasadena Planning and Community Development Department reviews ADU applications ministerially — without a public hearing, neighbor notice, or discretionary findings — and is bound by the 60-day decision deadline in Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(b). One newly constructed ADU is permitted on any legal parcel in an RS or RM zoning district that contains a proposed or existing single-family dwelling. Detached ADUs must be located behind the rear building line of the primary residence and remain clearly subordinate by size and location. The minimum rear-yard setback for new ADU construction is 10 feet under PMC §17.50.275, with the state-mandated 4-foot side and rear setback for ADUs converted from existing structures or built on existing footprints. Height limits follow Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2 — 16 feet for standard detached ADUs, with up to 18 feet plus a 2-foot roof-pitch bonus within a half-mile of major transit, and up to 25 feet for two-story attached ADUs. In Pasadena's Landmark Districts and historic overlay zones (PMC Chapter 17.62), new attached or detached ADUs are permitted only if not visible from the public right-of-way; conversion ADUs are always allowed.