Sonoma County, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum tenancy
- 30 days
- Sale
- No ADU sale apart from home
- Coverage
- Unincorporated county only
- Citation
- County Code § 26-88-060(n)
Summary
Sonoma County accessory dwelling units can be rented out, but the county bars renting an ADU for less than 30 days and bars selling or conveying an ADU separately from the primary home.
(n)Use Restrictions.(1)Ownership. ADUs may be rented but shall not be sold or otherwise conveyed separate from the primary residence, except as specifically provided for by state law.(2)Duration of Tenancy. ADUs may not be rented for periods of less than 30 days. (Ord. No. 6458, § XV, 12-5-2023; Ord. No. 6352, § IX(Exh. A), 9-14-2021)
Editor's note— Ord. No. 6352, § IX(Exh. A), adopted Sep. 14, 2021, repealed the former § 26-88-060 and enacted a new section as set out herein. The former § 26-88-060 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. No. 6191, § II(Exh. A), adopted Jan. 24, 2017; Ord. No. 6222, § II(Exh. A), adopted May 8, 2018; Ord. No. 6285, § IV(Exh. B), adopted Sep. 17, 2019.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Under Sonoma County Code § 26-88-060(n), accessory dwelling units built on unincorporated county parcels may be rented to a tenant, but the county caps tenancies at a minimum of 30 days: no short-term or vacation-rental use of an ADU is permitted. The same subsection bars selling or otherwise conveying an ADU separately from the primary residence, except where state law specifically allows it. The section implements Government Code § 65852.2's ADU mandate and applies only in unincorporated areas; Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Sonoma, Windsor, Healdsburg, Sebastopol, Cotati and Cloverdale set their own ADU rental rules under their own municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
Renting an ADU for under 30 days, or selling it apart from the primary home, violates § 26-88-060(n); Permit Sonoma can require correction through code enforcement and permit revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent my Sonoma County ADU short-term?
Can I sell my ADU separately from my house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma County
California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma County to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
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