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Madera County, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Significant Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

ADU rules in Madera County, CA, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.

Key Facts

Instrument: Ch. 18.81 SUO overlay district
County minimum lot: 1 acre, overlay-mapped only
Old occupancy rule: Immediate family only, no rent
Superseded: Where conflicting with state ADU law
Scope: Unincorporated Madera County only

ADU Eligibility Quick-Check

An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a smaller, independent living unit on the same lot as a single-family home: converted garages, detached cottages, basement or attic conversions, and attached additions all qualify. Most states have streamlined ADU permitting since 2020, but local rules still control size, height, and setback.

Is your lot zoned single-family or multi-family residential?
Does your lot have at least 1,200 sq ft of buildable space?
Is your existing home owner-occupied (in most states this is not required, but some require it for ADU permits)?
Will the ADU stay under your state's size cap (commonly 850-1,200 sq ft for detached)?
Can you provide one off-street parking space (waived in many states within 0.5 mi of transit)?

If you answered 'yes' to most of these, you likely qualify in California under recent ADU streamlining laws. The Madera County, CA rules below cover local size, height, and setback requirements.

Summary

The county's Second Unit Overlay District lets an immediate family member occupy a second home on a mapped one-acre-plus lot, but current state ADU law overrides its family-only, no-rent conditions.

City-specific rules exist: Madera has its own adu rules rules that differ from Madera County's county-level regulations. If you live in Madera, check the city-specific page instead.

In addition to the uses permitted in the underlying zoning district, a second single family residence shall be allowed on lots of one acre or larger subject to the following conditions and requirements:1.The second single family residential unit is not for sale or rent;...4.The second unit shall be occupied by members of the immediate family (i.e., parent(s), children) of the occupant(s) of the principal residence.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52).

Full Breakdown

Madera County's original second-unit instrument is Chapter 18.81, the Second Unit Overlay District (SUO), which applies only where the overlay is mapped onto the underlying zoning district. Under § 18.81.010, a second single-family residence is allowed on lots of one acre or larger only if it isn't for sale or rent, the lot has an existing owner-occupied primary dwelling, the second unit matches the primary dwelling's materials and design, and it's occupied only by immediate family of the principal-residence occupant. Location, height, lot-dimension and parking standards then follow the underlying zoning district (§§ 18.81.020-.050). This overlay-only, family-occupancy, no-rent approach is exactly what California's current ADU law (Gov. Code §§ 66310-66342) overrides: it does not control where a proposed unit qualifies as an ADU under state law. Governs unincorporated Madera County land only.

Violations & Fines

Building a second unit under Chapter 18.81 outside the mapped SUO overlay, or renting it out, breaches this chapter's own terms, but isn't necessarily unlawful if the unit instead qualifies as an ADU under current state law, which supersedes the overlay's family-only and no-rent conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I rent out a second unit built under Chapter 18.81?

Not under the SUO overlay's own terms, but California's current ADU law (Gov. Code §§ 66310-66342) has no such no-rent restriction and controls where the two conflict.

Does the Second Unit Overlay have to be mapped on my specific parcel?

Under § 18.81.010, the SUO's own rules apply only within the mapped overlay district; a state-law ADU application doesn't depend on that overlay being mapped.

Sources & Official References

[1]Madera County Code of Ordinances (Municode)

Other rules in Madera County

Shed & Carport RulesSome Restrictions ADU Rental RestrictionsLight Restrictions ADU Owner OccupancySignificant Restrictions Noise Ordinances: Vehicle NoiseSome Restrictions Noise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome Restrictions Parking Rules: EV ChargingSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Curb Color RulesSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Driveway RulesSome Restrictions

All Madera County rules

How Madera County compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·California rules heatmap·Compare Madera County to another location·View the California accessory structures overview

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ADU Rules in Cities Across Madera County

Madera, CA