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

Amador County adopted Chapter 19.72 (the Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance) in 2020 to align local rules with California Government Code section 65852.2, the state ADU law now recodified at Government Code sections 66310-66342. Under Section 19.72.04, ADUs are allowed in all zoning districts that permit residential dwellings, are deemed not to exceed parcel density, and a complete, compliant application is processed ministerially within 60 days. The applicant must be the property owner or the owner's designee. General regulations in Section 19.72.05(A) require the ADU to be attached to or detached from the primary dwelling on the same parcel; allow a unit up to 16 feet in height; require compliance with building, fire, and life-safety codes; and impose a four-foot setback from side and rear lot lines where State Responsibility Area fire rules (Chapter 15.30) do not apply. Prohibited as ADUs are mobile homes, RVs, park-model RVs, yurts, tents, and cargo containers. Category 1 permits allow one ADU sized between an efficiency unit and the floor area of the primary dwelling (with smaller caps of 850 or 1,000 square feet when the main home is under 1,000 square feet) and require one off-street space (waivable near transit). Category 2 includes detached new-construction units capped at 800 square feet and 16 feet, conversions of existing space, and junior ADUs (JADUs) meeting Government Code section 65852.22. Adequate water and wastewater must be certified by Environmental Health.