Madera, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

State law (Cal. 513 fills in the local development standards the state law leaves to the city. An ADU may go on any R-zoned lot with one existing single-family home, or on a PD lot where the Precise Plan already allows one, and the application for a Zoning Administrator Permit is approved ministerially, meaning no discretionary hearing, once it meets the standards. New detached one-story units get a 20-foot front, 5-foot rear and 5-foot interior side setback (15 feet on a corner side); two-story detached units need a 15-foot rear setback and a 10-foot interior side setback for the upper story.

A detached ADU can never sit more than 100 feet from the primary dwelling, and no portion may come within ten feet of a primary dwelling on the adjacent lot. Floor area is capped at 1,200 square feet for a new detached unit, 1,200 square feet or 50% of the existing home's square footage for an attached unit (whichever is less), and 45% of the existing floor area for an internal conversion. Height is capped at 16 feet for a one-story ADU and 27 feet for a two-story ADU.

The city requires one off-street parking space per ADU unless the unit qualifies for an exception, such as being 750 square feet or smaller, within a half-mile of transit, or replacing a demolished garage. The Planning Department must act within 120 days of a complete application, and a recorded deed restriction confirming the unit cannot be sold separately from the main house is required before occupancy.