ADU rules in Tulare County, CA — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
In unincorporated Tulare County, ADUs and junior ADUs are ministerially permitted in residential and most agricultural-residential zones. California ADU law (Gov. Code 66310-66342) preempts local rules: HCD warned in October 2025 that the County's 2019 ADU ordinance may be outdated, in which case state standards apply directly.
The Tulare County Resource Management Agency (RMA) reviews ADU and junior ADU (JADU) applications for unincorporated areas under the County Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance No. 352) and state law. When the Board updated the rules in 2023, it allowed ADUs and JADUs to be ministerially permitted in the R-A, R-O, R-1, R-2, R-3, MR and proposed PD-F-M zones; limited JADUs to one per residential lot; required the residence containing a JADU to be owner-occupied; capped the JADU at 500 square feet entirely within the residence; and allowed an ADU to be rented (for terms longer than 30 days) but not sold separately from the main home. Detached ADUs are generally limited to 16 feet in height and attached ADUs to 25 feet. Crucially, California's state ADU law (Gov. Code 66310-66342) preempts conflicting local rules and applies to counties for unincorporated land. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) sent the County a Letter of Technical Assistance dated October 8, 2025 stating the most recent ADU ordinance on file is from 2019 and 'may be outdated and out of compliance.' Under Gov. Code 66316, a non-compliant ordinance is 'null and void' and the County must apply state standards until it adopts a compliant ordinance. To make ADUs easier, the County RMA also offers free pre-approved ADU building plans designed for use anywhere in unincorporated Tulare County.
Building an ADU or JADU without ministerial approval and required building permits from RMA, exceeding the JADU 500-square-foot cap, selling an ADU separately from the primary residence, or renting it for 30 days or less can result in code-enforcement action and orders to correct or remove. State law requires the County to act on a complete ADU/JADU application within 60 days or it is deemed approved.
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