Stanislaus County, CA Accessory Structures: Garage Conversions (2026)

Converting a garage to living space in unincorporated Stanislaus County is most commonly handled as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) under Title 21, Chapter 21.74. Section 21.74.040(B)(2) provides that 'no additional setbacks shall be required when an existing, legally established, garage or other existing residential accessory building is converted to an accessory dwelling.' Section 21.74.040(C)(1)(a) waives the off-street parking requirement when an existing legally constructed accessory structure such as a garage or carport is converted into an ADU. The converted unit still counts against the per-parcel ADU limits in Section 21.74.030(A): generally one JADU within the existing house plus one detached or attached ADU. The owner must record a restrictive covenant (21.74.050) barring separate sale and rentals of 30 days or less, and the unit must meet state building, water-supply, and wastewater standards (21.74.030(E)). The Zoning Ordinance defines a 'garage' (Section 21.12.240) as an accessible, usable covered space of at least nine feet by nineteen feet for off-street parking, so removing that protected parking is permitted only through the ADU conversion allowances. California ADU law (Gov. Code 66310-66342) requires these conforming conversions to be approved ministerially, without discretionary hearings. A building permit is required, and the unit must satisfy California Building Code requirements for habitable space.