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

Sacramento County addresses garage conversions through its accessory dwelling unit standards in Section 5.4.5.B of the Zoning Code. When an existing garage or other permitted structure is converted to an ADU, the maximum size is the area of the existing space or structure plus 150 square feet for ingress/egress; a JADU created within the home (including an attached garage or storage area) is limited to 500 square feet plus 150 square feet for ingress/egress. Existing spaces and structures may remain at the setbacks originally permitted, although any ingress/egress additions must meet new-construction ADU/JADU setbacks. A significant state-mandated benefit applies: when a garage, carport, or covered parking structure is demolished or converted in conjunction with constructing an ADU, replacement parking is not required and may be located in any configuration on the same lot. Because the county imposes no off-street covered-parking mandate on existing single-family homes, converting a garage to living space (rather than to an ADU) is generally a zoning-permitted accessory use, but it still requires building permits to ensure the new habitable space meets current building, electrical, and energy codes. A converted ADU must include a kitchen with a cooktop/stove and oven or range, while a JADU needs at least an efficiency kitchen.