Accessory Structures in Clovis, CA

If you live in Clovis or are thinking about moving there, accessory structures are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Clovis has 7 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of accessory structures, and some of them might surprise you.

ADU Rules

Clovis allows one accessory dwelling unit and one junior ADU per single-family lot under Municipal Code Section 9.40.020. Detached units may reach 1,200 square feet, attached units up to 50% of the primary home's floor area, and every ADU or JADU must be at least 220 square feet. A four-foot side and rear setback applies, with height capped at 16 feet for most detached units.

Key details: Detached ADU max size: 1,200 square feet. JADU max size: 500 square feet. Minimum unit size: 220 square feet. Side/rear setback: 4 feet. Detached ADU height: 16 ft (18 ft near transit).

An application that doesn't meet Section 9.40.020's standards isn't automatically denied: the owner can instead file for an administrative use permit under Chapter 62, and the Director may approve it with added conditions addressing on- or off-site impacts. Building an ADU without the required building, fire, and plumbing permits and inspections exposes the owner to the City's standard code-enforcement process and can delay or block the certificate of occupancy needed before the unit may be occupied.

ADU Impact Fees

Clovis exempts a qualifying accessory dwelling unit from paying its own garbage, greenwaste, and recycling fees when the ADU and the main house function as one household. Owners must file a sworn affidavit and renew it annually to keep the exemption under Municipal Code Section 6.3.26.

Key details: Governing section: Clovis Municipal Code § 6.3.26. What's exempt: Garbage, greenwaste, curbside recycling fees only. Condition: Single housekeeping unit affidavit required. Renewal: Annual, sworn under penalty of perjury. Not covered: Capital outlay fee (§6.3.20), street sweeping fee (§6.3.22).

There is no separate penalty provision in Section 6.3.26; the consequence of a false affidavit or a change in occupancy that breaks the single-housekeeping-unit status is that the Director of Finance denies or terminates the exemption, after which the property reverts to being billed the standard two-unit garbage, greenwaste, and recycling fees under the rest of Chapter 6.3.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Clovis gives residents more flexibility on adu impact fees.

ADU Rental Restrictions

Clovis Municipal Code Section 9.40.020(G)(2) lets homeowners rent an ADU or JADU separately from the main house, but bars selling or otherwise conveying the accessory unit apart from the primary residence. Any rental booked for fewer than 30 days must instead comply with the city's short-term rental operating standards in Section 9.58.065.

Key details: ADU rental separate from house: Allowed, long-term. ADU/JADU sale separate from house: Prohibited. Rentals under 30 days: Must follow §9.58.065 STR rules. JADU sale restriction: Backed by recorded deed restriction. Certificate of occupancy order: Primary home first, then ADU.

Selling or otherwise conveying an ADU or JADU separate from the primary residence violates Section 9.40.020(G)(2) and can be blocked at the title-transfer stage because JADUs carry a recorded deed restriction under Government Code Section 65852.22. Renting an ADU short-term without first obtaining the home occupation permit required by Section 9.58.065 is a separate violation, enforceable the same way as any unpermitted short-term rental, including citations and permit denial until the unit is brought into compliance.

ADU Owner Occupancy

Clovis does not require the owner to live on site for a standalone accessory dwelling unit, but Municipal Code Section 9.40.020(G)(3) does require owner-occupancy whenever a single-family lot adds a junior accessory dwelling unit. The owner may live in either the main house or the new JADU, and government agencies, land trusts and housing organizations are exempt entirely.

Key details: ADU owner-occupancy: Not required. JADU owner-occupancy: Required (house or JADU). Exempt owners: Government agency, land trust, housing org. JADU max size: 500 square feet.

A single-family lot with a JADU but no resident owner in either the main house or the JADU is out of compliance with Section 9.40.020(G)(3), separate from any zoning or building violation. Because the City ties owner-occupancy verification to permit issuance and ongoing code enforcement, a property that fails the requirement can face a code-enforcement complaint and be required to demonstrate owner residency or remove the JADU designation to bring the property back into compliance.

The rules around adu owner occupancy in Clovis lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Tiny Homes

Clovis defines a tiny home as a structure on wheels intended for separate, independent living quarters, and Table 2-2 of the Development Code permits the use only in the MHP Mobile Home Park District. Every other residential zone, including R-1, R-2, R-3, and R-4, leaves the use blank, meaning tiny homes are prohibited there.

Key details: Allowed zone: MHP Mobile Home Park District only. Prohibited zones: A, R-R, R-A, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4. Definition: Structure on wheels for independent living. MHP density: 7.1 to 15.0 dwelling units/acre. Table source: Table 2-2, § 9.10.020.

Placing or occupying a wheeled tiny home outside the MHP District violates the Development Code's land use table and is a misdemeanor under § 9.92.030, subject to a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in Fresno County jail, or both, with the City authorized to issue a stop-work order and treat each day of continued placement as a separate offense.

This is one of the stricter rules in Clovis's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Shed & Carport Rules

Clovis defines storage sheds as accessory structures under Municipal Code Section 9.40.030, requiring at least 64 square feet of floor area and, if placed in the required rear setback, a rear yard encroachment permit. Sheds over 120 square feet also need a building permit and must follow Table 4-1's setback chart, while sheds of 120 square feet or less can sit against the side and rear property lines.

Key details: Minimum shed floor area: 64 square feet. Building permit trigger: Over 120 square feet. Setback for sheds under 120 sq ft: None (side/rear). Max height in rear setback: 12 feet. Rear encroachment permit: Required if in rear setback.

Building a shed over 120 square feet without a building permit, or placing any shed in the required rear setback without a rear yard encroachment permit, is unpermitted construction under Section 9.40.030(D)(1) and is enforced through the City's standard building and code-enforcement process, which can require the structure to be permitted after the fact, modified to meet setbacks, or removed. A shed that exceeds the zoning district's maximum lot coverage is likewise out of compliance regardless of its individual size.

Garage Conversions

Clovis lets homeowners convert an existing garage into an accessory dwelling unit under Municipal Code Section 9.40.020(D), since ADUs may be built inside any existing accessory structure. On lots with an existing multifamily building, garages and other nonlivable space (storage rooms, basements, attics, passageways) can become ADUs up to 25% of the existing unit count, on top of two allowed new detached units.

Key details: Garage conversion allowed as: ADU under §9.40.020(D). Multifamily nonlivable-space cap: 25% of existing units. Multifamily new detached ADU cap: 2 units. Single-family lot cap: 1 ADU + 1 JADU. Detached ADU size ceiling: 1,200 square feet.

Converting a garage without a permit strips the homeowner of the primary dwelling's covered parking without satisfying the ADU's own one-space parking requirement, which can trigger a code-enforcement parking complaint in addition to a building-code violation for unpermitted construction. Because the Director's approval is ministerial once plans are filed, an unpermitted garage conversion is treated the same as any other unpermitted ADU: it must be brought into compliance or removed before a certificate of occupancy issues.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Clovis gives residents more room on accessory structures. 2 of the 7 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

This guide is based on Clovis's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.