Accessory Structures in Chino Hills, CA (2026)
6 verified accessory structures rules for Chino Hills, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
State law under Government Code § 65852.2 requires Chino Hills to allow accessory dwelling units, and the city's own standards in § 16.10.140 fill in the size, setback and height limits state law leaves to local control: a 220 square foot minimum, an 850 to 1,000 square foot maximum, four-foot side and rear setbacks, and an 18-foot height cap.
Chino Hills ADU Size and Setback Rules
Some RestrictionsChino Hills Municipal Code § 16.10.140(I), (J), (K), (M)
I.Minimum Size. Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units shall have a minimum size of two hundred twenty (220) square feet.J.Maximum Size. The maximum size of an accessory dwelling unit shall not exceed eight hundred fifty (850) square feet of interior livable space for an accessory dwelling unit containing up to one bedroom, or one thousand (1,000) square feet of interior l...
ADU Impact Fees
Chino Hills charges its standard traffic, storm drain, parks, and general facilities impact fees against accessory dwelling units "to the maximum extent allowed by state law" rather than exempting ADUs outright. The city sets the exact fee amounts by council resolution in Chapter 3.40's Table 1, adjusted periodically.
Chino Hills ADU Development Impact Fees
Light RestrictionsChino Hills Municipal Code § 3.40.100
Subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 3.40.120 below, the amount of the fees to be imposed and collected pursuant to this chapter are as of January 11, 2026, and shown in Table 1. Fees will be charged for accessory dwelling units to the maximum extent allowed by state law. Each fee may include an administrative overhead component necessary to cover the associated costs of compliance with th...
ADU Owner Occupancy
Chino Hills requires the property owner to live on-site, either in the junior accessory dwelling unit or the remaining primary home, whenever a JADU shares sanitation facilities with the main house. The requirement under § 16.10.140(C) runs with the land and does not apply once the JADU has separate sanitation or to standard accessory dwelling units generally.
Chino Hills JADU Owner-Occupancy Rule
Some RestrictionsChino Hills Municipal Code § 16.10.140(C)
C.Owner Occupancy Requirement for Junior Accessory Dwelling Units with Shared Sanitation. The owner of the property on which a junior accessory dwelling unit that shares sanitation facilities with the primary dwelling is located shall reside in either the junior accessory dwelling unit or the remaining portion of the primary dwelling unit on the property as their primary residence as long as th...
ADU Rental Restrictions
Chino Hills bars short-term rentals of accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units: § 16.10.140(D) requires any rental or lease to run longer than 30 days, closing off ADUs and JADUs from vacation-rental use citywide.
Chino Hills ADU 30-Day Rental Minimum
Significant RestrictionsChino Hills Municipal Code § 16.10.140(D)
B.Except as required by Government Code section 66341, accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units shall not be sold or otherwise conveyed separately from the primary dwelling...D.Rental Period. Any rental or lease of an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit shall be for a period exceeding thirty (30) days.
Shed & Carport Rules
A detached, one-story tool or storage shed in Chino Hills does not need a building permit if it is no taller than 10 feet from grade and no larger than 120 square feet of floor area, measured outside surface to outside surface, under the local amendment to California Building Code § 105.2. The shed still must meet California Fire Code and Wildland-Urban Interface Code rules even without a permit.
Chino Hills Storage Shed Permit Exemption
Light RestrictionsChino Hills Municipal Code § 15.04.020 (amending 2025 CBC § 105.2, Item 1)
1.One-story detached accessory buildings used as tool or storage sheds, provided the height does not exceed 10-feet from lowest adjacent grade to the highest point and the floor area as measured from outside surface to outside surface does not exceed 120 square feet. Accessory structures must comply with regulations of the California Fire Code and California Wildland Urban Interface Code, despi...
Garage Conversions
Converting a garage, carport, or covered parking structure into an accessory dwelling unit does not require the homeowner to replace the lost parking, under CHMC 16.10.140(P)(3). The primary house becomes legal nonconforming for parking as a result. The garage door itself must come out under 16.10.140(Q)(3), replaced with a wall matching the home's front elevation.
Chino Hills ADU Garage Conversion Rules
Some RestrictionsChino Hills Municipal Code § 16.10.140(P)(3), (Q)(3)
P. Required Parking. ... 3. The replacement of parking spaces shall not be required when a garage, carport, or other covered parking structure is converted into an accessory dwelling unit or demolished to accommodate the construction of an accessory dwelling unit. The primary dwelling unit shall be deemed legal, non-conforming if it no longer satisfies the parking requirements of Chapter 16.34 ...
Looking for San Bernardino County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Chino Hills city rules.
Accessory Structures in San Bernardino County →