Accessory Structures in San Clemente, CA (2026)
6 verified accessory structures rules for San Clemente, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
San Clemente Municipal Code § 17.28.270 approves accessory dwelling units in residential and mixed-use zones with a building permit and no minimum lot area. Detached units top out at 16 feet in the base case, new attached or detached units cap at 850 square feet for a studio or one bedroom and 1,000 square feet for two or more bedrooms, and side and rear setbacks start at four feet.
San Clemente ADU Size, Height, Setback and Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Clemente Municipal Code § 17.28.270(E)(1), (E)(2)(c), (E)(3)(c), (E)(4)(a), (E)(9)(a), (F)(1)
There shall be no minimum lot area required to establish an accessory dwelling unit and/or junior accessory dwelling unit. ... Attached and detached accessory dwelling units shall provide a minimum setback of four feet from all side property lines and rear property lines not abutting an alley unless the setback requirements of the underlying zoning district are less restrictive. ... Detached ac...
ADU Impact Fees
San Clemente charges no impact fee and no connection fee for an accessory dwelling unit with less than 750 square feet of interior livable space. A unit of 750 square feet or more pays both, scaled by the ADU's floor area compared with the floor area of the primary dwelling. Subsection F of Municipal Code § 17.28.270 sets the rule.
San Clemente ADU Impact and Connection Fees
Some RestrictionsSan Clemente Municipal Code § 17.28.270(F)
Impact and Utility Fees. 1. No impact fee or connection fee is required for an ADU that provides less than 750 square feet of interior livable space; 2. An impact fee and connection fee is required for an ADU that provides at least 750 square feet of interior livable space and shall be charged proportionately in relation to the square footage of the primary dwelling unit. (e.g., the floor area ...
ADU Owner Occupancy
San Clemente applies an owner-occupancy requirement only to junior accessory dwelling units that share sanitation facilities with the single-family dwelling. Every JADU also needs a recorded deed restriction before the building permit issues. The section was last amended by Ordinance 1810 on June 16, 2026.
San Clemente ADU and JADU Owner-Occupancy Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Clemente Municipal Code § 17.28.270(G)(3)-(4)
3. Owner-Occupancy for Junior Accessory Dwelling Units. As required by applicable law, JADUs that share sanitation facilities with a single-family dwelling are subject to an owner-occupancy requirement. If the JADU has its own bathroom, then the property owner is not required to reside on the property. 4. Deed Restriction. Prior to issuance of a building permit for a JADU, a deed restriction mu...
ADU Rental Restrictions
San Clemente lets owners rent an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit, but never for periods of 30 days or less. Neither unit can be sold or conveyed separately from the lot and principal dwelling, and a JADU that shares sanitation facilities with the main house carries an owner-occupancy requirement under Municipal Code § 17.28.270(G).
San Clemente ADU Rental and Short-Term Lodging Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Clemente Municipal Code § 17.28.270(G)(1)-(3)
1. No Separate Conveyance. An accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit may be rented, but no accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit may be sold or otherwise conveyed separately from the lot and the principal dwelling (in the case of a single-family dwelling) or from the lot and all of the dwellings (in the case of a multi-unit family dwelling), except as allo...
Shed & Carport Rules
San Clemente lets a detached shed or other accessory building of 450 square feet or less sit in the rear half of a residential lot and encroach into the interior-side or rear setback up to the property line. It must still stay five feet from the house and five feet from any alley. Buildings over 450 square feet follow the zone's full setbacks, and height is capped at 15 feet in the front half of the lot.
San Clemente Shed and Detached Accessory Building Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Clemente Municipal Code § 17.24.040
a. There shall be a five-foot minimum setback between an accessory building/structure and a primary building, measured at the closest distance between the wall or post of structures. ... c. Except for through lots as described in Section 17.24.210 , when located wholly in the rear one-half of the lot: i. A detached accessory building with 450 square feet or less floor area may encroach into the...
Garage Conversions
San Clemente lets a homeowner convert an existing garage or carport into an accessory dwelling unit with no setback beyond what the structure already has, no 850 or 1,000 square foot size cap, and, outside the coastal zone, no duty to replace the lost parking. Municipal Code § 17.28.270 governs, as last amended by Ordinance 1810 on June 16, 2026.
San Clemente Garage Conversion Rules (ADU Section 17.28.270)
Some RestrictionsSan Clemente Municipal Code § 17.28.270(E)(2)(a)-(b), (E)(4)(b), (E)(9)(c)(viii)
For conversion of existing enclosed floor area, garage, or carport, no additional setback is required, beyond the existing provided setback. ... For replacement of an existing enclosed structure, garage, or carport, no additional setback is required, beyond the existing setback provided. This provision shall only apply to accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units that are rep...
Looking for Orange County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Clemente city rules.
Accessory Structures in Orange County →