Accessory Structures in Santee, CA (2026)
6 verified accessory structures rules for Santee, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
In the City of Santee, accessory dwelling units are approved ministerially with only a building permit under Santee Municipal Code Section 13.10.045. A detached ADU tops out at 16 feet unless the lot sits near transit, size runs up to 850 square feet for a studio or one-bedroom and 1,000 square feet for two or more bedrooms, and side and rear setbacks drop to just 4 feet.
Santee ADU Rules: Size, Height and Setbacks
Some RestrictionsSantee Municipal Code § 13.10.045
D. General Provisions. ... 3. Rental Term. No ADU or JADU may be rented for a term that is shorter than 30 days. This prohibition applies regardless of when the ADU or JADU was created. ... 7. Height. a. Except as otherwise provided by subsections (D)(7)(b) and (D)(7)(c) below, a detached ADU created on a lot with an existing or proposed single family or multifamily dwelling unit may not exceed...
ADU Impact Fees
In the City of Santee, Santee Municipal Code Section 12.30.080(F) waived every development impact fee ordinarily charged on an accessory dwelling unit for a five-year window running September 27, 2019 through September 27, 2024. That window has closed and the code sets no later extension, so new ADU permits filed today fall back to the standard development impact fee schedule due at building permit issuance under Chapter 12.30.
Santee's Expired Accessory Dwelling Unit Fee Waiver
Some RestrictionsSantee Municipal Code §§ 12.30.060(A), 12.30.080(C), (F), 12.30.090(B)
§ 12.30.060. Payment of fees. ... A. Subject to California Government Code section 66007, developers must pay the applicable development impact fees to the City at issuance of the building permit for the purpose of defraying the actual or estimated cost of the installation of any public facilities. ... ... § 12.30.080. Exceptions. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, payment of devel...
ADU Owner Occupancy
Santee does not require an owner to live on site for a standard ADU, but a junior ADU (JADU) is different: Santee Municipal Code Section 13.10.045(D)(6) requires the property owner to reside in either the primary home or the JADU as a legal domicile, with two narrow exceptions.
Santee JADU Owner-Occupancy Rule
Some RestrictionsSantee Municipal Code § 13.10.045(D)(6)
Owner Occupancy. a. ADUs are not subject to an owner-occupancy requirement. b. JADUs. i. Generally. As required by state law, JADUs are generally subject to an owner-occupancy requirement. A natural person with legal or equitable title to the property must reside on the property, in either the primary dwelling or JADU, as the person's legal domicile and permanent residence. ii. Exceptions. The ...
ADU Rental Restrictions
Santee bars short-term rentals of accessory dwelling units outright. Santee Municipal Code Section 13.10.045(D)(3) prohibits renting any ADU or JADU for a term shorter than 30 days, no matter when the unit was built, closing off nightly or weekly listings on platforms like Airbnb for these units citywide.
Santee ADU 30-Day Rental Minimum
Some RestrictionsSantee Municipal Code § 13.10.045(D)(3)
Rental Term. No ADU or JADU may be rented for a term that is shorter than 30 days. This prohibition applies regardless of when the ADU or JADU was created.
Shed & Carport Rules
Backyard sheds, cabanas, and detached garages in Santee's residential zones top out at 16 feet tall, per Santee Municipal Code Section 13.10.050(A). They can sit as close as five feet from the rear or side property line, but the combined floor area of all detached accessory structures cannot exceed 50% of the primary home's living area.
Santee Accessory Structure Size and Setback Limits
Some RestrictionsSantee Municipal Code § 13.10.050(A)
Attached and Detached Residential Accessory Structures. ... a. Height. ... The maximum height for accessory structures is 16 feet (one story). b. Rear Yard Setback. Attached or detached residential accessory structures or additions may be located five feet from the rear property line, excluding eave overhang. c. Side Yard Setback. Attached or detached residential accessory structures may be loc...
Garage Conversions
Santee lets homeowners and multifamily property owners turn an existing garage into an accessory dwelling unit without a discretionary hearing. Santee Municipal Code Section 13.10.045(F)(1) allows conversions on single-family lots within an existing accessory structure and, on multifamily lots, allows converting garages and other non-livable space into ADUs, capped at 25% of the existing units.
Santee Garage-to-ADU Conversion Rules
Light RestrictionsSantee Municipal Code § 13.10.045(F)(1)(a), (c)
Converted on Lot with Single-Family Residence. One ADU ... and one JADU on a lot with a proposed or existing single-family residence on it, where the ADU or JADU: i. Is either: within the space of a proposed single-family residence; within the existing space of an existing single-family residence; or (in the case of an ADU only) within the existing space of an accessory structure, plus up to 15...
Looking for San Diego County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Santee city rules.
Accessory Structures in San Diego County →