Accessory Structures in Simi Valley, CA (2026)
5 verified accessory structures rules for Simi Valley, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
Simi Valley permits one ADU plus one JADU per single-family lot ministerially under SVMC 9-44.160, conforming the city to state law (Gov't Code 65852.2 and 65852.22) with 4-ft side/rear setbacks, 18-ft height, and up to 1,200 sq ft detached.
ADUs ministerial under SVMC 9-44.160
Some RestrictionsSimi Valley Municipal Code § 9-44.160(A) — Accessory Dwelling Units (Ministerial), General Provisions (Ord. No. 1316, adopted Nov. 2, 2020)
Notwithstanding any other regulation in this Development Code that is specifically applicable to ADUs or JADUs, a Zoning Clearance must be ministerially reviewed for an application for a building permit to create an ADU and/or a JADU within a residential zone subject to the development standards set forth in this section. The City reserves the right to limit construction of ADUs or JADUs in loc...
ADU Owner Occupancy
A Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit in Simi Valley comes with a recorded owner-occupancy deed restriction. SVMC Section 9-44.160(D)(2) requires the property owner to record a deed restriction promising to occupy either the JADU or the primary home, and a new owner who breaks that promise must remove the JADU and vacate any separate rental within 90 days.
Simi Valley JADUs Require Owner Occupancy
Significant RestrictionsSimi Valley Municipal Code § 9-44.160(D)(2)
D.JADU Requirements.1.Where a JADU is proposed in conjunction with an addition to an existing dwelling unit, the addition must meet the setback requirements for a single-family dwelling as required by the underlying zoning and/or any approved Planned Development Permit conditions.2.Prior to issuance of a Zoning Clearance for a JADU, a Deed Restriction must be recorded on the property on the for...
ADU Rental Restrictions
Simi Valley bars short-term rental of accessory dwelling units. SVMC Section 9-44.160(A)(10) requires that renting an ADU, a Junior ADU, or the primary home (when the owner lives in the ADU or JADU) be for periods of 30 days or more, closing off nightly or weekly rentals through platforms like Airbnb for any of these units.
Simi Valley ADU Rentals Require 30+ Days
Some RestrictionsSimi Valley Municipal Code § 9-44.160(A)(10)
10.The rental of any ADU or JADU, or the primary single-family dwelling, if the owner lives on site in the ADU or JADU, must be for periods of 30 days or more.
Shed & Carport Rules
Detached freestanding sheds and similar nonresidential accessory structures must sit at least 20 ft from the front, 3 ft from side and rear lot lines per SVMC 9-30.080 Table 3-2, may cover no more than 40% of any yard, and require a building permit if the floor area exceeds 120 square feet.
Sheds: 120 sq ft permit threshold, 3-ft setbacks
Some RestrictionsSimi Valley Municipal Code § 9-30.080, Table 3-2 — Setbacks for Architectural Features and Accessory Structures (Ord. No. 1316, Part 3)
TABLE 3-2 - SETBACKS FOR ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES AND ACCESSORY STRUCTURES ... Gazebos, carports, sheds, and similar nonresidential structures that are freestanding: Front 20 feet; Street Side / Side / Rear 3 feet. ... * Accessory structures shall not cover more than 40 percent of any yard except for Accessory Dwelling Units which are subject to yard coverages as outlined in Section 9-44.160.
Garage Conversions
Simi Valley ministerially allows an attached or detached garage to be converted to an ADU under SVMC 9-44.160(E)(1): no additional setbacks are required when keeping the existing footprint, and lost garage parking is generally waived under state law.
Garage-to-ADU conversion allowed, no new setbacks
Some RestrictionsSimi Valley Municipal Code § 9-44.160(E)(1)–(2) and § 9-44.160(A)(17) — Detached ADU Requirements (Ord. No. 1316, Part 5)
Detached ADUs may be new construction in yards subject to setbacks outlined in Section B or the conversion of a legally permitted accessory structures, such as a studio, shed, carport, horse stable, garage, or pool house, can be converted to an ADU. The existing space of an accessory structure within which an ADU is proposed to be located must have a solid roof and structural framing. In additi...
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