Accessory Structures in Temecula, CA (2026)
6 verified accessory structures rules for Temecula, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
Temecula allows one accessory dwelling unit per qualifying residential lot under Development Code Chapter 17.23. Attached ADUs added to an existing home cannot exceed fifty percent of that home's gross floor area, and detached ADUs are capped at 1,200 square feet. Detached units top out at sixteen feet, eighteen near major transit.
Temecula ADU Size and Height Rules
Some RestrictionsTemecula Municipal Code § 17.23.050(A), (B)(1)-(2)(a)
Location Restrictions. One ADU shall be allowed on a lot with a proposed or existing primary dwelling that is zoned residential. B. Development Standards. 1. Size Restrictions. Except as otherwise set forth in this section, if there is an existing primary dwelling, the total floor area of an attached ADU shall not exceed fifty percent of the gross floor area for the primary dwelling. An attache...
ADU Impact Fees
Temecula ADUs under 750 square feet pay zero development impact fees. Larger ADUs still owe fees, but Section 17.23.060(B) requires them to be scaled proportional to the square footage of the primary dwelling, not charged as a full new house. Water and sewer connection fees apply regardless of size.
Temecula ADU Impact Fee Exemption
Some RestrictionsTemecula Municipal Code § 17.23.060(B), (C)
B. The owner of an ADU or JADU shall be subject to the payment of all sewer, water and other applicable fees, including impact fees set forth in Government Code Section 66000 et seq., except as follows: 1. ADUs that are less than seven hundred fifty square feet shall not be subject to impact fees. 2. ADUs that are seven hundred fifty square feet or more shall be charged impact fees that are pro...
ADU Owner Occupancy
Temecula requires owner-occupancy only for junior accessory dwelling units, not full-size ADUs. Under Municipal Code Section 17.23.030(E)(7), either the JADU or the primary residence on the same lot must be occupied by the property's owner of record, unless the owner is a government agency, land trust, or housing organization.
Temecula JADU Owner-Occupancy Rule
Some RestrictionsTemecula Municipal Code § 17.23.030(C)(3), (E)(7)
C. The property owner shall record a declaration of restrictions... placing the following restrictions on the property, the property owner, and all successors in interest: (1) the ADU or JADU is to be rented only for terms of thirty-one days or longer, unless state law and the city's municipal code are both amended to allow short-term rentals; (2) the ADU or JADU is not to be sold or conveyed s...
ADU Rental Restrictions
Temecula bans short-term rentals of accessory dwelling units. Under Section 17.23.050(B)(4), an ADU may be rented but shall not be used for short-term rentals for less than thirty-one days, and the same floor is written into a covenant recorded against the property before the city finals the building permit.
Temecula ADU 31-Day Rental Minimum
Significant RestrictionsTemecula Municipal Code § 17.23.050(B)(4), (D)
4. No Short-Term Rental. ADUs may be rented but shall not be used for short-term rentals for less than thirty-one days. ... D. Covenant Required. The property owner shall record a declaration of restrictions, in a form approved by the city attorney, placing the following restrictions on the property, the property owner, and all successors in interest: (1) the ADU is to be rented only for terms ...
Shed & Carport Rules
Temecula limits backyard sheds and other accessory structures to one story and 16 feet tall, requires at least 3 feet of separation from other structures, and bars them from front yards entirely under Table 17.06.050A. Storage buildings over 120 square feet need extra clearance from neighboring structures.
Temecula Shed and Accessory Structure Rules
Some RestrictionsTemecula, CA, Municipal Code § 17.06.050(D) (Accessory Structures and Uses); Table 17.06.050A
2. Height. Accessory structures shall be one story maximum and not exceed a height of sixteen feet. Accessory structures shall not exceed the maximum height allowed for the zone, if located in the HR, RR, VL, L-1 and L-2 zones. 3. Separation. Accessory structures shall maintain a minimum separation of at least three feet from all other structures, unless attached to the main structure. Except t...
Garage Conversions
Temecula lets homeowners convert an existing garage into an accessory dwelling unit through a building-permit-only process under Municipal Code Section 17.23.030, skipping discretionary review and public hearings entirely. The converted space may expand up to 150 square feet beyond the garage's existing footprint, and only to add a new entrance. No replacement parking is required as long as the resulting unit stays in legal ADU use.
Temecula Garage Conversion to ADU Rules
Some RestrictionsTemecula, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 17.23.030(D)(1)(a); Sec. 17.23.050(B)(8), (E)(2)
The ADU or JADU is within the proposed space of a single-family dwelling or existing space of a single-family dwelling or accessory structure and may include an expansion of not more than one hundred fifty square feet beyond the same physical dimensions as the existing accessory structure. An expansion beyond the physical dimensions of the existing accessory structure shall be limited to accomm...
Looking for Riverside County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Temecula city rules.
Accessory Structures in Riverside County →