Accessory Structures in Vacaville, CA (2026)
5 verified accessory structures rules for Vacaville, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
Vacaville reviews accessory dwelling units ministerially: Section 14.09.270.040(D) requires only an ADU permit and a building permit, with no discretionary hearing. The City must approve or deny a complete application within 60 days, and if it misses that deadline the ADU is deemed approved automatically.
Vacaville Accessory Dwelling Unit Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsVacaville Municipal Code § 14.09.270.040(D)
D. Approvals. The following approvals apply to ADUs and JADUs created under this section: 1. Ministerial ADU and Building Permits Required. Every ADU and JADU requires an ADU permit and a building permit. The city will review and approve permit applications in accordance with subsection (D)(3) of this section... c. Deadline to Approve or Deny Ministerial Approvals. The city must approve or deny...
ADU Impact Fees
Vacaville exempts accessory dwelling units under 750 square feet from all development impact fees. Larger ADUs still pay, but only a prorated share based on the ADU's square footage against the primary dwelling's square footage, not the full per-unit fee a new house would owe.
Vacaville ADU Development Impact Fee Exemption
Some RestrictionsVacaville Municipal Code § 11.01.090(A)(4)
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) of less than 750 square feet. For ADUs that are 750 square feet or larger, the fee shall be based on the proportion of the square footage of the ADU to the square footage of the primary dwelling unit.
ADU Rental Restrictions
Vacaville bars short-term rentals of accessory dwelling units outright: Section 14.09.270.040(F)(4) sets a 30-day minimum rental term for every ADU and JADU in the city, no matter when the unit was built. The same section blocks selling or conveying an ADU separately from the primary lot, except in narrow cases allowed by state law.
Vacaville ADU 30-Day Minimum Rental Term
Significant RestrictionsVacaville Municipal Code § 14.09.270.040(F)(4)-(5)
4. 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. 5. No Separate Conveyance. An ADU or JADU may be rented, but, except as otherwise provided in Government Code Section 66341, no ADU or JADU may be sold or otherwise conveyed separately from the lot and the primary dwelling (in the case of...
Shed & Carport Rules
Vacaville lets homeowners build detached sheds, garages, and workshops in side and rear yards under Municipal Code Section 14.09.200.020, but caps height at 12 feet, requires a 3-foot foundation setback and 2-foot eave setback from the property line, and limits rear-yard coverage to 35 percent. Structures taller than 12 feet must move to the rear of the house and meet full district setbacks instead.
Vacaville Backyard Shed and Accessory Structure Rules
Some RestrictionsVacaville Municipal Code § 14.09.200.020
The provisions of this section apply to roofed structures; for example, detached garages, carports, sheds, workshops, gazebos, and covered patios, and to open, unroofed structures such as play equipment, decks and trellises, that are over 18 inches in height that are detached from and accessory to a main building on the site... Detached accessory buildings or structures shall not exceed the hei...
Garage Conversions
Vacaville treats a garage conversion as a facade redesign, not just an interior remodel. Under VMC 14.09.060.050(I)(8), when a garage becomes living space the old garage-door wall must be rebuilt into the home's architectural style, not left as a mismatched infill panel. The rule sits inside the citywide design standards the Community Development Director applies to every one- and two-unit house.
Vacaville Garage Conversion Facade Design Rule
Some RestrictionsVacaville Municipal Code § 14.09.060.050(I)(8)
I. Garage Design. Garages shall be designed so they do not dominate the front elevation of a house. Design requirements include: 1. Garages shall be less than 60 percent of the width of the building except where infeasible due to the narrow width of the lot and the decision maker finds that alternative garage configurations have been incorporated to minimize the visual dominance of the garage; ...
Looking for Solano County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Vacaville city rules.
Accessory Structures in Solano County →