Accessory Structures in Whittier, CA (2026)
6 verified accessory structures rules for Whittier, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
Whittier caps a detached accessory dwelling unit at sixteen feet in height, eighteen feet within a half-mile of a major transit stop, under Whittier Municipal Code Section 18.10.020(I). ADUs generally get only a four-foot side and rear setback, and the code protects at least an eight-hundred-square-foot unit even where a full setback would otherwise block it.
Whittier ADU Height & Setback Standards
Some RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 18.10.020(I)(5)(f)
f.Height. In general, except as set forth below, an accessory dwelling unit shall not exceed one level and shall comply with the height requirements set forth herein; the height shall be measured from the top of the first-floor top plate.i.A height of sixteen feet for a detached accessory dwelling unit on a lot with an existing or proposed single-family or multifamily dwelling unit.ii.A height ...
ADU Impact Fees
Whittier waives impact, connection and capacity fees for homeowners legalizing a junior or accessory dwelling unit built without permits before January 1, 2020, under Whittier Municipal Code Section 18.10.020(I)(5)(j)(vi). The waiver does not cover utility upgrades required to meet state health and safety standards for substandard buildings.
Whittier ADU Impact Fee Exemption
Few RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 18.10.020(I)(5)(j)(vi)
vi.No impact fees or connection or capacity charges shall be imposed on a homeowner applying for a permit for a previously unpermitted junior or accessory dwelling unit built before January 1, 2020, except when the utility infrastructure is required to comply with Health and Safety Code Section 17920.3 and authorized by Government Code Section 66324(e).
ADU Owner Occupancy
Whittier requires the owner of a parcel with a junior accessory dwelling unit to live in either the main house or the JADU itself as a primary residence, under Whittier Municipal Code Section 18.10.020(I)(7)(c). Government agencies, land trusts and qualifying housing organizations are exempt from this owner-occupancy rule.
Whittier JADU Owner-Occupancy Rule
Significant RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 18.10.020(I)(7)(c)
c.Owner Occupancy: The owner of a parcel proposed for a junior accessory dwelling unit shall occupy as a primary residence either the primary dwelling or the junior accessory dwelling. Owner-occupancy is not required if the owner is a governmental agency, land trust, or "housing organization" as that term is defined in Government Code Section 65589.5(k)(2), as that section may be amended from t...
ADU Rental Restrictions
Whittier bars short-term rentals of junior accessory dwelling units: any JADU lease must run at least thirty-one days. The owner must live on the parcel, and the JADU can never be sold apart from the main house.
Whittier JADU 31-Day Rental Minimum
Some RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 18.10.030(I)(7)(c)-(e)
c.Owner Occupancy: The owner of a parcel proposed for a junior accessory dwelling unit shall occupy as a primary residence either the primary dwelling or the junior accessory dwelling. Owner-occupancy is not required if the owner is a governmental agency, land trust, or "housing organization" as that term is defined in Government Code Section 65589.5(k)(2), as that section may be amended from t...
Shed & Carport Rules
A Whittier storage shed under 120 square feet cannot exceed twelve feet in height, and detached accessory buildings in the rear third of the lot get their own set of reduced setbacks depending on lot type.
Whittier Storage Shed Height and Setback Rule
Some RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 18.10.030(C)(1), (C)(3)(a),(d),(f), (C)(4)
C.Location of Buildings. Location of buildings or structures on any R-zoned lots shall conform to the following:1.No building or structure may be located on any portion of a required yard area, except as expressly provided in this section... 3.Detached non-dwelling accessory buildings, not including accessory living areas, when located entirely in the rear one-third of the lot, may be construct...
Garage Conversions
Converting or demolishing a single-family garage to build an accessory dwelling unit forces a choice: keep the driveway usable for parking or remove it entirely at the owner's cost, curb cut and all.
Whittier Garage-to-ADU Conversion Driveway Rule
Some RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 18.10.030(I)(5)(k), (I)(6)(a)(i)
k.Driveway Maintenance/Removal. If an existing garage for a single-family dwelling is demolished or converted to allow an accessory dwelling unit, after creation of the accessory dwelling unit, either (1) the driveway must continue to operate in a manner that one or more cars can lawfully park on the driveway; or (2) at the applicant's sole cost, the driveway shall be removed, the curb cut and ...
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