ADU Owner Occupancy: Rocklin vs Roseville
How do adu owner occupancy rules compare between Rocklin, CA and Roseville, CA?
Roseville has fewer restrictions than Rocklin.
Rocklin, CA
Placer County
Rocklin Municipal Code Chapter 17.67 expressly states 'there is no owner occupancy requirement' for an ADU permitted on or after January 1, 2020. This tracks Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6), which prohibits local owner-occupancy requirements on ADUs permitted between January 1, 2020 and January 1, 2025 (extended by AB 976 / 2023 to permanently bar such requirements for ADUs on single-family lots). Junior ADUs (JADUs) are different: under Cal. Gov. Code §65852.22(a)(2) and RMC Chapter 17.67, 'the owner must live in the primary residence or the JADU.' Owner occupancy for JADUs must be evidenced by a recorded deed restriction that runs with the land and includes the owner-occupancy covenant and the prohibition on separate sale (Gov. Code §65852.22(a)(5)).
View full Rocklin rules →Roseville, CA
Placer County
Roseville cannot impose owner-occupancy requirements on standard ADUs permitted after January 1, 2020 because California Government Code §65852.2(a)(6), made permanent by AB 976 (2023), preempts local owner-occupancy mandates. JADUs under Gov. Code §65852.22 still require owner occupancy of either the primary dwelling or the JADU, with a deed restriction recorded against title at permit issuance.
View full Roseville rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Rocklin | Roseville |
|---|---|---|
| ADU owner occupancy | Not required (RMC Ch. 17.67; Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6); AB 976) | - |
| JADU owner occupancy | Required — owner must live in primary residence or JADU (Gov. Code §65852.22(a)(2)) | - |
| JADU deed restriction | Recorded covenant required (Gov. Code §65852.22(a)(5)) | - |
| JADU government/nonprofit exception | Owner-occupancy waived for qualified governmental/nonprofit owners | - |
| Pre-2020 ADUs | Original owner-occupancy condition (if any) still runs | - |
| Standard ADU | - | No owner occupancy (state preempts) |
| JADU | - | Owner occupancy required |
| State Law | - | Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6); AB 976 |
| Deed Restriction | - | Recorded for JADUs |
| AB 1033 Condo Conversion | - | Not adopted in Roseville |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Rocklin FAQ
Do I have to live on the property to build an ADU in Rocklin?
No. RMC Chapter 17.67 says 'there is no owner occupancy requirement' for an ADU. State law (Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6), as made permanent by AB 976) bars cities from imposing owner-occupancy on ADUs on single-family lots.
What about a JADU?
Yes. Cal. Gov. Code §65852.22(a)(2) and RMC Chapter 17.67 require the owner to live in either the primary residence or the JADU. A recorded deed restriction must memorialize this before the City finalizes the JADU permit.
What does the JADU deed restriction have to say?
Per Cal. Gov. Code §65852.22(a)(5), it must (i) prohibit separate sale of the JADU from the primary residence, (ii) restrict size and attributes to JADU standards, and (iii) require the owner to occupy either unit (subject to government/nonprofit exception).
Roseville FAQ
Does Roseville require owner-occupancy for ADUs?
No, not for standard ADUs. California Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6) and AB 976 (2023) preempt local owner-occupancy mandates. Both the primary dwelling and the ADU may be rented to non-owner tenants long-term.
What about JADUs?
JADUs still require owner occupancy of either the primary dwelling or the JADU under Gov. Code §65852.22 and Roseville's RMC Title 19 ADU rules. A deed restriction recording the requirement is filed against title at permit issuance.
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