ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (ADUs)
What is an Accessory Dwelling Unit and a Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit?
Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) means an attached or a detached residential dwelling unit which provides complete independent living facilities for one or more persons and is located on a lot with one or more proposed or existing primary residences. It must include permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation.
A Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit, also known as a JADU, is a residential unit that is no more than 500 square feet in size that is contained entirely within the walls of a single-family residence, including an attached garage, and that has a separate entrance. At a minimum, a JADU Unit includes an efficiency kitchen with a food preparation counter, cooking facility with appliances and storage cabinets, and may include a separate bathroom or may share a bathroom within the existing single-family residence.
ADU Permit
Permitting of an ADU requires its own permit, separate from any other work occurring on the primary residence, even if the ADU is attached to the primary residence. If the ADU project work is planned to occur at the same time a remodel or addition is to occur on the primary residence, a separate permit is required (i.e., one permit for primary residence work and a second permit for the ADU). The two permit requests will generally be processed at the same time, but the reviews will occur individually, and a separate permit will be issued for the specific address of each residence. Permit requests that combine the ADU work with the primary residence work cannot be processed and will be rejected. This causes processing time delays for applicants because they need to revise their project plans to pull apart the work for the two separate residences and then submit them individually. To avoid such a delay, applicants need to make sure that their ADU permit request is a separate, standalone permit application.
Permitting Resources:
- City of Pleasanton’s ADU and JADU Ordinance
- Planning Division’s ADU Handout
- Building & Safety Division’s Residential New Construction Submittal Requirements Handout
ADU Rebate Program
New Program Provides Rebates for ADU Construction
Cities across California are encouraging the building of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to help address the housing crisis. The Senate District 7 ADU Accelerator Program, piloted by Senator Steve Glazer, provides rebates for homeowners building ADUs.
Program Qualifications
- The program period runs from October 1, 2024 – August 31, 2026
- Rebates are limited to individual homeowners
- Only one rebate is allowed per individual or entity within the City of Pleasanton
- Only one rebate will be awarded per single-family residential lot or assessor parcel number (APN)
- ADU units must be 1,000 square feet or smaller
Rebate Amounts
Non-Restricted ADUs
Homeowners can get rebates of up to $7,500 if they get a building permit to build an ADU and receive a certificate of occupancy within 18 months or by 9/30/2026, whichever comes first. The rebate amount depends on the size of the ADU:
- $7,500 for units smaller than 500 square feet
- $5,000 for units between 501-750 square feet
- $2,500 for units between 751-1,000 square feet
Low-Income Restricted ADUs
Homeowners can get rebates of up to $15,000 if they get a building permit to build an ADU and receive a certificate of occupancy within 18 months or by 8/31/2026, whichever comes first.
Rebates will be given for units that are deed restricted to low-income households for at least 20 years. See our Sample Regulatory Agreement for more details. The rebate amount depends on the size of the ADU:
- $15,000 for units smaller than 500 square feet
- $10,000 for units between 501-750 square feet
- $5,000 for units between 751-1,000 square feet
Before You Start
- Review ADU construction application process
- Preapproved ADU plans are forthcoming – check back soon for additional cost and time savings
ADU Rebate Process
Apply for an ADU Rebate
Applications can only be submitted online.
1. Submit an application
2. Wait for response
You will receive an email from the City of Pleasanton within 10 business days. If your application is approved, you will receive an application number. A rebate amount will be reserved for you and given once your ADU is ready for occupancy.
3. Obtain Building Permit for ADU Construction
Within 6 months of submitting your rebate application, you must obtain an approved Building Permit for your ADU unit. You will receive an email confirmation once City staff has approved your building permit.
4. Obtain a Certificate of Occupancy
To receive your rebate, you must obtain a Certificate of Occupancy for your ADU within 18 months of the Building Permit issuance date or by September 30, 2026, whichever is sooner. If more time is needed, you may request an extension from the Community Development Department with a valid reason. You will receive an email confirmation once your Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
5. Receive your Rebate
As long as you meet all the requirements, you will receive your rebate. You will receive an email confirmation when the rebate is issued. The rebate will be sent as a check made out to the property owner.
Program Funding
Section 19.564 of the 2023 Budget Act sets aside $2,500,000 for certain cities in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. This money is to encourage the building of ADUs to address California’s housing shortage.
Among the 15 cities in the East Bay, eligibility for funding in the incentive programs is based on $1.87 for each resident. Population is based on the Department of Finance’s population estimates as of January 1, 2024.
The available funding for Pleasanton is $142,043. Rebates are given on a first-come, first-served basis until all the funds are expended.
Contact
For additional information about this program, please email: ecarroll@cityofpleasantonca.gov
Preapproved ADUs
The City is now preapproving plans for detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) that are submitted by designers, architects, builders, and other qualified professionals. Preapproved ADU plans can be used throughout Pleasanton with an expedited plan review timeline and lower permitting costs. Selecting a preapproved ADU plan is the quickest way for homeowners to add a new accessory dwelling unit to their property in Pleasanton! Over the last two decades, the State has adopted a number of laws that encourage building ADUs and limit the requirements that may be imposed by cities on such units.
The City’s Planning Division is currently accepting applications from qualified design professionals. For information on how to apply, please read the For Designers section below.
The City already has a growing list of designers with plans that have been preapproved through the Preapproved ADU Program. A list of preapproved plans will be available soon. To be notified when plans become available, homeowners can sign up for the City’s Preapproved ADU Interest List. More information is available in the For Homeowners section below.
For questions, please contact the Planning Division by email at pod@cityofpleasantonca.gov or by calling (925)437-4009.
For Designers
The City is currently accepting applications from qualifying design professionals to have their plans for detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) preapproved for use throughout Pleasanton. Having your ADU plans preapproved by the City is a great way to ensure that your future clients can move through the permitting process quickly and smoothly. All preapproved ADU plans will be featured on this webpage to help connect you with Pleasanton homeowners who are interested in adding an ADU to their property. You will still retain your copyright to the preapproved design, so any homeowner who wishes to use the design must contract with you to do so.
Once the City preapproves your ADU plan, the preapproval will remain valid until the City adopts new building or zoning codes that apply to your ADU plan. The City will notify you when such changes take place and let you know how to submit updated plans.
The City offers three options to get your ADU plans preapproved:
- Concurrent Processing: The City offers a “Concurrent Preapproval” application to get your ADU plans preapproved while you are going through a site-specific plan check. Simply fill out a Request for ADU Plan Preapproval form along with your site-specific plan check application and email the request to BuildingDivision@cityofpleasantonca.gov. Concurrent preapproval does not add any time to your plan check. Concurrent processing will be subject to the hourly Plan Checker rate of $180 per hour, with 1 hour minimum.
- Previously approved ADU: ADU plans that were submitted after January 1, 2023, and already reviewed and approved by the City may also be considered for preapproval. This process is subject to a $1,000 conformance fee. Please email the Request for ADU Plan Preapproval form to BuildingDivision@cityofpleasantonca.gov along with the previously approved plan number and plans that meet the ADU Preapproval Submittal Checklist.
- Independent Application: The City also accepts applications for ADU preapproval independent of a site-specific plan check. Please refer to the City’s ADU Preapproval Submittal Checklist. Applications may be submitted to the Building Division by email at BuildingDivision@cityofpleasantonca.gov. A new application will be subject to normal plan check fees.
For Homeowners
Working with a designer who has a preapproved ADU plan is the quickest way for homeowners to add a new secondary unit to their property in Pleasanton. Here are just some of the advantages of selecting an ADU design that is preapproved by the City:
- Design Certainty: Know that the basic ADU design you have selected complies with the California Building Code and Citywide design guidelines.
- Fast Review: Applications using preapproved plans are reviewed in 7 business days, rather than 15 business days for standard applications.
- Reduced Fees: Applicants pay a flat plan review fee of $1,000. Additional construction and inspection fees still apply and vary depending on the plan selected.
In order to use a preapproved ADU plan, you must contract with the designer responsible for the plan set. All preapproved plans still require additional site-specific plans, studies, and engineering, as applicable. A full list of submittal requirements is found on the City’s Submittal Checklist for Using a Preapproved ADU Plan. The requirements for building an ADU are available on the City’s Permits, Forms, & Fees webpage.
A list of preapproved plans will be available soon! To be notified when new plans become available, please sign up for the City’s Preapproved ADU Interest List.
Preapproved ADU Plans
The City has not yet approved any preapproved ADUs. Plans will be added as soon as they are approved. To be notified when plans become available, please sign up for the City’s Preapproved ADU Interest List.
All preapproved plans still require additional site-specific plans, studies, and engineering, as applicable. Homeowners are encouraged to contact the Planning Division by email at pod@cityofpleasantonca.gov and the Building and Safety Division by email at BuildingDivision@cityofpleasantonca.gov to learn more about the requirements for constructing an ADU prior to beginning their project.