The County of San Diego Accessory Dwelling Unit Guide

Our ADU experience in San Diego County

Unincorporated areas are covered by the County of San Diego’s ADU rules and regulations. Additionally, some city properties are subject to County of San Diego ADU rules and regulations. This will depend on whether your city has incorporated the land on which your property is located. In some cities like Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Oceanside, Encinitas, Del Mar, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Santee, and parts of San Diego, portions are regulated by County of San Diego and not the city. If you don’t know what jurisdiction applies to your property, we can look that up for you in early phases of our discussions.

The County requires in-person submission of plans, which adds some processing time and expense. Review times are moderate. Other agencies that are more proximate to the location of the residence may require input and approval (i.e., local fire agencies). The County has also put out standard floor plans, which some homeowners have found helpful as a starting place for their ADU designs.

San Diego County ADU Regulations & Permitting Requirements

Want to learn more about what kind of ADU you can build in San Diego County? Check out our in-depth resource guide San Diego County Regulations & Permitting Requirements outlining the ADU building code requirements. We also include what we have learned about how the city will interpret code based on actually designing & building in the city. You can also set up a consult if you want our advice on what you can build.