PermitFlow

800 Boylston St. Suite 1410

Boston, MA 02199
(206) 623 - 1986

San Francisco ADU

Permitting
March 21, 2024

Overview:
San Francisco single and multi-family properties can now accommodate additional units. Family
members can stay there, or it can be rented out to get extra money.

It's possible that this process will take longer than 18 months once it's decide to be built.

An addition of a unit usually costs more than $125,000 in labor and materials. Architects and
engineers charge roughly 10% of construction expenditures for their professional services.
Cities charge between 6 and 9% of the total cost of building. The project's and location-specific
details will determine how much the overall cost will be.

Goals:
1. Factors that affect the submission process: Characteristics of the property, residential
vs. commercial differences & location.

2. Detail on end-to-end permitting requirements: Within specifications below

3. Permits Needed: Links enclosed

4. Account Registration Requirements: Link for registration to be followed accordingly for

each.
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5. Forms / online workflows to complete: Includes information needed to fill forms &
workflows.

6. Architectural/ Structural/ Other Plan Requirements: Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis
eleifend option congue nihil imperdiet doming id quod mazim placerat facer possim
assum.

7. Relevant Departments to submit to: Contacts included

8. Submission Process Detail: Also provided within specifications

9. Automatic/ Manual Elements: Specified as well.

Specifications:
It might be possible to expand the planned or existing building to include more auxiliary dwelling
units (ADUs), sometimes referred to as granny flats, in-law apartments, cottages, or garage
apartments.

Single-family residences: Often, it's possible to add a second residential unit to a single-family
home that is already built or being planned.

Multi-family structures: Adding more residential units can be possible, depending on the
number of units, type of zoning permits, and the requirements of the building code.

The State and City have facilitated the construction of ADUs in order to increase the amount of
housing available:

Family members may occupy the space, or it maybe rented out to generate more money.

These restrictions must be taken into account as well:

● ADUs can't be rented out for a brief period of time.

● The income tax will probably go up if the ADU is rented out.
● Generally speaking, an ADU cannot be sold apart from the primary home.
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● The property's value will probably improve if an ADU is added, which means the
property tax bill will go up.

All zoning districts in San Francisco that allow residential use were permitted to participate in
the Accessory Dwelling Unit Program starting in 2016. New ADU regulations went into effect in
California in January 2020, permitting the addition of ADUs to single- and multi-family buildings.

Types of ADUs:

There are four ADU types:

1. Conversion ADUs are new units that convert space in a residential building.
2. Attached ADUs are new units that expand a residential building.
3. Detached ADUs are new free-standing buildings located on a residential property.
4. Junior ADUs (JADU) are a new type of ADU that convert up to 500 square feet of space
in a single-family structure. JADU requires owner-occupancy in either the remaining
portion of the single-family home or the newly created JADU.

The type of ADU which can be added to a property depends on the building type and the ADU
Program. There may occasionally be an unpermitted, illegal unit already on the property. Review
the necessary things with the Legalization of Unauthorized Units Checklist below:
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Design an ADU that meets City codes:

Accessory dwelling units (ADU) must meet City requirements that
keep buildings safe and neighborhoods livable.

Cost:
$10,000+
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Hire an architect:
Homeowners often hire an architect or designer to create the plans.

What to do:

After you decide to build an ADU, you must create architectural plans for your
ADU. Then we review your plans to make sure they follow our rules.

See the ADU program comparison from SF Planning for specifics.

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Follow these guidelines to create ADU plans that meet City codes.

When you must hire a design professional:

We require that a licensed design professional sign and stamp most ADU plans.

We do not require a licensed design professional in these cases.

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Single-family homes with wood-frame construction (Type V construction) that

are less than:

● 2 stories and basement in height

● 25 feet wide between bearing walls
● 25 feet high

Multiple-unit dwellings containing less than 5 dwelling units of wood construction

that are less than 2 stories and basement in height.
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An unlicensed person cannot design multiple clusters of up to 4 dwelling units.

Read more in Information Sheet G-01.

Common limitations:

● ADUs must be a minimum of 220 sq ft and have a minimum 7.5 ft ceiling

heights
● In most residential neighborhoods, you must provide private open space
for your ADU
● You must provide adequate natural light and ventilation to the unit
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● Your ADU must meet fire safety requirements for safe entry and exits

For multi-family homes with 3 or more units, you may be required to add a fire
alarm and sprinkler system to your ground floor for Local program ADUs.

These requirements can significantly increase the construction and building costs
of your ADU.
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Number of ADUs you can build at your property:

Under State Law, you can build 1 ADU or junior ADU (JADU) in single-family
homes.

You may build more than 1 ADU in some instances and under our Local program.
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If you want to build more than 1 ADU, see more about State and Local ADU
programs.

Unit requirements:

Entrances and exits:

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Your ADU must have its own entrance. The person living in your ADU cannot
be required to enter through another unit. The units can share a common foyer or
hallway.

Most ADUs require two exits for fire safety. The exit path must be 36 inches wide.
The clear opening of all doors must be 32 inches wide, which is usually a 34
inch-wide door panel.

Ceiling heights:
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In hallways and living and sleeping areas, the minimum ceiling height is 7.5 ft.
In other rooms (like the bathroom and kitchen), the minimum ceiling height is 7 ft.

Rooms and sleeping areas:

Your unit must have:

● at least one room that’s more than 120 sq ft

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● a designated sleeping area

Habitable rooms, like living rooms and bedrooms, must be:

● at least 70 sq ft
● at least 7 ft in any dimension
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Kitchens must have a passageway of at least 3 ft between the counters and

the wall and a 4-burner stove.

Natural light:

All living spaces in the City must have natural light, also called exposure. The
City uses the term glazing to refer to glass in windows, doors, or other fixed
openings that let natural light into a building.
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State-law ADUs may not have to follow all of these requirements.

Your ADU must also have a window or other glazing that:

● Is in a bedroom or living room that is 120 sq. ft. or larger

● Is either greater than 10 sq. ft. or 1/12 of the size of the room size
● At least 7.5 inches from the finished floor
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The window or other glazing must face a code-compliant rear yard, street
(minimum 20 feet in width), or open area that is 25 feet by 25 feet on the ground
floor and expands at subsequent floors.

The Zoning Administrator is may reduce the exposure requirement for an ADU
through a waiver so that qualifying windows may face an open area that is no
less than 225 square feet in size, has no horizontal dimension less than 9 feet,
and is open to the sky with exception of permitted obstructions outlined in
Section 140 of the Planning Code. Any exposure that is less than these
dimensions will require the approval of a variance.
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Habitable rooms, excluding kitchens, home offices and media rooms, must
have glazing that’s at least 8% of the floor area.

Example: if the living room is 90 sq ft, it must have 7.2 sq ft of glazing from a
window, fixed opening, or glass door.

Note: See the Fire Safety section for more requirements about windows.
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Ventilation:

Habitable rooms must have natural ventilation that’s at least 4% of the floor area.
An exterior door also counts for the ventilation requirement. If that’s not possible,
you must provide a mechanical ventilation system.

Example: A 150 sq ft-bedroom must have a minimum of 6 sq ft of window that

can be opened for ventilation.
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All bathrooms must have an exhaust fan.

Utilities:

Water: Single-family homes adding an ADU do not usually need additional water
capacity. If you are remodeling the primary unit as well, there may be additional
water capacity costs. If you are adding 1 unit to a 2-unit building, you may be
required to add a sprinkler system to comply with fire safety. This will likely
require additional water capacity.
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Electrical: Independent wiring is required for each unit. Occupants shall have
ready access to all overcurrent devices protecting the conductors supplying that
occupancy.

Gas: If the ADU has gas appliances, the property's gas lines will need to be
extended to the new unit. Gas meter installation must be coordinated with Pacific
Gas and Electric.

Meters: all gas and electric meters must meet PG&E requirements. If the meter
box is in the exit passageway, it must be in 1-hour fire rated and it cannot block
the minimum width of the exit passageway.
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Property requirements:

Parking:

Additional parking is not required for an ADU.

Front setbacks:
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At least half of the required front setback must be permeable and at least 20%
of it must be unpaved and landscaped with plant material.

Side and rear setbacks:

Determined by fire safety and zoning requirements:

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Garbage totes:

The City requires garbage, recycling, and compost bins (“toters”) to be stored so
that they’re not visible from the street or in an exit passageway.

Make sure your plans show where your toters will be stored. If they’re not stored
inside, make a screened outdoor area (preferably in the rear yard not directly
facing a unit's window). You are generally required to have three 32-gallon toters
for a single-family home adding one unit.
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Open space and rear yards:

In neighborhoods zoned for single-family homes (called RH-1 or RH-1 (D) by the
City code), the requirements are:

● Private open space (like a private deck) must be at least 300 sq ft per unit
OR 400 sq ft of shared open space per unit.
● 30% of the total lot depth must remain open in the rear yard.
● The rear yard may not be less than 15 ft.
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In other districts, the requirements are:

● Open space requirements range from 36 to 125 sq ft per unit.

● 25 to 45% of the total lot depth must remain open in the rear yard
(depending on your neighbors’ rear yards).
● The rear yard may not be less than 15 ft.

Fire safety:
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The City makes sure all construction keeps our residents safe. One effective
way to do that is to make sure that if fires start, they can’t spread. These rules
keep our buildings and City safe.

Construction:

Walls that separate the ADU from a garage or an existing unit and walls on the
property line must be 1-hour fire rated.
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New openings within 10 ft of a fire escape or exterior stairs must be fire-rated.

All doors in exit passageways and emergency escape and rescue enclosures
must be 1-hour fire rated.

Windows that open into an exit passageway must meet fire-resistance

requirements.

If your building has more than 3 existing units, is more than 2 stories, and is
made with an unprotected wood frame (type VB construction), new ADUs on the
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first floor must be built with a protected wood frame, also called type VA
construction.

Rescue openings:

Every bedroom or sleeping area must have a rescue opening. This can be a door
or a window ideally that leads to the public way. The window must:

● Be at least 5.7 sq ft
● Be at least 24 inches high and 20 inches wide
● Be less than 44 inches above the floor
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● Open freely so someone can climb out without keys or tools to open

Exit passageways:

The farthest point in the unit to the public way must be less than 125 ft.
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The exits and egress paths to the new units also must use protected wood
frame construction, also called VA.

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors:

Smoke detectors, also called smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors are
required in every residential building. They are required:

● in the hallway outside a sleeping area

● in each sleeping area
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● on every floor even if there isn’t a sleeping area

They can be installed after construction and do not need to be included on the
plans prepared for the City.

Fire alarms and sprinklers:

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A fire alarm is not a smoke detector. It can be manually or automatically

activated. The alarm is much louder than a smoke detector and often has a
visual light to notify residents of an active fire.

You may be required to install a manual fire alarm system throughout the building
and sprinklers on the ground floor of the building if:

● Your building has 3 or more units and

● A sleeping room faces the rear yard and
● Your rear yard is less than 50 ft deep
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If your project requires fire alarms or sprinklers, they must be noted on the
plans prepared for the City.

If you are uncertain if this applies to your project, check with the Fire Department.

Building an ADU may change your occupancy codes:

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Architects, contractors, and City inspectors use rules defined by the

International Building Code to make sure our buildings are safe.

These rules define the occupancy codes of our homes and buildings. Each
occupancy code has different requirements.

● R-2 is the occupancy code for residential buildings with 3 or more units.
● R-3 is the occupancy code for a single-family home or a building with 2 or
fewer units.
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If you have a single-family home and are adding 1 unit, your property will
remain an R-3.

If you have a duplex or a 2-unit building and you are adding 1 unit, your property
will change from an R-3 occupancy to an R-2.

In San Francisco, the Fire Department is responsible for R-2 buildings. So there
are additional fire safety rules you will have to follow if you are adding a unit to a
2-unit building. We will take you through these requirements in the Fire Safety
section.
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Studios have specific requirements:

If your ADU will be a studio unit (also called an efficiency dwelling unit), it must
follow all of the other requirements. It also must have:

● A living room with a minimum 220 sq ft of floor area (and an additional 100
sq ft for each occupant more than 2)
● A closet
● A kitchen area with a sink, cooking appliance, fridge, and counter at least
30 inches wide
● A separate bathroom with toilet and bathtub or shower
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In a studio, the floor area of the entire living and sleeping space is the basis
for the light and ventilation requirements.

Example: A 250-sq ft studio requires 20 sq ft of window glazing and 10 sq ft of

ventilation.

If a bedroom is not fully enclosed, the adjacent room can count towards the light
and ventilation requirements. The shared wall must be 50% open and
unobstructed. The area must be at least 25 sq ft or 10% of the floor area of the
room served.
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Taking space from existing units:

ADUs are commonly built in the garage or storage space of a single- and
multi-family home.

Under the Local program, up to 25% of an existing unit’s ground floor or

basement’s habitable space can also be converted. A Zoning Administrator can
authorize a larger conversion.

Green Building requirements:

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All construction in San Francisco must follow state and local law for
energy-efficient buildings. Your construction will need an energy inspection as
well as other building inspections to verify that your electrical, mechanical, and
plumbing work meets the code.

Fill out the Green Energy form for your project.

Structural work:
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You will need to provide structural drawings and calculations created by a

structural engineer if:

● Your property is under the Soft Story Ordinance

● You’re doing structural work that will change your building’s gravity load
carrying elements
● You’re doing voluntary seismic upgrades

Adding a new building to my lot:

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You can build a new building on your lot as long as you keep the required
setbacks and rear yards of your zone.

Changing a free-standing garage or outbuilding:

For a free-standing garage or outbuilding, your ADU must follow the rules above
as well as these specific building requirements:

● Maximum height: 16 ft
● New unit square footage: 220 sq ft to 1,000 sq ft
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● Exterior entrance required

See complete rules in the State-mandated ADU program fact sheet (PDF).
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Expanding my building:
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Most ADUs are built within the existing envelope of a building. If you are
expanding your building, you may be required to post a neighborhood notice and
do a design review.

Get help - Email:

SF Planning Department, ADU Team: [email protected]

DBI ADU guidance: [email protected]

Related:

Check our street tree rules for your ADU

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Your property must have 1 street tree per every 20 feet of frontage that
borders the public right of way.

Departments:
Fire Department

Gather documents for your building permit

issuance:
Bring these documents to get your building permit issued.

Required for Over-the-Counter or In-house permits:

Bring these documents for all building permit issuance. For Over-the-Counter
permits, drop-in with Initial Permit Review (IPR). For In-house permits, schedule
with Central Permit Bureau (CPB) by email.
All documents must be currently valid.
We do not accept any expired documents.
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What to do:

Only property owners, state-licensed contractors, or their agents may apply for a
building permit. A tenant cannot pull a permit without written authorization from
the property owner (Property Owner's Disclosures Form).

During your permitting process, you have filled out multiple forms about your role,
the project, and the property.
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We need to see all of these forms and other information to issue your building
permit.

1. Gather your forms:

Complete the form for your role on the project.

● Licensed Contractor’s Statement Form

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● Permit Applicant Disclosure Form for authorized agents

For projects that require sign or lobby posting, bring:

● Notice to applicant for sign posting (R-1 Form)

● Affidavit for lobby sign posting
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2. Gather your contractor’s information or complete

owner-builder forms:

We must verify information about your contractor to issue your building permit.

Bring these contractor materials:

● Certificate of Workman’s Compensation Insurance Coverage

● San Francisco business license
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● State of California contractor’s license and classification (known as a

pocket card)

For owner-builders:

If you’re a property owner and doing the work yourself, fill out the Property
Owner's Disclosures form.
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If you recently acquired the building, bring the recorded grant deed or the
property tax statement.

Owner-builder (LLC):

If you are an LLC member who wants to pull the permit as an Owner Builder, you
must prove that you are an owner.
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Provide written proof of partnership from the LLC or verification of names on

LLC from the California Secretary of State business resource.

For tenants:

A tenant of a building cannot pull a permit unless they are an agent for either the
property owner or contractor. Complete the authorized agent form in the Property
Owner's Disclosures.

3. Get an authorization letter:

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If you are not the owner, you must have the owner fill out the “Authorization of
agent” section on the second page of the Property Owner's Disclosures. It must
be dated within the past 30 days.

If you are an agent of a contractor, you must have the contractor fill out the
“Authorization of agent” section on the Licensed Contractor’s Statement form. It
must be dated within the past 30 days. You must also bring proof of the
contractor’s State of California contractor license and classification (known as a
pocket card).

4. Bring cash, check, or a Visa or Master credit card:

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We only accept payment from the authorized agent or property owner.

5. Bring proof of identification:

Bring a government-issued ID, like your Driver’s License, state-issued ID card,

alien registration card, passport or form notarization.

6. Get your issued permit:

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For In-House permits, email us to schedule an appointment.

For Over-the-Counter permits, come to the Permit Center and join the Qless
queue.

Permit Center:
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49 South Van Ness

2nd floor

San Francisco, CA 94103

Mon to Tue, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm

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Wed, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Thu to Fri, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm

See hours for specific counters.

Special cases:

✓ Cal/OSHA
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✓ Green Halo Construction Waste Tracking

✓ Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)

✓ Business tax registration certificate

Get help:
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Email:

Over-the-counter permits:

[email protected]

In-house permits on paper:

[email protected]

In-house permits with EPR:

[email protected]
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Related:

Get a building permit with In-House Review

You must have a building permit to do construction.

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THE DETAILS
These are the most frequently asked questions about purchasing, installing, and using a

Conversion ADU and Backyard ADU.

ABOUT THE ADU

IS THE ADU CUSTOMIZABLE?

The ADU layout, design, and finishes are fully customizable. Our ADUs can also be made

fully accessible ADA compliant upon request.

IS THE ADU A LEGAL DWELLING?

Yes, the ADU is fully approved for occupancy. Once the unit is installed at your property,

inspections will be completed by local officials and you’ll receive documented permission to

to live in or rent the unit.

WILL THE ADU COMPLY WITH LOCAL AND STATE

CODES?
Yes. The ADU is an installation specifically designed to comply with residential building

codes for the state of California and its individual municipalities.

CAN I USE MY ADU AS A RENTAL PROPERTY?

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Yes, the ADU complies with all the necessary codes to be leased as a rental property

in the state of California and in municipalities where site specific permits are sought. Defined

as a Conversion or Backyard ADU or JADU, the unit can only be used for minimum 30 day

rentals or days your municipality requires by law.

HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN LEGALLY OCCUPY THE ADU?

Legal occupancy in California can be 2 people for a Studio, 3 people for a 1 bedroom, and 5

people for a 2 bedroom.

CAN THE ADU BE UNINSTALLED?

Garage ADU can be easily removed from your property if necessary.

WALKTHROUGH MODEL

ABOUT THE PROCESS

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR MY ADU TO BE FINISHED

AFTER PURCHASE?
Total installation time is dependent on availability of power at your incoming existing service

panel, and the size of the electric service to your home. If there is adequate power to add our

ADU’s modest load, [conversions are still allowed to use gas] a new structure requires all
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electric and solar which may require a electrical panel upgrade [The ADU Manufacturer

calculates this in the initial assessment], plan review & permit issuance varies city to city,

utility connections can be made while awaiting permits, demolition of any interiors and utility

connection takes place in the first month after escrow and funding, 3 weeks to perform the

utility connection, and 6 weeks for installation after permits, pending city inspection time.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO INSTALL THE ADU?

The ADU is usually installed over a 6 week period after permits are received and utility

connections are installed.

ARE THE INSTALLERS INSURED?

Yes, the ADU is fully insured to protect the owner and the ADU again comes in action, with

the owner named as an “Additional Insured”.

WILL THE INSTALLERS NEED ACCESS TO MY HOME

DURING THE INSTALLATION PROCESS?
The initial assessment is normally the only time access is required to document appliance

electrical and gas labels. To complete initial assessment documentation of the home’s or

commercial property’s electrical service, appliance electrical and gas loads will need to be

documented using pictures of equipment UL labels, which requires access to the property.

Installers also need access to the home’s attic to verify that a 1 hour fire separation wall is in

place between the garage and the house, and access to sewer clean-outs to inspect their

size and condition. Additional access may also be required for connection of utilities.
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WILL THERE BE ANY HEAVY EQUIPMENT ON MY

PROPERTY DURING INSTALLATION?
No, the nature of the ADU requires no large equipment for installation. Sewer connection

does include one day with noise to cut slab and bore to the connection point.

ABOUT THE INVESTMENT

HOW MUCH DOES THE ADU COST?

Generally speaking, ADU is turnkey installations including drawings, permits [allowance]

materials, labor, finishes & appliances range from $125,000 to $175,000 (Studio Garage

Conversion), $185,000- $190,000 (1 Bedroom Garage Conversion), $185,000 (2 Bedroom

Garage Conversion), $200,000 depending on size and amenities plus any utility upgrades

required, exterior upgrades, sales tax & local permit fees [allowance] are included. The cost

we quote after prequalifying your property includes everything related to the permitting,

purchase and installation of our ADU, including the entire living unit, its installation and

finishing. In the event that the electrical service or the sewer needs to be upgraded, the total

cost could increase by the amount of those improvements.

ARE THERE OTHER EXPENSES I’LL NEED TO COVER?

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The ADU does not come furnished, so you will need to purchase any furnishings

desired. Additionally, the cost does not include any fees or deposits related to utility

connections or accessory services like internet or cable.

HOW CAN I FINANCE THE ADU?

This has an array of options and providers for financing our ADU. Investment in an ADU can

also be financed in several other ways including a Home Equity Line of Credit [HELOC] and

personal loans. Eligibility for any financing options is determined by the lending institution.

WILL THE ADU INCREASE MY HOME VALUE?

Generally, added livable square footage within a home or commercial property adds to the

property’s value. If you choose to use your ADU as a rental, the income from the rental will

also add value. The value increase will vary by neighborhood. And, since every home is

different, we cannot guarantee the amount of the increase in home value.

WILL MY PROPERTY TAXES INCREASE?

A conversion by ADU is a renovation improvement therefore taxed differently than an

addition. Annual property tax increases are calculated by the County Tax Assessor based

on the cost of the improvement made to your home NOT the square feet since the square

feet is already existing in your assessment. In the instance of a new stand-alone structure, it

is assessed based on the added square footage at the same rate as your home now .

Contact your County Assessor for more information.

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WILL THE ADU BE COVERED UNDER MY

HOMEOWNER’S INSURANCE?
We recommend speaking with your insurance company to ensure that your ADU is included

in your policy. We also recommend speaking with them about general liability & increasing

your Homeowners policy insurance if you plan to rent your ADU to a tenant.

ABOUT PROPERTY RENTAL

Because one of the intended purposes of the ADU is to create rental housing in areas where

there is a shortage, we have worked with expert attorneys in tenant/landlord law to provide a

draft of recommended pre-qualification requirements for use by new landlords, available to

you upon purchase. However, you are free to use any rental agreement you choose or

consult with your own attorney.

HOW MUCH RENTAL INCOME WILL MY ADU CREATE?

Local rents vary depending on rental availability and demand. Generally speaking, rents in

the San Francisco area range from $2000 - $3200 per month for units similar in size to our

ADU, keeping in mind that this unit will be completely new, which is in a shortage in most

communities. However, you’ll need to check rental listings in your specific area to determine

an appropriate rate for your unit. Since there is little ‘new’ housing stock available to rent at
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affordable rates, keeping your rents affordable to your community’s essential workers

can help with the stability and quality of your renter.

WILL I HAVE KEYS TO MY ADU?

Generally, as a landlord, if you choose that path, you will have keys to the rental unit. And,

under CA law, a landlord may enter the rental with 24-hour notice (acknowledged by the

Tenant in your lease) or in emergency situations.

WHAT PARTS OF MY PROPERTY WILL THE TENANT

HAVE ACCESS TO?
Access to the property and its features by tenants is determined by the landlord in the rental

agreement. We do recommend providing some yard space for the tenant use.

HOW ARE UTILITIES MEASURED AND PAID FOR?

Electricity and water for the a good manufacturer’s ADU can be sub-metered at the

sub-panel for a modest extra cost, allowing the homeowner to record and allocate the

tenant’s portion each month. The meter should be accessible to both the landlord and tenant

so that readings can be verified by both.

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The City and County of San Francisco -

How it works:

Learn & decide: Check the rules and fees to decide if you want to add an ADU.

Prepare plans: See the requirements to design an ADU to meet the rules.

Apply: Submit your ADU application online.

Review: The department will review your plans. Most ADU plans need changes.

Approve & start: You must have a job card to start construction.

Prepare for an accessory dwelling unit

(ADU) project:

Decide if you want to add an ADU and prepare your application.

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Many single- and multi-family homes in San Francisco can now add units. You
can use the space for family members or to rent for extra income.

This process may take more than 18 months from when you decide to build.

It typically costs more than $125,000 in materials and labor to add a unit.
Professional services for architects and engineers are typically 10% of
construction costs. City fees range from 6 to 9% of construction costs. Your total
cost can range widely depending on the specifics of your lot and project.

Your property and project plans affect what processes you must follow to get a
building permit. Projects may be longer if they include multiple ADUs, seismic
work, variances or a Certificate of Appropriateness.
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If you do not follow our instructions carefully, it will take us longer to review
and approve your application.

Check if you can add new units to your residential

property

Cost: Free.

Time: 30 minutes

Decide if an ADU is right for you. Check to see if you can add an ADU at
your address. Find out what you can build in your lot.
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Check if you can add new Accessory Dwelling Units to your residential
property

Decide if you will use the State or Local ADU program

Learn about the differences between the State and Local ADU programs.

Email [email protected] if you have questions.

See more about the Local program at SF Planning

Get a Historic Resource Assessment (HRA)

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If you use the Local ADU program and depending on your property’s
historic status, you may need a historic preservation review.

Check your property’s historic status

Most properties in San Francisco are category B, which means potentially

significant and not yet evaluated.

If your property is category B and your project involves major alterations

visible from the street, you may choose to file a Historic Resource
Assessment before filing your building permit to determine if your property
is historic.

Design your ADU

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Cost: Free. $10,000+

Time: 1 to 3 months

ADU plans must follow City codes for neighborhood development and
building safety.

Homeowners usually hire an architect or designer to create the plans.

Design an ADU that meets City codes

Check our street tree rules

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Cost: Free.

Time: 1 to 2 hours

Your property must have 1 street tree per every 20 feet of frontage that
borders the public right of way, or pay a tree in-lieu fee of $2,193.

Check our street tree rules for your ADU

Check rules for adding an ADU with the Local

Program

Cost: Free.
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Time: 1 hour

If you are using the Local ADU program and you have tenants, follow
these rules.

Check rules for adding an ADU with the Local Program

and

Post your notice in a building

If you are using the Local ADU program and you have tenants, you must
send a written declaration to the Rent Board.
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You must post this in your building at least 15 days before you apply for
your ADU permit.

Post a notice for your ADU

Decide if your project needs a full or site permit

You must decide whether to apply for a full permit or a site permit.

This is an important decision as it determines the process for reviewing a

project.
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Getting a full permit is a more condensed process. Most ADU

applicants apply for a full permit.

If your project has a more iterative design and engineering, a site permit
may help you save money. This way, you can avoid paying your engineer
to do calculations that end up changing.

See more details in the Administrative Bulletin 032.

Create your plans

Learn what to include in your ADU plans and how to format them.

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Fill out paper forms

Cost: Remaining fees

You must fill out these paper forms and upload them with your application:

​ ✓ Building permit application form

​ ✓ Planning forms
​ ✓ Agent authorization form
​ ✓ Fixture Count form
​ ✓ Green energy form
​ ✓ School Facility Fee form

For the Local Program, you will also fill out and post your written
declaration.
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Fill out PDF forms for your ADU

10

Apply to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU)

Follow these steps to apply online and complete the other required
processes to build your ADU.

Apply to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU)

Prepare for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) project - Decide if you want
to add an ADU and prepare your application.

For Local program ADUs, you must post a notice in your building at least
15 days before your submit your ADU application.
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Apply to build an accessory dwelling unit

(ADUs)

Follow these steps to apply online and complete the other required
processes to build your ADU. (If your project is only for an ADU, follow this
process to start your application online.)

Unit legalization or new construction of more than an ADU is strictly separate. If

your project includes demolition, you will also need to follow the in-house review
process with the Department of Building Inspection.

Prepare for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) project

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Adding an ADU is a complex project.

Follow these steps to prepare for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) project.

If you do not follow our instructions carefully, it will take us longer to review
and approve your application.

Prepare for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) project

Start your ADU application

Cost: Free.
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Time: 1 hour

If your project is only for an ADU and work related to ADU construction,
start your application online.

You must upload your plans with your application.

After you apply, we will send you a confirmation email with your application
information.

Start your accessory dwelling unit (ADU) application online

and

Apply for your street tree permit

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Cost: Free to apply for your street tree permit. If you choose to pay the
in-lieu fee, it will cost $2,193 per tree.

If you have not applied for your street tree permit yet, apply now.

Upload this checklist with your tree planting application. You must fill this
out even if you will not plant new trees.

Start your tree planting permit application with Public Works

and

Register to track your construction waste

Time: 30 minutes
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You must track your construction waste if your project is for:

​ ✓ New construction
​ ✓ Additions greater than 1,000 square feet
​ ✓ Remodels or alterations that cost $200,000 or more

Staff ADU application intake

Time: 2 weeks

We will review your application and email you within 5 business days.

You may need to update your plans to address plan check comments.
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Pay fees

Cost: 6 to 9% of building costs

After we review all your documents, we will email you an invoice with your
filing fee.

You must pay your filing fee online for your permit application to be
processed. Then we will route your application to plan check.
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Your filing fee will depend on whether you are doing a full or site permit
and whether you’re applying for new construction or an alteration. Permit
fees are between 6-9% of construction costs.

Respond to plan

We will invite you to a Bluebeam session to review our comments.

Bluebeam is our plan review software.

You may need to make changes to your plans and resubmit them.

Learn how we use Bluebeam

6
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Apply for your Street Improvement permit

If you are changing curb cuts, apply for your Street Improvement Permit
after you receive your building permit application number.

Apply for your Street Improvement permit.

Complete legal notices

Cost: $100+ (depending on number of parcels and sheets)

You will need to complete a Notice of Special Restrictions (NSR).

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You may also need to complete a Costa Hawkins agreement.

These documents must be recorded before we can issue your permit.

Complete legal notices for your ADU

Permit approval and final fee payment

Cost: Remaining fees

Time: 2 weeks
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Your permit application will go through a comprehensive review

process.

All City departments have to approve your permit before we can issue your
permit.

After we have reviewed your application, we will tell you:

​ ✓ What your final fee is

​ ✓ How to pay your final fee
​ ✓ What next steps to take (if any)

Gather documents for your building permit issuance

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Start construction

If you have a full permit, you can start construction once you receive your
construction document.

If you submitted a site permit, you will need to submit your addendum. We
will email you instructions to submit your addendum online. You can start
construction once your addendum is issued.

Full and site applicants may need additional permits.

Check rules for adding an ADU to a

building using the Local Program:
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If you are building an ADU with the Local Program, follow these
rules

These rules only apply to ADUs in the Local program. California state law affects
whether we can subject some ADUs to rent stabilization.

Rent Ordinance for new ADUs:

Your new units will be subject to the Rent Ordinance if:

● You are building a Local program ADU

● You are adding an ADU to an existing building that already has a rental
unit subject to the Rent Ordinance
● You request a waiver for your project
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The Rent Ordinance regulates evictions and rents. See more from the SF

Rent Board.

You must register these units with a Regulatory Agreement called a Costa
Hawkins Agreement. Here is a template for a Costa Hawkins Agreement.

Waivers:

Depending on your property and ADU plans, you may need a Waiver to build
your ADU. A waiver is an exception to a Planning Code requirement.

For ADUs added to existing buildings, we grant waivers or partial waivers for
requirements for:

● Density (or the amount of residential units on a property)

● Open space (or the amount of outdoor useable space per unit)
● Rear yard (or the amount of back yard)
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● Exposure (or the amount of windows that a unit has or amount of open
area that it’s facing onto)

For ADUs added to new constriction, we grant waivers for density requirements

only.

We do not grant waivers for ceiling height, ventilation, fire safety, and exits.
These are Building Code requirements. See more info in EG-05 and FS-05.

Other activities:

You may need to work with the Rent Board on other actions.

Departments:
SF Planning

Department of Building Inspection

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Restrictions will apply to your ADU and your ADU may be subject to laws about rental units in
San Francisco.See more in Section 37.2 of the Administrative Code.

More information is available on the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) website.

Ready to apply for a permit? Start your application online here.

For questions, you can call the Planning counter at 628.652.7300 or email [email protected] where
planners are able to assist you.

To get help, email SF Planning Department, ADU Team: [email protected]

Milestones:
1. Attainment of Permit:
As outlined above.

2. Start of Construction:
With quality checks in place.

3. End of Construction:
Ready for occupancy.