These rules apply to the UNINCORPORATED areas of Riverside County — land outside cities such as Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley, Temecula and Palm Springs, which run their own ADU codes. Yes, you can build an ADU on any unincorporated lot zoned for a one-family or multifamily dwelling: Ordinance No. 348, Article XIXj (§§ 19.800-19.812) allows a detached ADU of up to 1,000 sq ft and 16 ft with 4 ft side and rear setbacks and one parking space, and § 19.801 sends any unit that fits the state by-right category (Gov. Code § 66323 — an 800 sq ft detached unit, a garage conversion, a JADU) straight to state standards, which also override the county on height and minimum size. That 2020 text is being replaced: Ordinance No. 348.5056 (Change of Zone No. 2600012) was introduced by the Board of Supervisors on September 1, 2026, placed on the September 15 consent calendar for adoption, and takes effect 30 days after adoption — it raises the cap to 1,600 sq ft, drops owner-occupancy, allows up to 8 detached ADUs on an existing multifamily lot and adds SB 9 units. The permit is a ministerial building permit through Building & Safety (base deposit $6,472.45 for an ADU, $3,601.37 for a JADU; Form 284-035 rev. July 2026), but Environmental Health, Fire and Airport Land Use Commission approvals must be in hand before you submit, and on septic the half-acre-per-dwelling density rule decides whether an ADU is possible at all.
Zoning & Size Requirements [1][2][3][4][5]
Yes — unincorporated Riverside County allows ADUs. A detached ADU can typically be up to 1,000 sq ft under California state law and the County's zoning code.
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| Where ADUs Are Allowed | By right on lots zoned for one-family or multiple-family dwellings anywhere in unincorporated Riverside County (Ord. 348 § 19.803(A)), except lots whose existing dwelling lacks required building permits, lots under a water or sewer moratorium, and lots constrained by water availability, water quality or sewage disposal (§ 19.803(A)(1)-(2)). Ord. 348.5056 restates this as any zone that permits a one-family or multifamily dwelling (new § 19.802(A)). |
| Max Size (Detached) | 1,000 sq ft in the compiled county text (§ 19.807(D)(2)), but § 19.801 sends a state-category unit to Gov. Code § 66323 and § 66321(b)(2) bars any cap below 850 sq ft (1,000 sq ft for two or more bedrooms). Ord. 348.5056 raises the county cap to 1,600 sq ft for a detached ADU on a single-family lot and sets a 150 sq ft minimum (new § 19.802(E)); detached ADUs on a multifamily lot follow § 66323(a)(4). |
| Max Size (Attached) | Compiled text: 50% of the primary dwelling's floor area, floor 800 sq ft, cap 1,000 sq ft (§ 19.807(D)(1)(a)); state law lifts the floor to 850 sq ft, or 1,000 sq ft with two or more bedrooms (Gov. Code § 66321(b)(2)). Ord. 348.5056: 50% of the primary dwelling or 1,600 sq ft, whichever is less, the 50% rule may not block a 1,000 sq ft unit, and no attached ADU may be limited below 800 sq ft (new § 19.802(E)(3)(a)). |
| Max Size (JADU) | 500 sq ft, entirely within the walls of the existing or proposed single-family home (an attached garage counts as part of the house), with an efficiency kitchen and its own exterior entrance (Gov. Code § 66333). Compiled text also caps a JADU at 50% of the house and allows up to 150 sq ft of expansion for ingress/egress (§ 19.807(D)(3)); Ord. 348.5056 keeps 500 sq ft of interior livable space, adds a 150 sq ft minimum and bars expansion beyond the house (new § 19.803(E)). |
| Max Height | 16 ft for attached and detached ADUs in the compiled county text (§ 19.807(E)(2)). State law (Gov. Code § 66321(b)(4), SB 543) requires 18 ft for a detached ADU within half a mile walking distance of a major transit stop or high-quality transit corridor, or on a multistory multifamily lot, plus 2 ft to match the main roof pitch, and 25 ft or the zone's limit, whichever is lower, for an attached ADU (max two stories). Ord. 348.5056 writes these figures into new § 19.802(F). |
| Max Units | Single-family lot: one ADU plus one JADU by state right (Gov. Code § 66323(a)(1)-(2)), which Article XIXj defers to (§ 19.801); the county's own table allows one attached-or-interior OR one detached unit, not both (§ 19.803(B)(1)). Multifamily lot: one conversion ADU or 25% of existing units, whichever is more, plus two detached (§ 19.803(B)(2)); state law and Ord. 348.5056 allow up to 8 detached units on an existing multifamily lot, capped at the unit count (§ 66323(a)(4); new § 19.802(D)(2)). |
Setback & Parking Requirements [1][2][3][4][5]
Unincorporated Riverside County requires a rear setback of about 4 ft for a detached ADU, and parking requirements vary by unit size or location. Owner-occupancy is not required — you can rent it out without living on the property.
| Rear Setback | 4 ft minimum for attached and detached ADUs (§ 19.807(C)(2)); an interior ADU or JADU follows the underlying zone, with 4 ft required for any egress expansion (§ 19.807(C)(1)). Ord. 348.5056: 4 ft, and no rear setback for an ADU created inside an existing house or accessory structure or rebuilt in the same footprint and dimensions (new § 19.802(G)(2)). |
| Side Setback | 4 ft minimum for attached and detached ADUs (§ 19.807(C)(2)); interior ADU or JADU per the underlying zone, 4 ft for any egress expansion (§ 19.807(C)(1)). Ord. 348.5056: 4 ft, with no side setback for a conversion of existing space or a same-footprint rebuild (new § 19.802(G)(1)). |
| Front Setback | Per the underlying zoning classification (§ 19.807(C)(2)). Ord. 348.5056 adds that where the zone's front setback would block an ADU state law guarantees, the front setback shall be reduced to the minimum extent necessary (new § 19.802(G)(3)). |
| Parking Required | 1 regular or tandem space for a new detached, attached or new-structure interior ADU; none for a JADU or a conversion inside an existing structure; waived within half a mile walking distance of transit, in a historic district, in a permit-parking area that gives the unit no permits, or within 1 mile of car share; no replacement parking when a garage or carport becomes an ADU (§ 19.807(F)). Ord. 348.5056: 1 space per ADU or per bedroom, whichever is less, same exemptions (new § 19.802(I)). |
| Owner Occupancy | Not enforceable for an ADU. The 2020 county text says owners must live on site for any ADU permitted after June 1, 2025 (§ 19.808(A)(1)), but Gov. Code § 66315 bars any owner-occupant requirement and § 19.812(B) makes state law prevail; Ord. 348.5056 deletes it ('Property owners shall not be required to occupy', new § 19.802(B)). JADU: the owner must live in the house or the JADU only where the JADU shares a bathroom with the house (§ 66333(b), AB 1154; new § 19.803(B)). |
| Min Lot Size | None for an ADU or JADU — the county's 7,200 sq ft minimum applies only to detached Second Units and Guest Quarters, which are not ADUs (§ 19.807(A)(1)). On septic the working limit is density: Environmental Health requires 0.5 acre gross per dwelling unit (house plus ADU counts as two) or an advanced treatment system for the whole lot, and no system below 0.25 acre per unit (2024 LAMP, Ch. 5-6). Ord. 348.5056 keeps DEH septic and well sign-off in the ministerial review (new § 19.809(B)). |
Permit Process & Fees [6][7][8][9][10][11]
An ADU in unincorporated Riverside County is approved administratively — no public hearing. Typical timeline: 60 days to approve or deny a complete ADU or JADU application (§ 19.804(C); Gov. Code § 66317(a)(3), deemed approved if the county misses it) and 15 business days to tell you whether the application is complete, or it is deemed complete (§ 66317(a)(2)). Actual county review times are not published. Permit fees: Building & Safety charges a base deposit, final cost calculated at application: $6,472.45 for an ADU (BRS-ADU) or Permit Ready ADU (BRS-PRADU), $3,601.37 for a JADU (BAR-JADU), $1,757.52 for a production-tract ADU (Form 284-035, rev. 7/22/2026), plus SMI, processing, microfilm and LMS surcharges.
| Approval Process | Ministerial building permit filed through Building & Safety's PLUS online portal — no plot plan, conditional use permit or hearing (§ 19.804(A)). Before you submit, § 19.805(A) requires approvals in hand from Environmental Health (written confirmation for the existing or new septic system and, where applicable, a percolation test certified within the last 5 years or recertified within 10), the Fire Department, the Airport Land Use Commission and the water and sewer purveyors, plus Flood Control where the parcel is in a floodplain. Ord. 348.5056 (new § 19.809) folds these into one ministerial review by the Planning Director and adds a legalization path for unpermitted units built before January 1, 2020 (Gov. Code § 66311.7). |
| Review Timeline | 60 days to approve or deny a complete ADU or JADU application (§ 19.804(C); Gov. Code § 66317(a)(3), deemed approved if the county misses it) and 15 business days to tell you whether the application is complete, or it is deemed complete (§ 66317(a)(2)). Actual county review times are not published. |
| Permit Fees | Building & Safety charges a base deposit, final cost calculated at application: $6,472.45 for an ADU (BRS-ADU) or Permit Ready ADU (BRS-PRADU), $3,601.37 for a JADU (BAR-JADU), $1,757.52 for a production-tract ADU (Form 284-035, rev. 7/22/2026), plus SMI, processing, microfilm and LMS surcharges. |
| Impact Fees | None on an ADU with 750 sq ft of interior livable space or less, or a JADU of 500 sq ft or less (Gov. Code § 66311.5(c)(1)); above 750 sq ft the fee is charged proportionately to the primary dwelling's floor area. Ord. 348 § 19.806(A) makes the county development impact fee (Ordinance No. 659) follow state law, and no new utility connection or capacity charge may be imposed on a conversion unit unless it is built with a new house (§ 66311.5(b),(d)). Ask Building & Safety for a written fee estimate before designing past 750 sq ft. |
| Plan Check | Full plan check by Building & Safety with routing to Planning, Environmental Health, Fire, Transportation and, where the parcel requires it, Flood Control and the Airport Land Use Commission; the review produces a Progress Report of conditions in the PLUS portal that must be cleared before issuance. Environmental Health and Fire bill their own review fees, which are not published online — ask each department for the fee for your project. |
| Pre-Approved Plans | Yes — the Permit Ready ADU program (BRS-PRADU) offers four free single-story plan sets (V2, May 2026) at 499 sq ft (studio), 625 sq ft (1 bed/1 bath), 749 sq ft (2 bed/1 bath) and 909 sq ft (2 bed/2 bath), each in Traditional, Craftsman and Spanish elevations. Three of the four sit at or under the 750 sq ft impact-fee threshold. The plans are free but the permit deposit is the same $6,472.45 as a custom ADU. Eligibility: single-family zoning (R-1, R-2, R-A, R-R, A-1, A-2, W-2 and similar), outside a Flood Hazard Area unless Flood Control pre-approves, and outside an Environmental Constraint Area; a Hold Harmless Agreement and Permit Ready Clearance Form is required. |
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Construction Costs [12][13][14][15][16][17]
Building an ADU in unincorporated Riverside County typically costs $180,000-$320,000 ($180-$300 per sq ft); a garage conversion runs $70,000-$150,000.
See what this means for your lot — ask Riverside County ADU builders for a quote →
Construction costs in unincorporated Riverside County track the surrounding metro market. Rural parcels can cost more because of septic, well, access and fire-hazard requirements, so treat these as planning ranges and get local bids.
| Average Build Cost | $180,000-$320,000 |
| Cost per Sq Ft | $180-$300 |
| Garage Conversion | $70,000-$150,000 |
| Prefab ADU (Installed) | $120,000-$250,000 |
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Rental Income Potential [18]
| Avg Rent (1 Bedroom) | $1,600-$2,000/mo |
| Avg Rent (2 Bedroom) | $2,000-$2,500/mo |
| Short-Term Rental | No. An ADU or JADU may not be rented for 30 days or less (§ 19.808(A)(6); Gov. Code §§ 66323(e), 66333(g)); Ord. 348.5056 keeps the 30-day floor. No separate sale of the ADU except as state law allows. |
| Est. Annual ROI | 6-11% gross yield on a $180,000-$320,000 detached build at $1,600-$2,500/mo, before vacancy, taxes and financing; a $70,000-$150,000 garage conversion at the same rents returns about 13-30% gross. |
Recent Law Changes
What's Changed Recently
- Ordinance No. 348.5056 (Change of Zone No. 2600012) rewrites Article XIXj. The Planning Commission recommended it on July 8, 2026; the Board of Supervisors introduced it and approved it as recommended at the September 1, 2026 public hearing (item 23.2); adoption was item 3.36 on the September 15, 2026 consent calendar. Section 8 of the ordinance makes it effective 30 days after adoption — about mid-October 2026 if adopted on September 15. Until then the compiled text is the 2020 version (Ord. 348.4926, effective September 24, 2020), with state law prevailing on any conflict (§ 19.812(B)).
- What Ord. 348.5056 changes for ADUs (from the July 7, 2026 draft the Planning Commission recommended): 1,600 sq ft cap for a detached ADU on a single-family lot and for an attached ADU (50% of the house or 1,600 sq ft, whichever is less, never limited below 800); 150 sq ft minimum; 25 ft attached and 16-18 ft detached heights; no owner-occupancy for an ADU; up to 8 detached ADUs on an existing multifamily lot; one parking space per ADU or per bedroom, whichever is less, with the state exemptions; SB 9 units added as a housing type; a legalization path for pre-2020 unpermitted units (Gov. Code § 66311.7); one ministerial review under new § 19.809.
- The rewrite follows HCD review: the county says HCD found parts of Article XIXj out of date with state ADU/JADU law, including the 2025 bills effective January 1, 2026 — SB 543 (60-day deemed approval, 15-business-day completeness review, impact-fee rules renumbered to Gov. Code § 66311.5, 25 ft attached height) and AB 1154 (JADU owner-occupancy only where the JADU shares a bathroom with the house, § 66333(b)).
- Building & Safety fee form 284-035 was revised July 22, 2026: ADU and Permit Ready ADU base deposit $6,472.45, JADU $3,601.37, production-tract ADU $1,757.52, before surcharges.
- The Permit Ready ADU plan sets were reissued in May 2026 (V2): four single-story plans at 499, 625, 749 and 909 sq ft in Traditional, Craftsman and Spanish elevations, free to download.
Tips for Building an ADU in Unincorporated Riverside County
- Confirm your parcel is unincorporated before relying on County rules — addresses inside cities like Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley or Temecula follow that city's ADU code. Sun City and Quail Valley are now Menifee; Rubidoux, Mira Loma, Glen Avon and Pedley are now Jurupa Valley. Use the county's Map My County viewer to check.
- On septic, lot size decides everything. The 2024 Local Agency Management Program requires 0.5 acre gross per dwelling unit — house plus ADU counts as two — or an advanced treatment system (NSF/ANSI 245, no seepage pits) that every structure on the lot connects to. Below 0.25 acre per unit no septic system is permitted, so a small unsewered parcel cannot take an ADU.
- Some unincorporated areas restrict new or expanded septic systems outright. Quail Valley's prohibition area (Ord. 856) bars any new system and any expansion of an existing one for new construction; in the Cherry Valley Community of Interest (Ord. 871) a system may only be expanded to serve an ADU if it is replaced or retrofitted to remove at least 50% of nitrogen; new systems have been prohibited in Homeland/Romoland since 1982 and on parcels under half an acre over the Mission Creek or Desert Hot Springs aquifers where sewer is available (2024 LAMP, Chapter 8).
- On a private well, the well itself has to pass. Ordinance 682 § 16 requires 1 gallon per minute per single-family dwelling sustained for four hours without pumping dry — house plus ADU means proving 2 gpm — and the rule reaches existing wells on a property being improved, not just new ones. Testing must be supervised by a licensed C-57, C-61 or D-21 contractor or a certified hydrogeologist.
- An ADU does not need fire sprinklers unless the main house has them — state law (Gov. Code § 66323(d)) and the County agree (§ 19.808(B)(2)). But the County's Permit Ready plan cover sheet adds two triggers that catch rural parcels: sprinklers may be required if fire flow is insufficient, or if the nearest hydrant is more than 400 feet from the furthest point of the ADU measured along access roads and driveways, and a current fire-flow report from the water purveyor may be required.
- Line up Environmental Health, Fire Department and Airport Land Use Commission approvals before you submit — § 19.805 requires them in hand, plus a percolation test certified within the last five years (or recertified within ten). This is the step that adds months, not the plan check.
- Keeping an ADU at 750 sq ft or less of interior livable space avoids development impact fees entirely under Gov. Code § 66311.5; three of the four free Permit Ready plans (499, 625 and 749 sq ft) qualify.
- If you are about to apply, ask Planning whether Ord. 348.5056 is in effect yet: the 1,600 sq ft cap, the 25 ft attached height and the dropped owner-occupancy rule apply only from its effective date (30 days after adoption), and a plan drawn to the old 1,000 sq ft limit may leave value on the table.
- Cost basis: build and conversion ranges are dated Inland Empire industry guides (CaliFirst Remodel May 2026, Dynamic Quality Builders Feb 2026, LA Metro Home Finder June 2026, Custom Home Design & Build Feb 2026, GatherADU May 2025, Autonomous Feb 2026) as verified for the Riverside and Corona pages in September 2026; rents are anchored on the HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent for the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro (1BR $1,777, 2BR $2,201) — Temecula Wine Country and Coachella Valley resort areas rent above it, desert and rural communities below.
ADU Builders in Riverside County
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Cities Within Riverside County
If your property is inside one of these incorporated cities, follow that city's ADU code — not the County rules above:
Sources & References
All data on this page is sourced from official government records and verified market data. View our full methodology.
- Riverside County Ordinance No. 348 (compiled April 28, 2023), Article XIXj — Additional Residential Accommodations (§§ 19.800-19.812, last amended by Ord. 348.4926 eff. 9/24/2020) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Ordinance No. 348.5056 (Change of Zone No. 2600012) — draft Article XIXj rewrite as recommended to the Planning Commission, July 7, 2026 Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Riverside County Planning — Additional Residential Accommodations (ARA) / CZ2600012 project page Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Board of Supervisors proceedings, September 1, 2026 — item 23.2, introduction of Ordinance No. 348.5056 (approved as recommended) Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Board of Supervisors agenda, September 15, 2026 — item 3.36, adoption of Ordinance No. 348.5056 Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Riverside County Building & Safety — Permit Fees, Form 284-035 (rev. 7/22/2026) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Riverside County Building & Safety — Permit Ready ADU (BRS-PRADU) program page Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Permit Ready ADU Plan #1 (499 sq ft, V2 May 2026) — cover sheet fire-department notes (fire flow, 400 ft hydrant distance) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- 2024 Riverside County Local Agency Management Program (OWTS density standards and prohibition areas) Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Riverside County Department of Environmental Health — Septic Systems (OWTS) page Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Riverside County Ordinance No. 682.6 — water wells (§ 16, minimum well production) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- ADU Costs in California (2026): City-by-City Numbers, Inland Empire section (May 28, 2026), CaliFirst Remodel industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- ADU Cost in Southern California: Complete 2026 Pricing Guide by County, Riverside County (Feb. 5, 2026), Dynamic Quality Builders industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- ADU Permit Rules: Inland Empire Cities 2026, cost per sq ft and garage conversions (June 12, 2026), LA Metro Home Finder industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Garage Conversion Cost California 2026 (Feb. 17, 2026), Custom Home Design & Build industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- How much does a Garage Conversion ADU cost in Riverside County? (May 7, 2025), GatherADU industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Prefab ADUs in Southern California: Complete Guide for 2026 (Feb. 26, 2026), Autonomous industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- HUD FY 2026 Fair Market Rents — Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA (Riverside County): 1BR $1,777, 2BR $2,201 Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
Frequently Asked Questions
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How many ADUs can I build in unincorporated Riverside County?
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