ADU permit process in Fontana, California
San Bernardino County, California
Prepared by GetYourPermit editorial teamReport an error
We haven’t written Fontana’s permit guide yet.
We publish permit process guides one city at a time, and we would rather publish nothing than guess at Fontana’s rules using another city’s process. Permit steps, submittal requirements, and review timelines are set locally, so a guide copied from a neighboring city would be wrong in ways that cost you time.
Here is what is useful for Fontana right now.
See the fee estimate for FontanaStart here instead — official and primary sources for Fontana
The one-page City sheet states its 2023 effective date, identifies permit and plan-check lookup rules, and lists ADU-specific City fees and conditions.
Accessed August 28, 2026
The City published a 2025 hearing notice for increased user fees and a May 2025 fee study, showing that the 2023 ADU sheet may no longer represent every current charge; the reviewed document does not prove adoption or provide an operative replacement schedule.
Accessed August 28, 2026
The report says it includes 1,831 City fees, rates, and charges as of January 2026; it does not preserve the 2023 sheet's ADU-specific mapping for every component.
Accessed August 28, 2026
What to ask the Fontana building department
- The current building permit fee schedule, and the date it took effect.
- Whether development impact fees apply at your square footage — many California cities waive them for ADUs of 750 sq ft or less.
- Plan submittal requirements: what drawings they expect, in what format, and whether submittal is online or in person.