ADU permit cost and fee breakdown in San Jose, California

An early-budgeting estimate of the permit-related fees an accessory dwelling unit is likely to incur in San Jose. These are not official figures.

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7 fee lines

ADU size

California generally exempts ADUs under 750 sq ft from development impact fees, so the 749 / 750 / 751 steps are worth comparing.

400 sq ft 500 sq ft 749 sq ft 750 sq ft 751 sq ft 1,000 sq ft 1,200 sq ft

Estimated total permit fees at 750 sq ft

$5,100 – $32,500

Assumed construction valuation

$270,000

Used only to compute valuation-based fees. It is not a construction quote.

Where the money goes

Building permit$1,500 – $6,000
The core permit issued by the city building department.
Plan check$1,000 – $4,000
Review of your drawings for code compliance.
Impact fees$0
Development impact fees. Often waived for ADUs under 750 sq ft.
School district fees$0 – $5,000
Developer fees charged by the local school district.
Utility connection$2,000 – $15,000
Water, sewer, and electrical connection or capacity charges.
Inspection$500 – $2,000
Field inspections during construction.
Other$100 – $500
Fees that do not fit the categories above.

The darker segment is the low end of the range; the full bar is the high end.

Read before you budget

Most fee lines are working estimates rather than verified published city rates. Confirm every line with the city before budgeting.
Totals do not vary by ADU size for this city, so the size selector will not change the estimate.

Fee items

Building permit

The core permit issued by the city building department.

Fee	Amount	Basis	Source
Building permit fees	$1,500 – $6,000	Estimated range	ADU FAQs \| City of San José

Building permit fees
$1,500 – $6,000
Estimated range
ADU FAQs | City of San José

Plan check

Review of your drawings for code compliance.

Fee	Amount	Basis	Source
Plan check fees	$1,000 – $4,000	Estimated range	ADU FAQs \| City of San José

Plan check fees
$1,000 – $4,000
Estimated range
ADU FAQs | City of San José

Impact fees

Development impact fees. Often waived for ADUs under 750 sq ft.

Fee	Amount	Basis	Source
California ADU impact fee baseline under 750 sq ft	$0	Flat fee	ADU FAQs \| City of San José

California ADU impact fee baseline under 750 sq ft
$0
Flat fee
ADU FAQs | City of San José

School district fees

Developer fees charged by the local school district.

Fee	Amount	Basis	Source
School impact fees	$0 – $5,000	Estimated range	ADU cost guide results referencing San Jose ADU fees

School impact fees
$0 – $5,000
Estimated range
ADU cost guide results referencing San Jose ADU fees

Utility connection

Water, sewer, and electrical connection or capacity charges.

Fee	Amount	Basis	Source
Utility connection and meter-related fees	$2,000 – $15,000	Estimated range	ADU FAQs \| City of San José

Utility connection and meter-related fees
$2,000 – $15,000
Estimated range
ADU FAQs | City of San José

Inspection

Field inspections during construction.

Fee	Amount	Basis	Source
Inspection fees	$500 – $2,000	Estimated range	ADU FAQs \| City of San José

Inspection fees
$500 – $2,000
Estimated range
ADU FAQs | City of San José

Other

Fees that do not fit the categories above.

Fee	Amount	Basis	Source
Technology Surcharge Fee	$100 – $500	Estimated range

Technology Surcharge Fee
$100 – $500
Estimated range

These are estimates, not official fees

Use these figures for early budgeting only. They are not a quote, not a government fee determination, and not legal advice. Actual fees depend on your parcel, your plans, your construction valuation, your utility provider, and the fee schedule in force on the day your permit is issued. Confirm every number with San Jose before you commit money.

City reference pages for verification

Back to San Jose · How we build these estimates