ADU permit cost and fee breakdown in Santa Clarita, California

An early-budgeting estimate of the permit-related fees an accessory dwelling unit is likely to incur in Santa Clarita. 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

$4,300 – $33,800

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 – $5,000
The core permit issued by the city building department.
Plan check$800
Review of your drawings for code compliance.
Impact fees$0 – $12,000
Development impact fees. Often waived for ADUs under 750 sq ft.
School district fees$0 – $5,500
Developer fees charged by the local school district.
Utility connection$1,500 – $8,500
Water, sewer, and electrical connection or capacity charges.
Inspection$500 – $2,000
Field inspections during construction.

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.
Some fee items appear more than once, so category totals may double count.
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 fee	$1,500 – $5,000	Estimated range	Planning Division Fee Schedule - City of Santa Clarita

Building permit fee
$1,500 – $5,000
Estimated range
Planning Division Fee Schedule - City of Santa Clarita

Plan check

Review of your drawings for code compliance.

Fee	Amount	Basis	Source
Planning Division ADU fee	$400	Flat fee	Planning Division Fee Schedule - City of Santa Clarita

Planning Division ADU fee
$400
Flat fee
Planning Division Fee Schedule - City of Santa Clarita

Impact fees

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

Fee	Amount	Basis	Source
California ADU development impact fee baseline	$0 – $12,000	Estimated range	Government Code § 66318

California ADU development impact fee baseline
$0 – $12,000
Estimated range
Government Code § 66318

School district fees

Developer fees charged by the local school district.

Fee	Amount	Basis	Source
School district fee	$0 – $5,500	Estimated range	Planning Division Fee Schedule - City of Santa Clarita

School district fee
$0 – $5,500
Estimated range
Planning Division Fee Schedule - City of Santa Clarita

Utility connection

Water, sewer, and electrical connection or capacity charges.

Fee	Amount	Basis	Source
Utility connection fee	$1,500 – $8,500	Estimated range	Planning Division Fee Schedule - City of Santa Clarita

Utility connection fee
$1,500 – $8,500
Estimated range
Planning Division Fee Schedule - City of Santa Clarita

Inspection

Field inspections during construction.

Fee	Amount	Basis	Source
Inspection fee	$500 – $2,000	Estimated range	Planning Division Fee Schedule - City of Santa Clarita

Inspection fee
$500 – $2,000
Estimated range
Planning Division Fee Schedule - City of Santa Clarita

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 Santa Clarita before you commit money.

City reference pages for verification

Planning Division Fee Schedule - City of Santa Clarita

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