ADU permit process in Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz County, California
Prepared by GetYourPermit editorial teamReport an error
We haven’t written Santa Cruz’s permit guide yet.
We publish permit process guides one city at a time, and we would rather publish nothing than guess at Santa Cruz’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 Santa Cruz right now.
See the fee estimate for Santa CruzStart here instead — official and primary sources for Santa Cruz
The live City page identifies the Department Fee Schedule as the current source for most Community Development fees and states that fees are revised annually by City Council.
Accessed August 29, 2026
The City-hosted schedule is effective January 1, 2026 and updated January 5, 2026. It supplies Building Permit valuation brackets, the ADU General Plan Maintenance Fee, impact-fee treatment, and current City impact-fee base rates.
Accessed August 29, 2026
The live City ADU page says ADUs require a Building Permit, explains that address-review fees are added to the Building Permit cost, and distinguishes conversion/attached ADUs from detached new construction for water and sewer connections.
Accessed August 29, 2026
What to ask the Santa Cruz 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.