San Jose

1. Pre-application research and zoning verification (~7d)
   Confirm parcel zoning (R-1, R-2, R-M, etc.) on SJ Permit Center map; verify lot is residential; check overlay constraints: very-high FHSZ (east hills - Mt Hamilton foothills, Almaden Quicksilver, Alum Rock area), Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone (Calaveras / Hayward Fault traces), Riparian Corridor overlay, Historic Preservation district overlays.
2. Pre-approved ADU plan election (optional) or custom plan preparation (~14d)
   If using SJ pre-approved plan catalog, select plan and verify site fit. Otherwise prepare site plan, floor plans, elevations, Title 24, structural calcs.
3. Submit application via SJePlans (~1d)
   Electronic plan submittal through SJePlans portal at the SJ Permit Center (200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 2nd Floor). For routine ADUs, an ADU Service appointment may be available for streamlined intake.
4. Completeness review (15 business days statutory) (~15d)
   PBCE Building + Planning screen for completeness within 15 business days per state-law deemed-complete requirement.
5. Concurrent agency review (Planning, Building, PW, Fire, water provider) (~35d)
   PBCE Planning (zoning), PBCE Building (CRC/CBC + SJ amendments), Public Works (driveway/grading/encroachment), San Jose Fire Department (defensible space + sprinkler), water provider (San Jose Water Company / SCVWD-Great Oaks Water Company / SJMU depending on parcel) review concurrently.
6. Permit issuance (~5d)
   Once corrections cleared and fees paid, permit issues. Statutory ministerial limit 60 days from complete application. SJ routinely meets this on pre-approved-plan submittals.
7. Construction inspections
   Foundation, framing, MEP rough, insulation, drywall, sprinkler, final. Inspections requested through the SJ Online Permit Center.
8. Certificate of Occupancy + optional AB 1033 condominium conversion (~7d)
   Final inspection pass triggers CO; ADU eligible for occupancy and rental. Owners may then optionally pursue Chapter 20.80 Part 10 condominium conversion to enable separate-sale.

• Long-term rental: yes (San Jose Municipal Code Title 20 + SJ Apartment Rent Ordinance (ARO) - Chapter 17.23) 30+day rental of ADU permitted by-right; AB 976 prohibits owner-occupancy condition. Newly-constructed ADUs in single-family/duplex zones generally exempt from ARO; multi-family additions verify with SJ Rent Stabilization Program.
• Short-term rental: with-restrictions (San Jose Municipal Code Chapter 20.80.300 (Incidental Transient Occupancy) and TOT registration through City Finance) San Jose regulates STRs under SJMC Chapter 20.80.300. ADU may be used for STR if registered and TOT compliant; Chapter 20.80 specifically references compliance with the city's STR rules.
  • TOT registration with City
  • Hosted STR permitted in primary residence
  • Whole-home un-hosted STR limited to 180 days/year
• Office rental: no Title 20 limits ADUs to dwelling-unit use; commercial office tenancy not permitted in residentially-zoned ADU.
• Home office: yes Home occupations permitted in residential zones with limits on signage, employees, customer traffic per Title 20.
• Studio / workshop: yes Personal artist/workshop use is a permitted accessory residential use.
• Agriculture: with-restrictions (San Jose Municipal Code Title 20 - Urban Agriculture provisions) Limited backyard agriculture and small-livestock allowed by district; ADU itself remains residential. Coyote Valley and South SJ ag zones have additional flexibility.
• Relative support: yes Family-occupancy ADU explicitly permitted; JADU specifically designed for owner+relative arrangement.

• CalHFA ADU Grant Program — $40,000 one-time (when funded) (Income-qualified SJ homeowners; reimburses pre-construction soft costs)
• SB 13 Impact Fee Waiver (under 750 sqft) — California state law prohibits impact, capacity, or connection fees on ADUs under 750 sqft. Applies in San Jose. School impact fees do not apply to ADUs less than 750 sqft per Jan 1 2020 statute.
• SJ Pre-Approved ADU Plans (reduced plan check) — City pre-approved plan catalog reduces plan-check cycle and fee for participating projects; satisfies AB 1332 statewide pre-approved-plan mandate.
• SJ AB 1033 ADU Condominium Conversion (separate-sale unlock) — First California city to implement AB 1033; SJMC Chapter 20.80 Part 10 enables conveyance of an ADU as a condominium separately from the primary dwelling.

Pre-approved plans San Jose Pre-Approved ADU Plans Program · 8 free designs · 35% plan-review fee waiver · saves ~5 weeks

Staff: SJ Planning Division - ADU Counter (Title 20 zoning compliance), SJ Public Works - AB 1033 Parcel Map Coordinator (ADU condominium-conversion mapping support), San Jose Fire Department - Bureau of Fire Prevention (Defensible space + sprinkler review)

• Water: San Jose Water Company (SJWC) for most of San Jose; San Jose Municipal Water System (SJMU) for North San Jose / Alviso / Edenvale; Great Oaks Water Company in South San Jose. SCVWD (Valley Water) is the wholesale supplier. · 45d connect · $5,200
• Sewer: San Jose-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility (RWF) via City of San Jose Environmental Services Department · 30d connect · $4,400
• Electric: Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E); San Jose Clean Energy CCA for generation · 60d connect · $2,800
• Gas: Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) · 60d connect · $1,900

Realistic total: best 9mo · typical 14mo · worst 22mo

Silicon Valley GC backlog runs 5-7 months for ADU specialists. PG&E electrical-service upgrade and SJWC meter coordination are common timeline-killers. East-foothills VHFHSZ parcels add 3-5 weeks for fire review and Chapter 7A compliance.

Modular pathway California HCD Factory-Built Housing Program · inspectors are experienced with modular · 18 modular permits (last 24mo)

South Bay freeway access (US 101, I-880, I-280) accommodates standard 14-16 ft module width; east-hills addresses have grade and width restrictions. Bay Bridge clearance not in routing.

State ADU loans:

• CalHFA ADU Grant Program (California Housing Finance Agency) up to $40,000
• HCD ADU Funding Resources Index (California Department of Housing and Community Development)

Bay Area earthquake (Calaveras/Hayward Fault) and east-hills wildfire exposure inflate carrier premium quotes. California Earthquake Authority (CEA) policy strongly recommended.

SJ has many HOA-governed planned communities (Almaden, Silver Creek, Communications Hill, Berryessa, etc.). State law voids HOA covenants prohibiting ADUs on single-family lots; HOAs retain reasonable design-standards authority.

• wui-fire-zone — Eastern hills (Mt Hamilton foothills, Alum Rock, Evergreen, Communications Hill perimeter), Almaden Quicksilver area, and Coyote Valley western flank classified Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (LRA) · +21d · +12% cost
  CBC Chapter 7A required in VHFHSZ: Class A roof, ember-resistant vents, ignition-resistant siding, defensible space. SJFD Bureau of Fire Prevention enforces. (map)
• seismic-retrofit-zone — Calaveras Fault Zone (eastern SJ), Hayward Fault zone exposure to the north, San Andreas Fault zone exposure to the west; SJ Soft-Story Ordinance applies to wood-frame multi-family · +14d · +6% cost
  Seismic Design Category D-D2 per ASCE 7. Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act applies to parcels astride mapped fault traces. (map)
• flood-zone — FEMA SFHA Zone AE along Coyote Creek, Guadalupe River, Los Gatos Creek, Penitencia Creek; Zone X-shaded in alluvial fan areas · +14d · +6% cost
  Elevation Certificate required in SFHA; flood vents on enclosed below-base areas; flood insurance required for federally-backed financing. 2017 Coyote Creek flood drove updated mapping in some areas. (map)
• airport-noise-zone — San Jose Mineta International Airport (KSJC) 65+ CNEL noise contours; Reid-Hillview Airport (KRHV) noise contours; Santa Clara County ALUC controls · +14d · +4% cost
  Sound-attenuation construction (STC 30+) may be required in 65+ CNEL contours. Reid-Hillview lead-exposure litigation drove additional county-level scrutiny. (map)
• historic-district — SJ Historic Preservation districts (Naglee Park, Hanchett Park, Reed Street, etc.) and individual landmark structures · +21d · +8% cost
  Historic Landmarks Commission review for ADUs in designated landmark districts. (map)
• other — SJ Riparian Corridor protection overlay - 100-ft buffer along creeks and significant drainages · +14d · +5% cost
  ADU placement within riparian corridor may require setback variance or biological survey. (map)