In short
- 182 ADU permits since 2018.
- 36 in 2025, about the same as in 2024.
- Typical permit time: 258 days from application to permit (median of 171 permits with both dates recorded).
About this data
- Source: California HCD Housing Element Annual Progress Reports. The state data does not say whether an ADU is detached, attached, a garage conversion or a JADU, so most records show as 'unknown'. Permit valuations are not published in this source. Timelines use the application date the city reported to the state, matched to the permit where possible; some cities report their planning application date, so timelines can include planning review. Each project is counted once, in its building-permit year (or completion year when no permit date was reported).
Permits by year
Permits by year and type (table)
| Year | All ADU permits | Garage conversions | Detached |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 13 | — | — |
| 2019 | 13 | — | — |
| 2020 | 14 | — | — |
| 2021 | 17 | — | — |
| 2022 | 28 | — | — |
| 2023 | 25 | — | — |
| 2024 | 36 | — | — |
| 2025 | 36 | — | — |
“—” means the source for that year does not report ADU type.
Read more: ADU types explained
Not counted above: 29 approved projects with no building permit reported yet.
ADU rules in San Clemente
State law check: HCD found the 2022 ordinance noncompliant (October 14, 2025), including its unit limits, detached height, owner-occupancy rule and ADU deed restriction, and followed up (February 27, 2026). The city rewrote it (Ord. 1810, June 16, 2026); we haven't seen HCD's review.
| Rule | San Clemente's code | State law guarantees |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum size | 850 sq ft (studio or 1 bedroom) or 1,000 sq ft (2+ bedrooms) of interior space. No cap for conversions; other limits can't cut it below 800 sq ft. Junior ADU 500 sq ft. | At least 850 sq ft (1,000 sq ft with 2+ bedrooms) must be allowed; an 800 sq ft detached ADU always is. Conversions of existing space have no size cap. Junior ADU: up to 500 sq ft. |
| Height | Detached: 16 ft (18 ft near transit, plus 2 ft for roof pitch; 18 ft with a multistory apartment building). Over a detached garage: 2 stories within the zone limit. Attached: the zone's limit. | Detached: at least 16 ft (18 ft within ½ mile of transit, plus 2 ft for a matching roof). Attached: 25 ft or the zone's limit, whichever is lower. |
| Setbacks | 4 ft side and rear (or the zone's, if less); the zone's front setback unless it would block a qualifying ADU; none for conversions. | No more than 4 ft side and rear; none for conversions of existing space. |
| Parking | 1 space per ADU, unless exempt (transit, historic district or Architecture overlay, inside existing space, car share). None for junior ADUs. | At most 1 space; none within ½ mile of transit and in several other cases. No replacement parking when a garage is converted. |
| Owner living on site | None for ADUs. Junior ADU: the owner lives on site unless it has its own bathroom; deed restriction. | None for ADUs. A junior ADU that shares a bathroom with the house requires the owner to live in one of them. |
| How many on a single-family lot | One each: an attached or converted ADU, a new detached ADU, a converted detached structure, and a junior ADU; combinations are allowed. | One ADU converted from existing space, one junior ADU and one new detached ADU (up to 800 sq ft). From January 1, 2027: two new detached ADUs (a city then needn't allow a junior ADU on that lot). |
| Short-term rentals | More than 30 days. | No guarantee: cities may require rentals of more than 30 days, and junior ADUs can't be short-term rentals. |
- Coastal Zone: the city's pre-approved plans handout says development there needs Coastal Commission approval.
- Outside the Coastal Zone only: no parking for an ADU built with a new home, and no replacement of garage or carport parking removed for an ADU.
- The city runs a pre-approved ADU plans program (not for flood zones or historic properties).
Where local rules conflict with state law, state law controls. Sources: San Clemente Municipal Code 17.28.270 · HCD findings (October 14, 2025) · HCD letter (February 27, 2026) · Pre-approved ADU plans handout (Dec 2024); HCD's list of review letters; California ADU rules. Verified Oct 5, 2026. Rules change and every lot is different: confirm with the city before you design.
How long permits take
| Type | Median days, application to permit | Middle half | Permits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unclassified | 258 | 158 – 404 | 171 |
Middle half: the range covering the middle 50% of permits (a quarter were lower, a quarter higher).
Read more: How long ADUs take to build
From permit to completion
Of the 83 ADU permits San Clemente reported issuing from 2020 through 2023, 64 (77%) have a completion reported to the state. For those, the median time from permit to completion was 10 months.
The state reports don't record expired or cancelled permits, and a completion the city hasn't reported looks the same as an unfinished project, so the share is a floor. Years with incomplete reports are left out.
What neighbors declared as cost
Cost data (declared permit valuations) is not published for this area in these sources.
Read more: How to choose an ADU builder
An ADU builder serving San Clemente? Feature your business on this page.
Questions about ADUs in San Clemente
How many ADUs have been permitted in San Clemente?
Public records show 182 ADU permits in San Clemente from 2018 through 2025. 36 in 2025, about the same as in 2024. These counts come from the city's reports to the state, which place a project in its completion year when no permit date was reported.
How long does an ADU permit take in San Clemente?
Among the 171 ADU permits in San Clemente with both dates recorded, half were issued within 258 days of the application; the middle half took 158 to 404 days. That includes plan-check corrections and resubmittals, not just the review itself.
Can I build an ADU on my property in San Clemente?
California law allows ADUs on most lots with a house, including in San Clemente, but what you can build depends on your lot, local rules and utilities. This site shows permits, not eligibility. See California ADU rules.
Where do I apply for an ADU permit in San Clemente?
Apply with the City of San Clemente: an ADU prescreen through the city's eTRAKiT portal, then a building permit; the city also runs a pre-approved ADU plans program. Official ADU page.
How current is this?
- State annual progress reports: through 2025 (published once a year)
How our data works · Download the data · Free to reuse with credit to SoCal ADU Tracker (socaladutracker.com), under CC BY 4.0.