ADU Laws · 2026
Santa Cruz County ADU Fees: The Waivers That Actually Apply
Unincorporated Santa Cruz County waives more fees than most jurisdictions we build in: building permit fees for conversions, connection fees for JADUs and conversions, planning permit fees for units of 750 sq ft or less, and impact fees for units under 750 sq ft. If your project fits inside those categories, the fee side of your project is smaller than most homeowners expect.
The short version: Conversions and small units (750 sq ft or less) qualify for the widest set of fee waivers in the county. Larger new-construction units still pay standard fees, proportional to the primary home. We confirm your exact fee picture in the feasibility study, tied to your specific parcel.
The waivers, laid out plainly
This applies to unincorporated Santa Cruz County (areas like Aptos and Soquel; the cities of Santa Cruz and Watsonville set their own local rules, covered separately):
| Fee type | Waived when |
|---|---|
| Building permit fee | Conversion ADUs (garage or existing-structure conversions) |
| Connection fee | JADUs, and conversion ADUs |
| Planning permit fee | Any ADU 750 sq ft or less |
| Impact fee | Any ADU under 750 sq ft |
Notice the pattern: conversions and compact units get the most relief. A detached new-construction ADU above 750 sq ft still pays standard fees, calculated proportionally to your primary residence rather than as a flat new-construction rate, which is a state-law requirement, not a county choice.
Why size matters more here than almost anywhere else
Santa Cruz County’s own detached-ADU size limits are tied to lot size: 850 sq ft (studio or one bedroom) or 1,000 sq ft (two or more bedrooms) on lots under an acre, and up to 1,200 sq ft on lots of an acre or more, with at least 800 sq ft always allowed regardless of lot size. Because the fee waivers cut off at 750 sq ft, a homeowner choosing between our smaller models and something closer to the county’s own size cap is making a real fee-impact decision, not just a square-footage one.
What isn’t waived
Some costs sit outside the fee-waiver categories entirely and apply regardless of unit size:
- Utility hookups themselves (as opposed to connection fees, which can be waived for JADUs and conversions specifically)
- Any required design or coastal review, for parcels where that applies
- Septic system work, if your lot isn’t on a sewer connection
We confirm these individually for your parcel during the feasibility study rather than estimating them from a general range, since they genuinely vary lot to lot.
How Framework First’s pricing folds this in
Every Framework First ADU is priced all-inclusive: a permitting budget, plans, foundation, the factory build, delivery, hookups, appliances, and final inspection are rolled into one number. Pricing runs $180,000 to $557,000 across 14 models from 405 to 1,200 sq ft, delivered in 4 to 9 months, built roughly 97% in our Salinas factory before crane delivery to your lot. We’re family-owned, based since January 2021 (CSLB #1047146, MFG #1595931).
Whatever fees genuinely apply to your parcel, standard or waived, are already built into your quoted price once your feasibility study confirms them. Compare models and pricing, or start with your city: Santa Cruz or Watsonville.
Frequently asked questions
Do these fee waivers apply inside the City of Santa Cruz too?
The waivers described here apply to unincorporated Santa Cruz County. The City of Santa Cruz and City of Watsonville each set some of their own local rules, though the state-law fee protections (like the under-750 sq ft impact fee waiver) apply everywhere in California the same way.
Is a garage conversion always the cheapest fee-wise?
Conversions qualify for the widest set of waivers in unincorporated Santa Cruz County, so they’re often the lowest-fee path. Whether it’s the right choice for you depends on layout, existing structure condition, and what you actually need from the space, which we walk through case by case.
What happens if my ADU is exactly 750 sq ft?
The waivers are described as applying to units “of 750 sq ft or less” and “under 750 sq ft” depending on the specific fee category, so an exactly-750-sq-ft unit sits right at the line. We confirm the precise threshold treatment for your model and parcel during the feasibility study.
Does a JADU inside my house still have connection fees waived even if I’m also building a separate ADU?
JADU connection fees are waived on their own terms. A separate detached ADU on the same lot is evaluated under its own fee category based on its size and construction type. We walk through combined ADU-plus-JADU projects individually since the fee picture depends on both units.
Want your exact Santa Cruz County fee picture instead of a general range? Start a feasibility study and we’ll confirm what applies to your specific parcel.