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SB 1117CALIFORNIASession 20252026

California SB 1117 caps impact fees for accessory dwelling units based on square footage

Original title: Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units.

August 30, 2026

Companion · AB 956same policy, Assembly version

Housing Zoning Local Government Property Development Accessorydwellingunitsandjunioraccessorydwellingunits

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The Frame

What this does

Homeowners and developers building ADUs will see reduced s, as the first 750 square feet of interior space will be exempt from such charges, potentially lowering the total cost of construction for these units.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Property owners

Property owners building ADUs will have their impact fees calculated based only on square footage exceeding 750 square feet.

Local agencies

Local agencies must adjust their fee calculation methods for ADUs to comply with the new state-mandated standard.

What changed

Last recorded activity August 30, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill requires local agencies to calculate s for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) based only on the square footage that exceeds 750 square feet of interior livable space. This change applies to all cities in California, including charter cities, to standardize how development costs are assessed for smaller housing units.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I have to pay impact fees for a small ADU?

Under this bill, s cannot be charged for the first 750 square feet of interior livable space in an ADU.

Does this apply to my city if it is a charter city?

Yes, the bill explicitly states that these changes apply to all cities in California, including charter cities.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Standardization of ADU Fees

The bill moves to eliminate local variation in impact fee calculations for ADUs by mandating a statewide exemption for the first 750 square feet.

Planning and Zoning Law Mitigation Fee Act

Connected Entities

otherPlanning and Zoning Law“Existing state law governing ADU creation and standards.”Map →

otherCalifornia Constitution“Requires state reimbursement for state-mandated local programs.”Map →

otherMitigation Fee Act“Existing law governing how fees are determined.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance75
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz30
Current news / social attention level

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