Add an ADU to your Citrus Heights home

LotUpside is a one-stop ADU company for homes in the City of Citrus Heights: we check your lot free against the city's rules, then match you with licensed designers and builders and coordinate the project with them.

Check your lot · free

What the Citrus Heights rules allow on your lot: setbacks, the biggest unit that fits, fees.

Design your ADU · free

Shape it in live 3D: size, rooms, roof and finishes, with an estimate priced for Citrus Heights.

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ADU rules at a glance

Detached ADU, state-law pathState law: Up to 800 sq ftCal. Gov. Code 66323(a)(2)
Largest detached ADU, City local optionLocal rule: 1,200 sq ft (the zone's lot coverage limit applies above 800 sq ft)Citrus Heights Municipal Code 106.42.015(B)(3)(b) and (E)(3)
Height of a detached ADULocal rule: 18 ft, plus 2 ft to match the house's roof pitchCitrus Heights Municipal Code 106.42.015(E)(2)(b)
Side and rear setbacksLocal rule: 4 ft interior side and rearCitrus Heights Municipal Code 106.42.015(E)(1)
Front setbackLocal rule: The zone's setback, but never one that blocks an ADU of up to 800 sq ftCitrus Heights Municipal Code 106.42.015(E)(1)(c)
ADUs per single-family lot, state-law pathState law: 2 ADUs (1 converted, 1 new detached) + 1 junior ADUCal. Gov. Code 66323(a)(1)-(2)
Impact feesState law: None up to 750 sq ftCal. Gov. Code 66311.5(c)(1)
City impact fees, ADU of 750-1,200 sq ftLocal rule: $1,467 multimodal fee + $3,045 park fee per unitCity of Citrus Heights Impact Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2026
School fee, lots in San Juan UnifiedLocal rule: $5.38 per sq ft; ADUs under 750 sq ft excludedSan Juan Unified School District, Developer Fees (Resolution 4259, rates from June 13, 2026)
ParkingLocal rule: None added, and no replacement for a converted garageCitrus Heights Municipal Code 106.42.015(E)(7)
Owner living on siteState law: Not for an ADU; for a junior ADU only if it shares the house's bathroomCal. Gov. Code 66315 and 66333(b)
Permit decisionState law: Within 60 days of a complete applicationCal. Gov. Code 66317(a)(3)
Free City plans (Permit-Ready ADU Program)Local rule: 1 bedroom: 496 or 599 sq ft; 2 bedrooms: 749 sq ftCity of Citrus Heights ADU Homeowner's Planning Guide (July 2025), Part 2: Permit Ready ADUs
Planning DivisionLocal rule: 916-727-4740, planning@citrusheights.netCity of Citrus Heights Planning Division

Last verified 2026-10-15. Rules change; the City of Citrus Heights Planning Division has the final word (916-727-4740).

What's different in Citrus Heights

Two ADU paths in the City code, and the check reads one

The City code gives two paths that can't be combined: the City's local option (one ADU plus a junior ADU, a detached ADU of up to 1,200 sq ft, the zone's lot coverage limit above 800 sq ft, no ADU in the front yard) and the state option (a new detached ADU of up to 800 sq ft with 4 ft side and rear setbacks). The check fits the state option only and never reads better than 'needs a closer look' here: the City's corridor, tree and other overlays have no complete parcel map, and a lot with a PD or other non-standard zone code reads as unclear, so a City planner confirms overlays, PD terms and Special Planning Areas.

Citrus Heights Municipal Code 106.42.015(A)(2), (B) and (C)

Ordinance 2026-004, adopted June 10, 2026

The City Council adopted Ordinance 2026-004 on second reading on June 10, 2026, by a 5-0 vote (minutes in the September 9, 2026 agenda packet). It replaced the ADU section of the zoning code, 106.42.015, and the City's online code now prints the new text; the ordinance takes effect 30 days after adoption if published within 15 days, that publication wasn't verified, and the City's update page still lists the effective date as 'TBD'. The check doesn't model the ordinance's local option or its privacy and amnesty rules; it applies the state option, which state law allows either way.

Citrus Heights City Council minutes, June 10, 2026, consent item 8 (September 9, 2026 agenda packet)

City floodplain rules

Citrus Heights keeps its own flood layers: a copy of FEMA's AE flood zone and a list of flood-prone parcels. The check reads both for every lot; a lot on either is flagged, and when they can't be read the flood check stays open instead of passing. In most cases City staff won't permit a new structure in the 100-year floodplain, and a new building within 50 ft of a floodplain needs an Elevation Certificate showing it sits at least 2 ft above it.

City of Citrus Heights, FEMA Information and Flood Insurance; City GIS layers AE Flood Zone and Flood Prone Parcels

Who to call at the City

The Planning Division (916-727-4740, planning@citrusheights.net) answers zoning, overlay and which-path questions, including ADUs over 800 sq ft and the Permit-Ready plans. The Building Division (916-727-4760) quotes permit and impact fees and runs the ADU Amnesty Program, and General Services (916-727-4770) handles flood zone questions and Elevation Certificates.

City of Citrus Heights ADU FAQs; ADU Amnesty Program; FEMA Information and Flood Insurance

Estimated costs and rents in Citrus Heights

Type	Est. all-in cost	Est. rent
Detached 2 bedroom	$193,000-$289,000	$1,925-$2,375/mo
Detached 3 bedroom	$224,000-$341,000	$2,425-$2,975/mo

Estimates for a first conversation, not bids or appraisals. Source: LotUpside price book sac-2026-10. Provisional estimate: rent, build-cost and value figures are our Sacramento-area estimates, not yet researched for Citrus Heights. They are not Citrus Heights quotes, bids or appraisals. Garage conversions and junior ADUs aren't in this table for Citrus Heights: the check can't verify them there yet, so a report lists them as not verified.

How we work in Citrus Heights

1
Free lot check
A 12-check property screening from public records: what fits on your lot and what it adds.
2
Get matched with a licensed designer
Ask for a free consult and we look for a licensed designer for your plans and permit.
3
Get matched with a licensed builder
The builder holds the construction contract; we coordinate the project with them.

Licensed partners design and build, and the builder holds the construction contract. Partners are signed in some areas so far. All figures are estimates, not bids.

What our check reads in Citrus Heights

Rules from California HCD March 2026 ADU Handbook, Government Code 66323 state path; zoning from the Citrus Heights parcel zoning and overlays - city verification required. Plus county parcel and assessor maps, CAL FIRE fire zones, FEMA flood maps, the California Geological Survey, the USDA soil survey, USGS elevation and Microsoft building outlines.

In Citrus Heights the check reads the state-law path only (800 sq ft, 4 ft setbacks) and stops at 'needs a closer look'; City overlays and the June 2026 ordinance are confirmed with the Planning Division. Rents and build costs are Sacramento-area estimates, labelled provisional.

Citrus Heights ADU questions answered

Floor plans to start from

Measured ADU layouts you can edit and download as CAD files, then check against the Citrus Heights rules above.

Ready to build in Citrus Heights?

We'll match you with a licensed designer and builder in your area and coordinate the project. Free consult, no obligation.

Want to build it?

We'll match you with a licensed designer and builder in your area and coordinate the project. Free consult, no obligation.

Licensed partner designers and builders do the design and construction, and the builder holds the construction contract. Partners are signed in some areas so far; elsewhere we'll tell you plainly what we can do.

Citrus Heights ADU questions

Can I build a 1,200 sq ft ADU in Citrus Heights?

Under the City's local option in Municipal Code Section 106.42.015, a detached ADU can reach 1,200 sq ft, but above 800 sq ft it must meet the zone's lot coverage limit, and it can't go in the front yard. The same section's state option allows a new detached ADU of up to 800 sq ft with 4 ft side and rear setbacks, the two options can't be combined, and our free check fits the 800 sq ft state option only.

Does Citrus Heights offer free ADU plans?

Yes. The City's Permit-Ready ADU Program offers plan sets at no cost for a 496 or 599 sq ft one-bedroom and a 749 sq ft two-bedroom unit, each with roofline and finish choices and a reversed layout, according to the City's ADU Homeowner's Planning Guide. You still prepare a site plan to confirm the unit fits your lot and apply for a building permit online.

What fees does an ADU pay in Citrus Heights?

State law (Government Code 66311.5) bars impact fees on an ADU with 750 sq ft of interior livable space or less; the City's 2026 impact fee schedule charges ADUs of 750 to 1,200 sq ft a $1,467 multimodal fee and a $3,045 park fee, and its July 2026 fee brochure adds a proportional Measure A transportation fee on larger units. At exactly 750 sq ft the City's schedule lists a fee; state law bars it, so confirm with the Building Division. San Juan Unified, the school district the City's brochure names, charges $5.38 per sq ft but excludes ADUs under 750 sq ft, and the Building Division (916-727-4760) quotes building permit and impact fees for your project.

Can I legalize an ADU that was built without permits?

Municipal Code Section 106.42.015(G) lets the City approve a permit to legalize an ADU or junior ADU built without permits before January 1, 2020 unless the Building Official finds it substandard, and that path stays open until January 1, 2030. The City's ADU Amnesty Program page has a self-assessment checklist, says investigation fees are typically waived, and sends you to the Building Division at 916-727-4760.

Can I rent out my ADU in Citrus Heights?

Yes, for stays longer than 30 days: Municipal Code Section 106.42.015(E)(11) bars renting an ADU or junior ADU for 30 consecutive days or less, except an ADU lawfully built before January 1, 2020. The City's ADU Development Standards page adds that rental units must be registered with the City's Rental Housing Inspection Program.

What's free, and what's in the $49 full report?

The free check gives the verdict from a 12-check property screening, your best move with the value it adds, the monthly rent and the cash you put in. The full report adds every option ranked, cost vs value ranges, concept floor layouts and site plan drafts, and every check with its sources. It is a one-time payment per property.

Is this a permit, or a plan I can build from?

Neither. It is a screening from public records, not professional advice, and not a survey, soils report, appraisal, loan offer or permit; every number is an estimate. A licensed designer confirms the final plan, and your city or county gives final approval.