Add an ADU to your Rancho Cordova home

LotUpside is a one-stop ADU company for homes in the City of Rancho Cordova: 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 Rancho Cordova 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 Rancho Cordova.

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ADU rules at a glance

Largest detached ADU, studio or 1 bedroom (City cap)Local rule: 850 sq ftCity of Rancho Cordova ADU FAQ, standards table (Code 23.901.060)
Largest detached ADU with 2+ bedrooms (City cap)Local rule: 1,000 sq ftCity of Rancho Cordova ADU FAQ, standards table (Code 23.901.060)
New detached ADU on the state-law path (what our check fits)State law: 800 sq ftGov. Code 66323(a)(2)
Detached ADU heightLocal rule: 16 ft (18 ft near major transit)City of Rancho Cordova ADU FAQ, standards table and footnote 3
Side and rear setbacksLocal rule: 4 ftCity of Rancho Cordova ADU FAQ, standards table (Code 23.901.060)
Front setbackLocal rule: The zone's front setback for the houseCity of Rancho Cordova ADU FAQ, standards table (Code 23.901.060)
ADUs per single-family lot (state law)State law: 2 ADUs + 1 junior ADUGov. Code 66323(a)(1)-(2)
No impact fees for an ADU ofState law: 750 sq ft or lessGov. Code 66311.5(c)(1)
School feesState law: None under 500 sq ftGov. Code 66311.5(c)(3); Ed. Code 17620
School fee in Folsom Cordova Unified, Rancho Cordova area (ADUs over 500 sq ft)Local rule: $9.01 per sq ftFolsom Cordova Unified School District, development impact fees (effective April 16, 2026)
ParkingState law: At most 1 space per ADU or bedroom; none within a half-mile walk of public transit; a removed garage needn't be replacedGov. Code 66314(d)(10)-(11) and 66322(a)(1)
Owner occupancyState law: None for an ADU; for a junior ADU only if it shares the house's bathroomGov. Code 66315 (ADU) and 66333(b) (junior ADU)
Permit decisionState law: Within 60 days of a complete applicationGov. Code 66317(a)(3)
City planning desk (Planning Division)Local rule: 916-851-8700City of Rancho Cordova Planning Division

Last verified 2026-10-15. Rules change; the City of Rancho Cordova planning desk has the final word (916-851-8700).

What's different in Rancho Cordova

850 sq ft City cap, 800 sq ft state path

Rancho Cordova's code caps a detached ADU at 850 sq ft with one bedroom or 1,000 sq ft with more, with 4 ft side and rear setbacks and the zone's front setback. State law separately lets a new detached ADU of up to 800 sq ft with 4 ft side and rear setbacks be approved ministerially (Gov. Code 66323). Our free check fits that 800 sq ft path; a larger unit under the City's limits is for a licensed designer to confirm against the zone.

City of Rancho Cordova ADU FAQ (Code 23.901.060); Gov. Code 66323(a)(2)

City Council adopted an ADU update on October 5, 2026 (draft minutes)

The City Council introduced an ordinance updating Code 23.901.060 on September 21, 2026. Per the City's draft minutes of October 5, 2026 (not yet final minutes), the Council approved its second reading and adoption 5-0; the ordinance says it takes effect 30 days after adoption, and it has no published number or effective date yet. The new text keeps the 850 / 1,000 sq ft caps, 4 ft side and rear setbacks and 16 ft height, and adds one more ADU under Gov. Code 66314 on top of the state-law units; until it is in force this page and our check follow the current code and state law.

City of Rancho Cordova City Council, draft minutes of October 5, 2026 (October 19, 2026 agenda packet, item 9.1, pages 6-7); ordinance text in the October 5, 2026 packet, item 9.3

Specific plans, Mather airport zones and the Parkway corridor

Parts of Rancho Cordova sit in a specific plan or special planning area (such as Sunridge, Rio del Oro, The Ranch, Zinfandel and Mather Field) whose own development standards can apply, and our check also reads the City's map layers for Mather Airport overflight and safety zones and a Parkway corridor. When a lot falls in any of these, the check stops at 'needs a closer look' and the City's planning desk (916-851-8700) confirms what applies.

City of Rancho Cordova Planning Division document library (specific plans, special planning areas)

Estimated costs and rents in Rancho Cordova

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 Rancho Cordova. They are not Rancho Cordova quotes, bids or appraisals. Garage conversions and junior ADUs aren't in this table for Rancho Cordova: the check can't verify them there yet, so a report lists them as not verified.

How we work in Rancho Cordova

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 Rancho Cordova

Rules from Rancho Cordova ADU standards (Code 23.901.060); CA Gov. Code 66323; zoning from the City of Rancho Cordova zoning map and Code 23.901.060. 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 Rancho Cordova the check fits the state-law path (800 sq ft) and stops at 'needs a closer look'; airport, corridor and specific-plan lots are confirmed with the planning desk. Rents and build costs are Sacramento-area estimates, labelled provisional.

Rancho Cordova ADU questions answered

ADU fees in Rancho Cordova

Floor plans to start from

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

Ready to build in Rancho Cordova?

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.

Rancho Cordova ADU questions

How big can a detached ADU be in Rancho Cordova?

The City's ADU FAQ, summarizing Code 23.901.060, allows a detached ADU of up to 850 sq ft with one bedroom or 1,000 sq ft with two or more. State law (Gov. Code 66323) also lets a new detached ADU of up to 800 sq ft with 4 ft side and rear setbacks be approved ministerially, and that is the size our free check fits.

How many ADUs can I add to a single-family lot in Rancho Cordova?

Under state law (Gov. Code 66323), a single-family lot can have one ADU inside the house or an existing structure, one new detached ADU and one junior ADU. The City's ADU FAQ still lists one ADU plus one junior ADU, and the update the City Council adopted on October 5, 2026 (per its draft minutes, not yet final minutes) adds one more ADU under Gov. Code 66314 once it takes effect.

What fees does an ADU pay in Rancho Cordova?

State law (Gov. Code 66311.5) bars impact fees on an ADU of 750 sq ft or less and school fees on one under 500 sq ft; above 750 sq ft, impact fees are charged in proportion to the house. Folsom Cordova Unified lists $9.01 per sq ft for its Rancho Cordova area (effective April 16, 2026), and the City's fee booklet notes the city is split among Folsom Cordova, Elk Grove and Sacramento City Unified. Building permit fees and sewer and water charges are separate.

Can I rent out an ADU in Rancho Cordova short term?

No. The City's ADU FAQ says an ADU can only be rented for a period longer than 30 days, and state law (Gov. Code 66323(e)) requires the same for ADUs approved on the state-law path.

How do I apply for an ADU permit in Rancho Cordova?

The City's ADU FAQ says to submit a building permit application with all submittal requirements through the City's online portal; Building & Safety answers questions at (916) 851-8760 or PermitServices@cityofranchocordova.org. State law (Gov. Code 66317) gives the City 60 days from a complete application to approve or deny it.

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.