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Permit guides
ADU Permits in Arden-Arcade: a Homeowner's Guide
Arden-Arcade isn't a city — so Sacramento County issues your permit. Tree ordinances, the county's ADU standards, and how review works — in plain language.
Last updated October 2026. Rules change; always confirm current requirements with the county before you build.
First: it's the county, not a city
Arden-Arcade is unincorporated — there is no city building department here. ADU permits are issued by Sacramento County's Building Permits & Inspection Division: the Building Assistance Center at 9800 Goethe Road, Sacramento, CA 95827, or the Downtown Permit Center at 827 7th Street, Room 102 — (916) 875-5296, building.saccounty.gov. Arden-Arcade spans several ZIP codes (95821, 95825, 95841, and others), and parcels near the edges can fall inside the City of Sacramento — verify jurisdiction by parcel, not by mailing address.
What you can build
The county's ADU zoning standards (current version effective May 2025) set the local rules:
1,200 sq ftMax for a detached ADU under state law
1 storyDetached ADUs are limited to one story under county standards
18 ftPossible with increased setbacks: 10 ft rear, 5 ft side
4 ftMinimum side and rear setbacks, standard detached ADUs
PermanentAll ADUs must be on a permanent foundation
60 daysState deadline to act on a complete application
Arden-Arcade-specific things to know
- Tree canopy. Arden-Arcade is known for its mature tree cover, and tree-protection ordinances (including in the Arden Park and Sierra Oaks areas) can restrict removals near construction — plan the ADU footprint around significant trees, not through them.
- Older homes. Many houses here predate 1965; garage conversions often trigger attic ventilation, electrical, and foundation upgrades.
- No HOA review in most neighborhoods — one less approval layer than in newer master-planned areas, but county standards still apply in full.
- Park district fees. Depending on the exact location, county park impact fees through the local recreation and park district may apply to the ADU.
Trees first, plans second. In Arden-Arcade, the site plan should show every significant tree and its canopy before the ADU footprint is finalized. Discovering a protected tree under your planned foundation is an expensive redesign.
What goes into the submittal
- Building permit application to Sacramento County (online or in person)
- Site plan: lot lines, structures, setbacks, easements, utilities, drainage — and trees
- Architectural plans: floor plans, elevations, sections
- Structural plans and calculations, Title 24 energy documents
- Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical layouts
Where applications usually get stuck
- Tree conflicts. The single most Arden-Arcade-specific delay: footprints drawn over protected trees.
- Wrong jurisdiction. Parcels near the Sacramento city boundary get filed at the wrong counter.
- One-story limit. Detached ADU designs over one story hit the county cap and need rework or a Special Development Permit.
- Legacy electrical. Pre-1965 panels and wiring rarely support an ADU without upgrades.
Not sure where to start? That's the part we do. We verify your parcel's jurisdiction, map the trees and setbacks, and manage the submittal and corrections — one point of contact.