SB 1117: Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units.
What SB 1117 does, verified October 1, 2026
This bill aims to amend the government code to clarify land use regulations. It would require local agencies to charge fees for the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) based only on the area in excess of 750 square feet of interior livable space. This change would simplify the fee calculation process and make it more equitable. The bill would also exempt ADUs with 750 square feet or less from impact fees, which are currently prohibited. The changes proposed by this bill address a statewide concern and would apply to all cities, including charter cities.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
✓Second ChamberComplete
✓GovernorComplete
6ChapteredCurrent
Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 809, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-29)Alert me
Quick answers about SB 1117
- What is the current status of SB 1117?
- As of October 1, 2026, SB 1117 is recorded as "Chaptered/Signed": it has been signed by the Governor and chaptered into law. The last recorded action, on September 29, 2026, was "Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 809, Statutes of 2026".
- Did SB 1117 pass?
- Yes. SB 1117 passed both houses and was signed into law (last action September 29, 2026). Most California bills signed in a given year take effect on January 1 of the following year, unless the bill carries an urgency clause or sets its own operative date.
- Who wrote SB 1117, and where is it now?
- SB 1117 was authored by Sen. Sabrina Cervantes with 1 coauthor. It is filed under Government, alongside 691 other California Government bills this session.
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions26 total · showing 5
| Sep. 29, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 809, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 29, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Aug. 30, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m. |
| Aug. 25, 2026 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Aug. 20, 2026 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 70. Noes 0. Page 6298.) Ordered to the Senate. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, September 29, 2026 · 1,036 words
Senate Bill No. 1117
CHAPTER 809
An act to amend Section 66311.5 of the Government Code, relating to land use.
[ Approved by Governor September 29, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State September 29, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1117, Cervantes. Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units.
Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, among other things, provides for the creation by ordinance, or by ministerial approval if the local agency has not adopted an ordinance, of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in accordance with specified standards and conditions. Existing law requires fees charged for the construction of ADUs to be determined in accordance with specified provisions of the Mitigation Fee Act. Existing law prohibits a local agency, special district, or water corporation from imposing any impact fee upon the development of an ADU that has 750 square feet of interior livable space or less, and requires any impact fees charged for an ADU that has more than 750 square feet of interior livable space to be charged proportionately in relation to the square footage of the primary dwelling unit.
This bill would require the charge for certain accessory dwelling units to be based only on the area in excess of 750 square feet of interior livable space. By changing the duties of local agencies with regard to calculating fees for ADUs, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 66311.5 of the Government Code is amended to read:66311.5.
(a) Fees charged for the construction of accessory dwelling units or junior accessory dwelling units shall be determined in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 66000) and Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 66012).(b) An accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit shall not be considered by a local agency, special district, or water corporation to be a new residential use for purposes of calculating connection fees or capacity charges for utilities, including water and sewer service, unless the unit was constructed with a new single-family dwelling.
(c) (1) (A) A local agency, special district, or water corporation shall not impose any impact fee upon the development of an accessory dwelling unit that has 750 square feet of interior livable space or less or a junior accessory dwelling unit that has 500 square feet of interior livable space or less.
(B) For up to two accessory dwelling units on a lot, any impact fees charged for an accessory dwelling unit that has more than 750 square feet of interior livable space shall be charged proportionately in relation to the square footage of the primary dwelling unit, and only on the area in excess of 750 square feet of interior livable space.
(C) For properties with more than two accessory dwelling units on a lot, any impact fees charged for an accessory dwelling unit that has more than 750 square feet of interior livable space shall be charged proportionately in relation to the square footage of the primary dwelling unit.
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, “impact fee” has the same meaning as the term “fee” is defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66000, except that it also includes fees specified in Section 66477. “Impact fee” does not include any connection fee or capacity charge charged by a local agency, special district, or water corporation.
(3) For the purposes of this section and Section 17620 of the Education Code, an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit that contains less than 500 square feet of interior livable space shall, for the purpose of subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 17620 of the Education Code, be considered other residential construction that does not increase assessable space by 500 square feet.
(d) For an accessory dwelling unit or a junior accessory dwelling unit described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 66323, a local agency, special district, or water corporation shall not require the applicant to install a new or separate utility connection directly between the unit and the utility or impose a related connection fee or capacity charge, unless the unit was constructed with a new single-family dwelling, or upon separate conveyance of the accessory dwelling unit pursuant to Section 66342.
(e) For an accessory dwelling unit that is not described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 66323, a local agency, special district, or water corporation may require a new or separate utility connection directly between the accessory dwelling unit and the utility. Consistent with Section 66013, the connection may be subject to a connection fee or capacity charge that shall be proportionate to the burden of the proposed accessory dwelling unit, based upon either its square feet or the number of its drainage fixture unit (DFU) values, as defined in the Uniform Plumbing Code adopted and published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, upon the water or sewer system. This fee or charge shall not exceed the reasonable cost of providing this service.
SEC. 2.
The Legislature finds and declares that ensuring housing is a matter of statewide concern and is not a municipal affair as that term is used in Section 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution. Therefore, Section 1 of this act amending Section 66311.5 of the Government Code applies to all cities, including charter cities.SEC. 3.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because a local agency or school district has the authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or level of service mandated by this act, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code.Text of SB 1117 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions