ADU Builder in Dublin, CA
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Eight Prototype Plans, Including Garage Conversions
Dublin offers eight prototype ADU plans: five detached designs and three garage conversions, from 224 to 909 sq ft, in Spanish, Traditional and Contemporary styles. They are requested from the Planning Division at pl*************@*******ca.gov. Because three are garage conversions, they are especially useful in Dublin’s many tract neighborhoods with attached two-car garages.
ADU Construction
Dublin ADU Standards
Under Municipal Code Chapter 8.80, updated by Ordinance 9-25 in November 2025:
- Detached: up to 1,200 sq ft, 16 feet tall (18 near major transit, plus 2 feet for a matching roof pitch).
- Attached to an existing house: the lesser of 50% of the house, 850 sq ft for a studio or one bedroom, or 1,000 sq ft for two or more bedrooms. Height follows the zoning district.
- Junior ADU: up to 500 sq ft, with owner occupancy.
- Setbacks: 4 feet side and rear; none for conversions in the same footprint.
- Parking: one space per ADU, none for a studio or JADU, with exemptions near transit and for conversions.
- Design: match the main house’s design, materials and colors; no balconies facing a side lot line; no rooftop decks; 60% maximum combined lot coverage.
- One ADU plus one JADU per single-family lot. ADUs need separate utility meters; JADUs do not.
- Decision within 60 days of a complete application.
In HOA communities, the City’s ADU manual tells owners to work with the HOA and its design guidelines.
Dublin ADU Permit Steps
100 Civic Plaza, Dublin, CA 94568 · City Hall (925) 833-6650
Building & Safety (925) 833-6620 · Planning (925) 833-6610 · Fire Prevention (925) 833-6606
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Since July 2024, all applications go through the Citizen Self-Service (CSS) portal at dublin.ca.gov/CSS.
- DSRSD (water and sewer) approval is a separate submittal through DSRSD’s self-service site and must be approved before the City issues the building permit. DSRSD plan review: (925) 828-0515.
- Dublin Unified School District requires a Certificate of Compliance and payment at the district office before permit issuance where school fees apply.
- Zone 7 connection fees apply to new or larger water meters.
- Fire: the Dublin Fire Prevention Bureau, operated by the Alameda County Fire Department, reviews plans before permit issuance.
- Contractors need a current City of Dublin business license; projects valued at $100,000 or more need a Waste Management Plan.
Sprinklers: an ADU of 1,200 sq ft or less is exempt if the main house has no sprinklers, and an ADU does not trigger sprinklers in the existing house.
Inspections are requested in CSS for the next business day, or the same day if requested by 5 a.m. Phone and counter requests close at 4 p.m. the business day before. Inspectors take calls 7:15 to 8 a.m., and residential evening inspections are available on Tuesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. (call the Monday before). Dublin uses outside consultant firms for plan check and inspection under its Building Official.
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Other Dublin services: Bathrooms · Kitchens · Additions · New Homes · Dublin overview
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Dublin ADU FAQ
Does Dublin have pre-approved ADU plans?
Yes. Eight prototype plans, five detached and three garage conversions, from 224 to 909 sq ft.
How big can a detached ADU be in Dublin?
Up to 1,200 sq ft.
Do I need DSRSD approval for an ADU?
Yes. DSRSD approval is a separate submittal and must be approved before the City issues the building permit.
Can I add a balcony to my Dublin ADU?
Not facing a side lot line, and rooftop decks are not allowed.