Pasadena publishes ADU fee reductions for qualifying single-family sites and one free City-designed standard plan. The fee schedule, project type, and timing of any Housing Agreement affect the result. These measures do not apply automatically to multifamily sites and do not replace a permit or site review.
Compare the fee conditions
The City’s ADU page says an ADU of 900 square feet or less without a Housing Agreement is exempt from Residential Impact Fees and receives a 25% reduction in specified permit fees, including Construction Tax, General Plan Maintenance Fee, and Technology Fee. For a larger ADU, the page describes a Residential Impact Fee proportional to the primary dwelling’s square footage.
For an ADU of any size with an executed Housing Agreement, the City lists a 50% plan-check discount and exemptions from specified Residential Impact Fees and permit-fee categories. Use of a City Standard Plan also has its own listed fee treatment. The City requires the Housing Agreement to be executed before permit issuance; the reductions are not retroactive. The City’s current fee schedule and project classification control, so ask Pasadena to calculate the fees for the property.
Check the current City plan
As of August 2026, Pasadena lists one free 374-square-foot studio plan that complies with the 2025 California Building Code and may fit most single-family properties citywide. Site compatibility still matters. The City’s criteria include property and setback conditions, lot coverage, soil, zone, and configuration.
Modifying the City plan causes it to lose its pre-reviewed status and requires standard plan review and fees. Older City plans expired for general use when the 2025 code took effect, with limited exceptions described for certain Eaton Fire red-tagged properties and already submitted projects. Confirm the plan’s current version, site fit, and permitted-use status before designing around it.
Keep other costs separate
The fee page does not establish water or sewer connection charges, capacity, private construction costs, or utility upgrades. A Standard Plan is not a parcel approval or building permit. For help distinguishing local fee programs from other cost lines, see the fee-waiver and assistance guide and the development and utility charge guide.