City of Morgan Hill - Santa Clara ADU

Wondering if your community has pre-approved ADU plans? See more details here

Wondering if your community has pre-approved ADU plans? See more details here

A project of the Santa Clara County Planning Collaborative

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Local ADU Rules

City of Morgan Hill

Last Updated October 1, 2025

ADU Contact:

Planning Department, planning@morganhill.ca.gov

General Information	Details
ADU resources	https://www.morganhill.ca.gov/99/Accessory-Dwelling-Units-ADUs
Pre-Approved Plans
Planning	https://www.morganhill.ca.gov/74/Planning
Building	https://www.morganhill.ca.gov/150/Building-Fire-Prevention
School District	Morgan Hill Unified School District https://www.mhusd.org/
Utilities	PG&E https://www.pge.com/en_US/small-medium-business/building-and-property/building-and-maintenance/building-and-renovation.page Water, Sewer, Trash & Recycling: Contact city staff
County Departments	Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk-Recorder https://clerkrecorder.sccgov.org/home
ADU Ordinance	https://library.municode.com/ca/morgan_hill/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT18ZO_DIVIZOCO_CH18.84ACDWUN

Standards and Rules	Details
Process Overview	Building permit only
Zones allowed	See ADU Ordinance Subsection 18.84.030 JADUs permitted where single family dwellings are permitted
Minimum ADU Size	See ADU Ordinance Subsection 18.84.050(D)
Maximum ADU Size	See ADU Ordinance Subsection 18.84.050(D) Max JADU size is 500 square feet
Number of ADUs/Bedrooms	See ADU Ordinance Subsections 18.84.050(A) & (D)
Maximum ADU Height	See ADU Ordinance Subsection 18.84.050(E)
Setbacks	See ADU Ordinance Subsection 18.84.050(E)
Lot or Location Restrictions	See ADU Ordinance Subsection 18.84.050(E)
Parking Requirements	See ADU Ordinance Subsection 18.84.050(G)
Other Requirements	See ADU Ordinance Subsections 18.84.050(H), (I) & (J)
Owner Occupancy	JADUs: Owner must occupy either the JADU or the primary house
Deed Restrictions	See ADU Ordinance Section 18.84.060
Renting Regulations	Short-term rentals (less than 30-days) are prohibited
Departments and Agencies Involved in Permitting
Fees for ADUs	See ADU Ordinance Section 18.84.070
Sample Fees From Recently Built Projects

Wondering what you can build?

Make sure you check out our Learning the Rules page for more step-by-step details