Pico Rivera Zoning and ADU Guide for Homeowners

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team.

Pico Rivera runs a Pre-Approved ADU Plans program and takes ADU applications through its online permit portal, with the Planning Department doing the first review. This guide explains the city’s ADU eligibility rules, how the pre-approved plan process works, what the municipal code says an ADU is, and what to do if your home has a garage conversion or an older unpermitted unit.

Pico Rivera ADUs at a glance

Program	Pre-Approved ADU Plans, City of Pico Rivera
Eligible lot	Zoned for residential use with an existing or proposed single-family residence or multi-family structure
Minimum separation	10 feet from habitable structures and 7 feet from accessory structures
Side and rear setbacks	4 feet
Front setback and lot coverage	Must comply with the underlying zone
Planning review	Within 2 to 5 business days of submittal, per the city
Planning contact	planning@pico-rivera.org, (562) 801-4476
Municipal code	Title 18 (Zoning); ADU defined in Chapter 18.25 by reference to Government Code section 65852.2

How the pre-approved ADU plan process works

The city’s program gives homeowners ADU plans that have already been reviewed, which narrows the review to the lot-specific items. The city lays it out in five steps.

Step one: determine eligibility

The lot must be zoned for residential use and contain an existing or proposed single-family residence or multi-family structure. The ADU must keep 10 feet from habitable structures, 7 feet from accessory structures, 4-foot side and rear setbacks, and meet the front setback and lot coverage of the underlying zone. The city also tells applicants to contact Planning and Public Works about easements.

Step two: prepare forms

The checklist covers a building permit application, an ADU address request, a hold harmless agreement, the ADU handout, a public agency directory, the zoning map and the program FAQs.

Step three: submit

Applications go through the Pico Rivera online permit page. Planning staff review the submittal within 2 to 5 business days.

Step four: plan check

Once the application is deemed complete, staff give you the plan check fee, and plans are routed for review. If corrections are needed, you resubmit complete sets until the plans are approved.

Step five: approval and permit

You are emailed when approved, then pay permit fees, obtain outside agency approvals and receive the approved plans and an inspection card.

What the municipal code says

Pico Rivera’s zoning code defines an accessory dwelling unit by pointing to Government Code section 65852.2. It is an attached or detached residential unit with complete independent living facilities, on a lot with a proposed or existing primary residence, with permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation.

The definition also includes an efficiency unit and a manufactured home as defined in Health and Safety Code section 18007. The city adopted its current Title 18 zoning provisions by Ordinance 1201 in December 2025, so check the code online or with Planning for the standards in effect when you apply.

The city’s page does not publish maximum ADU size or height. Those limits come from state law and the code, so ask Planning for the current figures for your zone.

Garage conversions and unpermitted units

Garage conversions are on the city’s own list of common code enforcement violations, and Chapter 8.16 treats unpermitted or illegal structures as nuisances. If your garage was turned into living space years ago, an open case or a permit-history gap is a realistic issue for a sale.

The city’s ADU path is a way to legalize some of these units, but it involves plans, fees and inspections. Where a lot does not meet the 10-foot and 7-foot separations or the 4-foot setbacks, ask Planning before you commit to a design.

Fees, utilities and who to call

The city says plan check review fees are provided by staff once an application is deemed complete, and permit fees are paid when plans are approved. The Planning Department can be reached at planning@pico-rivera.org or (562) 801-4476, and Public Works Engineering handles easements and work in the public right-of-way.

State ADU law and Pico Rivera

California’s ADU statute, Government Code section 66314 and following, sets a floor that every city must follow, and local ordinances fill in the details.

The state requires ministerial review within 60 days of a complete application, bars a city from requiring more than a limited set of standards, and generally allows an ADU or conversion inside existing space without added setbacks.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) publishes a handbook and keeps a list of the state requirements. Because state law changes often, treat the city’s current ordinance and handout as the final word on size, height, parking and fees for your lot.

ADUs, garage conversions and selling a Pico Rivera house

Many older homes have a converted garage or a backyard unit built without permits. Buyers and lenders ask about them, and California sellers generally disclose known unpermitted work. Our guide to selling as-is with unpermitted work explains the rules, and our Prop 13 guide explains how new construction can affect property tax. Before you list:

• Check city records for permits on any ADU, conversion or addition.
• Ask Planning whether the structure could qualify under current rules.
• Estimate plans, fees and corrections needed to legalize it.
• Compare that with selling as-is and letting a cash buyer take on the legalization.

Questions to ask Planning before you design

• Does my lot and zone allow an ADU, a junior ADU, or both?
• Is a pre-approved or pre-reviewed ADU plan available?
• What are the current impact, utility and school fees for the size I am considering?
• Can my existing garage or accessory structure be converted without changing its footprint?
• Are there fire, slope, easement or utility constraints on my lot?

Junior ADUs and garage conversions in more detail

State law treats a junior ADU as a unit of up to 500 square feet created inside the walls of an existing or proposed single-family home, with an efficiency kitchen and a recorded restriction that keeps it from being sold apart from the house.

A garage conversion is a different path: the unit replaces the garage, and state law generally does not require the city to demand replacement parking. Both are common sources of unpermitted space in older Pico Rivera neighborhoods, which is why buyers’ agents and appraisers ask for the permit record.

If a conversion was done without a permit, the usual fix is to submit as-built drawings, pay the fees and pass inspection, which can take months and cost real money.

Fees, utilities and property tax

State law limits the impact fees a city can charge on smaller ADUs and on conversions of existing space, and it limits when a separate utility connection can be required.

Larger new units can still carry impact fees, school fees and water or sewer connection charges, so ask for an itemized estimate before you commit to plans. New construction is generally reassessed for property tax under Prop 13, which means an ADU can raise the bill for the whole property. Our Prop 13 guide explains how reassessment works.

Why ADUs matter for resale

A permitted ADU can add rental income and appeal for some buyers, but an unpermitted one can complicate financing and appraisal. Lenders typically want permitted living area, and an appraiser may not count unpermitted space.

Because an ADU generally cannot be sold separately from the main home, its value comes through the sale of the whole property.

If you inherited a house with an old backyard unit, or bought one with a converted garage, check what the city has on file before you decide how to sell. Our probate home sale guide covers inherited property.

How to sell a house in Pico Rivera

1. Ask the city for the permit record on any ADU or conversion.
2. Collect plans, inspection records and any city notices.
3. Request a no-obligation cash offer for the house as it stands.
4. Choose your closing date.
5. Close with no repairs, legalization or showings required.

See also our Pico Rivera page and the Los Angeles County hub.

Frequently asked questions

Does Pico Rivera have pre-approved ADU plans?

Yes. The city’s Pre-Approved ADU Plans program lets eligible homeowners start from plans the city has already reviewed.

What setbacks does Pico Rivera require for an ADU?

The city’s program lists 4-foot side and rear setbacks, plus compliance with the front setback and lot coverage of the underlying zone.

How long does Planning take to review an ADU application?

The city says Planning staff review an application within 2 to 5 business days of submittal. Plan check follows.

What separation is required between an ADU and other buildings?

The city lists 10 feet from habitable structures and 7 feet from accessory structures.

Where do I submit an ADU application?

Through the Pico Rivera online permit page, after creating an account.

Can I sell my Pico Rivera house with an unpermitted ADU or garage conversion?

Yes. You can disclose it and sell as-is, including to a cash buyer. Our statewide guide explains the disclosure rules.

More guides

• We Buy Houses in Pico Rivera
• We Buy Houses in Los Angeles County
• Los Angeles County Property Tax Guide
• Pico Rivera Building Permits Guide
• Pico Rivera Code Enforcement Guide
• All California Guides

Sources

• City of Pico Rivera: Pre-Approved ADU Plan
• Pico Rivera Municipal Code Chapter 18.25: Definitions
• City of Pico Rivera: Online Permit
• City of Pico Rivera: Code Enforcement

This guide is general information from public sources, not legal advice. Confirm current rules, fees and hours with the city.