Delano Zoning and ADU Guide for Homeowners

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

Delano says it accepts pre-approved ADU plans from the Kern County Public Works Department, and California HCD’s December 5, 2025 letter shows the city’s most recent ADU ordinance on file dates from 2020. This guide explains what the city’s ADU page says, which state-law provisions HCD flagged for Delano’s ordinance, how older city planning standards differ from current state law, and how to handle an unpermitted unit when you sell.

Delano ADUs at a glance

City ADU page	City accepts approved ADU plans from Kern County Public Works pre-approved program
Planning contact	1015 11th Avenue, (661) 721-3303
Ordinance on file with HCD	2020 (per HCD letter dated December 5, 2025)
JADU size under state law	Up to 500 sq ft of interior living space
ADU size floor under state law	Cities cannot cap below 850 sq ft, or 1,000 sq ft if more than one bedroom
Review time under state law	60 days after a complete application; completeness notice in 15 business days
Owner occupancy	Cities may not require it for an ADU; JADU depends on shared sanitation
Pre-approved plans	Kern County Public Works pre-approved ADU plans accepted by the city

What Delano’s ADU page says

The city’s Accessory Dwelling Unit page says Delano is accepting approved ADU plans from the Kern County Public Works Department’s pre-approved ADU program. A pre-approved plan can shorten design time, but you still need a building permit and must satisfy the city’s site rules. Contact Planning at (661) 721-3303 to confirm how a pre-approved plan fits your lot.

What HCD flagged in the city’s ordinance

California HCD sent Delano a letter of technical assistance dated December 5, 2025 on its ADU ordinance updates. The letter notes that the city’s most recent ordinance on file with HCD dates from 2020 and walks through current state requirements, including these:

• A JADU may be no more than 500 square feet of interior living space.
• A city may not set an ADU maximum size below 850 square feet, or 1,000 square feet if the ADU has more than one bedroom, and must allow up to 800 square feet.
• A city may not require replacement parking when a garage, carport or covered parking is converted, and may not require parking for a JADU.
• A city may not impose owner-occupancy on an ADU; JADU owner-occupancy applies only if sanitation is shared with the main home.
• A city must tell the applicant within 15 business days whether the application is complete, and a complete application is deemed approved if not acted on within 60 days.
• JADU rentals must be for terms longer than 30 days.

Because state law controls where a local ordinance conflicts, ask Planning which standards the city applies today.

Older city standards in the housing element

An older Delano housing element chapter described second units as no more than 50 percent of the floor area of the main dwelling, with one additional paved parking space and separate metering.

That description predates the state’s current ADU law, which limits parking and size rules, so do not rely on it for a new project. It is useful mainly to understand why older units in Delano may not match today’s standards.

Zoning questions beyond ADUs

Setbacks, lot coverage, height and use rules come from the city’s zoning code. The city’s planning applications page lists a Dwelling Unit Site Plan application, and Planning at (661) 721-3303 can tell you whether your lot needs one. Check zoning before you buy a house with a rear unit or converted garage.

Selling a Delano house with an unpermitted unit

Garage conversions and backyard units built without permits are common. They can complicate financing and appraisal, and sellers generally disclose known unpermitted work. You can ask the city whether the structure could be legalized, compare that cost with a discount, or sell as-is to a cash buyer. See the Delano permits guide for the permit steps.

Delano sits in Kern County, so county property tax, recording and probate steps still apply when a Delano home changes hands. See our Kern County property tax guide, recorder and deed transfer guide and probate and inherited home guide.

State ADU law and Delano

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 Delano 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 Delano 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 Delano

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, permit cleanup or showings required.

See also our Delano page, the Delano cash offer process, selling a Delano house as-is, selling a Delano house fast, selling an inherited Delano house and the Kern County hub.

Frequently asked questions

Does Delano accept pre-approved ADU plans?

The city’s ADU page says it accepts approved ADU plans from the Kern County Public Works pre-approved ADU program.

When did Delano last update its ADU ordinance?

HCD’s December 5, 2025 letter says the most recent ordinance on file with HCD is from 2020.

How big can a JADU be in California?

State law limits a junior ADU to 500 square feet of interior living space.

Can Delano require owner occupancy for an ADU?

HCD’s letter says state law prohibits a city from requiring owner occupancy for an ADU. JADU owner-occupancy applies only when sanitation is shared with the main home.

How long does an ADU permit take to review?

State law requires approval or denial within 60 days of a complete application, per HCD’s letter.

Can I sell a Delano 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 Delano
• We Buy Houses in Kern County
• Kern County Property Tax Guide
• Delano Building Permits Guide
• Delano Code Enforcement Guide
• Bakersfield Building Permits Guide
• Tulare Building Permits Guide
• All California Guides

Sources

• City of Delano: Accessory Dwelling Unit
• California HCD: Letter of Technical Assistance to Delano, December 5, 2025
• City of Delano: Planning Applications
• City of Delano: Housing Element chapter on constraints (older draft)
• California HCD: Accessory Dwelling Units

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