Turlock Zoning and ADU Guide for Homeowners and Sellers

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team. Information comes from the Turlock Municipal Code (section 9-2-119), the city’s Building and Safety pages and its ADU pre-drawn plans page; sources are listed at the end.

In Turlock, an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or junior ADU that meets the city’s location and development standards is processed ministerially, with no discretionary zoning permit, and the city offers free pre-drawn plans for detached units. For a seller, the practical question is often what to do about a converted garage, backyard cottage or room addition that was built without any of that process. This guide summarizes the rules and what an unpermitted unit means for a sale.

Turlock ADU rules at a glance

Where ADUs are allowed

The code says the lot must be zoned for residential or mixed-use development and include a proposed or existing dwelling. An ADU can be attached to the home, built within it (including an attached garage or storage area), built in an accessory structure, or detached on the same lot.

A lot with an ADU cannot be subdivided so the ADU sits on its own parcel, except as Government Code section 65852.26 allows.

How many ADUs and what size

A lot with a single-family home can have one ADU and one junior ADU, provided the junior unit is within the main structure. Multifamily lots may convert non-habitable space into units, within 25 percent of the existing unit count, and may add up to two detached units.

The code caps an attached or interior ADU at 50 percent of the primary unit’s floor area and a detached ADU at 1,200 square feet. An ADU in an existing accessory structure may be expanded by up to 150 square feet to meet access and fire safety needs.

Setbacks, lot coverage and design

A new detached ADU must sit at least four feet from side and rear property lines.

No setback is required for a converted garage or accessory structure, for replacing an enclosed structure with the same footprint, or for a unit within an existing residence if the fire marshal finds side and rear access sufficient.

Lot coverage cannot be used to prevent an 800-square-foot ADU with four-foot setbacks. A new or altered ADU must be generally similar to the home in window and door style, siding and colors, and roof style and pitch. Units in historic districts must meet objective historic standards.

Parking, utilities and rentals

An ADU needs one off-street space in addition to the home’s required parking, which can be covered, uncovered or tandem.

The requirement is waived for units inside the home or an existing accessory structure, within half a mile of transit, on streets requiring permits not offered to the occupant, on narrow streets, in historic districts and within a block of car share.

All ADUs must connect to water, electric and sewer, though a separate connection or capacity charge is not imposed for units entirely within the home. An ADU may be rented but not for 30 days or less, and it cannot be sold apart from the lot and main home.

Units attached to or inside the home need a separate entrance. A new detached ADU must meet the state energy code’s solar requirement, and sprinklers are required if the home is sprinklered.

Free pre-drawn ADU plans

Stanislaus County, with Ceres, Modesto, Oakdale, Riverbank, Turlock and Waterford, developed a set of detached new-construction ADU plans, available free to property owners. Turlock’s page lists floor plans of 260, 405, 562, 744, 798, 896, 1,050 and 1,192 square feet.

To apply, the city asks for the following to be submitted electronically to Building and Safety: a building permit application, a plot plan, fire sprinkler plans if the main home is sprinklered, photovoltaic plans for new detached ADUs, and truss calculations if applicable.

Floor, foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing and energy documents are not required when a pre-checked plan is used.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

The city’s accessory structure page says a building permit is needed if a structure is 120 square feet or more, or if it will have electricity or plumbing. Smaller structures without utilities do not need one.

Structures in a rear or side yard under seven feet tall are not subject to setbacks; taller ones need a five-foot setback from all property lines, and detached structures are limited to 15 feet in height. Detached accessory structures over seven feet cannot total more than 1,000 square feet.

Residential Estate lots carry a ten-foot rear and side setback. A shed turned into a rental unit without a permit is the kind of conversion that creates a problem at sale. See our Turlock building permits guide.

How an unpermitted unit affects selling a Turlock house

An unpermitted garage conversion, backyard cottage or room addition is a common reason sales stall. Lenders and appraisers generally count only permitted living space, so the unit may add little to appraised value and may trigger legalization or removal requests. California sellers must disclose known unpermitted work.

Read our guides on selling as-is with unpermitted work and seller disclosures. If the city has already sent a notice, see our Turlock code enforcement guide.

Your options for an unpermitted unit

1. Legalize it. Ask Building and Safety what the city would require and get a contractor estimate, which may include opening walls, utility work and fees.
2. Remove it. Return the space to its permitted use.
3. Sell with a repair credit. Price the house to reflect the work.
4. Sell as-is for cash. A cash buyer purchases the property in its current condition, with no lender appraisal or inspection contingency.

We buy Turlock houses as they are, including those with converted garages and unpermitted units. Read how selling a house as-is in Turlock works, or see our Turlock cash-offer process.

Not sure whether your unit was permitted? Call (424) 435-2326 or request a cash offer. There is no cost and no obligation.

Turlock zoning and ADU FAQ

Do I need a zoning permit for an ADU in Turlock?

Not if it meets the standards in the code. Compliant ADUs and junior ADUs are processed ministerially with no discretionary zoning permit.

How big can a Turlock ADU be?

A detached ADU can be up to 1,200 square feet. An attached or interior ADU is limited to 50 percent of the main home’s floor area.

Does a shed need a permit in Turlock?

Yes if it is 120 square feet or more, or if it will have electricity or plumbing.

Can I sell a Turlock house with an unpermitted unit?

Yes. It must be disclosed, but a cash buyer can purchase the property as-is without requiring you to legalize the unit first.

Sources

• Turlock Municipal Code, section 9-2-119 Accessory Dwelling Units
• City of Turlock: ADU Pre-Drawn Plans
• City of Turlock: Accessory Structures

This guide is general information, not legal advice. ADU rules change; confirm requirements with the City of Turlock Planning and Building and Safety divisions.