Pre-Submission Review · Free
San Bernardino, CA
ADUs are one of the fastest-growing housing types in the country — but every city has different rules for setbacks, size limits, and parking. State laws increasingly require cities to approve compliant ADUs ministerially, but you still need to meet local zoning requirements for the primary structure and overall site. A single code miss can delay your permit by weeks.
California has some of the most permissive ADU laws in the country. Under AB 68 and AB 881, cities must approve ADUs that meet state standards — no discretionary review, no public hearings. But each city still has its own zoning code that determines setbacks, height limits, and lot coverage for the primary structure and site.
Common issues that delay ADU permits in San Bernardino:
Use the form above to check your ADU project against San Bernardino's specific codes before you submit. Our tool checks setbacks, height, lot coverage, FAR, and parking requirements — the items that cause 80% of plan check rejections.
Fill in the form above with your lot size, setbacks, building height, and other dimensions — the same numbers on your architectural plans.
Your project is compared against San Bernardino's specific zoning requirements — setbacks, height limits, lot coverage, parking ratios, and FAR limits for your zone.
Critical violations, warnings, and advisory items — ranked by what a San Bernardino plan checker will flag first. Fix issues before you submit and save weeks of correction cycles.
| Zone | Front | Side | Rear | Height | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RL — Residential Low | 20' | 5' | 20' | 35' | 50% |
| RM — Residential Medium | 15' | 5' | 15' | 35' | 60% |
| RS — Residential Suburban | 25' | 5' | 25' | 35' | 40% |
San Bernardino requires a 20' front setback, 5' side setback, and 20' rear setback in the most common residential zone. Specific requirements vary by zone — enter your zone code above for exact numbers.
Initial plan review in San Bernardino typically takes 4-8 weeks. If corrections are required, each resubmission adds another 2-4 weeks. Running a pre-check before submitting can eliminate the most common correction items and save one or more review cycles.
The most common residential zone in San Bernardino allows a maximum height of 35 feet. Height measurement methods vary — some cities measure to the highest ridge, others to the midpoint of the roof. Check the specific zone requirements for your property.
Yes. Create a free account to run unlimited plan checks against San Bernardino's building codes. The tool checks setbacks, height limits, lot coverage, parking requirements, and flags common issues that San Bernardino plan reviewers look for.
The most frequently flagged items in San Bernardino include: High seismic zone — San Andreas Fault runs through city; Alquist-Priolo fault zone setbacks in foothill areas; Fire hazard severity zones in northern hillside areas. Our tool checks for all of these automatically.