Legalizing Unpermitted Units 

State law provides an amnesty program for those ADUs and JADUs built before January 2020 that were illegally constructed and/or include unpermitted work (Government Code Section 66332). Units that qualify for this program must comply with health and safety standards to legalize the dwelling unit for habitation (Health and Safety Code Section 17920.3). Property owners must apply for a building permit to legalize an unpermitted ADU/JADU. Before submitting an application for a building permit, the homeowner may obtain a confidential third-party code inspection from a licensed contractor to determine the unit’s existing condition, extent of unpermitted improvements, and/or potential scope of building improvements required to render the unit habitable.

If you are interested in legalizing an unpermitted ADU or JADU in Sausalito, please contact a planner by phone at (415) 289-4128 or by e-mail at cdd@sausalito.gov so we can review your application materials and help avoid delays in processing your permit.