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Building an ADU in Burlingame, CA

Checked against the city's ADU pages on Oct 18, 2026.

Can I build one?
Yes, up to 1,000 sq ft Up to 800 sq ft under the statewide exemption, or 801 to 1,000 sq ft if it's no more than half the size of your house.[1]
What will the city charge?
6 fee lines The city doesn't publish a total for an ADU, so we list each charge. See every fee[2]
Who builds here?
7 licensed builders Each lists Burlingame on its own site and holds an active CSLB license. See the list
See 7 builders Get quotes

Licensed ADU builders in Burlingame

Ranked by a public score anyone can check: license, years licensed, ADU types and cities shown on their own sites, a local office, and published prices. Nobody pays to move up. Quote requests go to our team with the builder you picked. How we rank

What Burlingame allows

  • Detached ADU, max size[1]

    800 sq ft or less (statewide exemption), or 801 to 1,000 sq ft and no more than 50% of the existing home

  • Attached ADU, max size[1]

    Same as detached

  • Junior ADU (inside the house)[1]

    Up to 500 sq ft, inside a single-family home

  • Height[1]

    Detached: 16 ft, or 18 ft within 1/2 mile of major transit (+2 ft for roof pitch). Attached: 30 ft (25 ft in the Hillside Overlay). Two stories max

  • Side and rear setbacks[1]

    4 ft side and rear. Front setback: exempt for a statewide-exemption ADU, otherwise the zone's

  • Floor area and lot coverage[1]

    Statewide-exemption ADUs are exempt; larger ADUs count under the zone's rules

  • Units on a single-family lot[1]

    1 attached or detached ADU + 1 JADU, or all three statewide-exemption types

  • Parking[1]

    1 off-street space. None if the ADU is part of a proposed home, converted from existing space, or within 1/2 mile of transit. No replacement for a converted or removed garage or space

  • Owner must live on site[3]

    Not stated by the city. State law: no for an ADU; for a JADU only if it shares a bathroom
  • Fire trucks must reach within 150 ft of the farthest part of the ADU along a walkable path. ADUs over 1,200 sq ft, or behind a sprinklered house, need sprinklers.[1]
  • The ADU's sewer line must tie into the existing lateral. No sub-laterals.[1]
  • Burlingame's AB 1332 pre-approved plan list shows none at this time. The city says pre-reviewed plans would cut review to 30 days.[4]
ADU rules in Burlingame drawn on a typical lot Detached ADU, city standards: up to 1,000 square feet, 4 feet from side and rear lot lines, 16 feet tall. Parking: 1 space; none within 1/2 mile of transit. Rear lot line Street Main house ADU up to 1,000 sq ft 16 ft tall 4 ft 4 ft Parking: 1 space; none within 1/2 mile of transit
Detached ADU, city standards. Not to scale.

City fees for an ADU in Burlingame

Fee lines for an ADU in Burlingame
Building permit (valuation-based) ICC valuation x 2.29, then a tiered fee table[2] For example, a $100,001 to $500,000 valuation pays $5,218.30 plus $9.15 per extra $1,000.
Plan review and surcharges Building plan review 65% of the permit fee; planning and engineering review 25% each where they apply; technology fee 2%; general plan maintenance 0.2% of valuation[2] Plan check fees are due when you submit.
Development impact fees $9,391 per single-family unit[2][3] General $2,825, library $2,443, police $448, parks $605, traffic $1,612, fire $658, storm drain $801. The schedule has no ADU line; state law bars impact fees under 750 sq ft.
School fees San Mateo Union HSD $2.15 per sq ft, plus Burlingame School District[5][6][3] Burlingame SD's 2024 study proposed $3.10 per sq ft; we could not confirm the adopted rate. Under state law, ADUs of 500 sq ft or less pay no school fees.
Sewer capacity charge (City of Burlingame) $5 per sq ft for ADUs over 150 sq ft[2]
Water capacity charge (City of Burlingame) $3 per sq ft for ADUs over 150 sq ft[2] A water service connection with sidewalk replacement is $995.
School fee rates for districts in Burlingame (2)

You pay Burlingame School District and San Mateo Union HSD separately.[5][6]

  • Burlingame School District[6]Rate not confirmed. A 2024 study proposed $3.10 per sq ft. not published
  • San Mateo Union High School District[5] $2.15/sq ft
Total cost in Burlingame, fees plus building

How the permit works

  1. 1

    Check the ADU Development Guide

    It lists size, height, setback and parking rules, plus fire, building, tree and sewer requirements.[1]

  2. 2

    Submit a building permit on eTRAKiT

    ADU plans go straight to the Building Division. No planning hearing is needed for a compliant ADU.[7][8]

  3. 3

    Pay plan check fees at submittal

    Building plan review is 65% of the permit fee and is due when you submit.[2]

State deadline: The city decides completeness within 15 business days and approves or denies a complete application within 60 days.[9]

Apply at: eTRAKiT

Common questions

How big can an ADU be in Burlingame?

Up to 800 sq ft under the statewide exemption. A larger ADU can be 801 to 1,000 sq ft if it's no more than 50% of your existing home. A junior ADU is up to 500 sq ft.[1]

Do I need parking for an ADU in Burlingame?

Usually 1 off-street space. You need none if the ADU is converted from existing space, part of a new house, or within 1/2 mile of transit.[1]

How much are ADU fees in Burlingame?

The city charges a valuation-based building permit plus 65% for plan review. Sewer and water capacity charges are $5 and $3 per sq ft for ADUs over 150 sq ft, and school fees apply over 500 sq ft.[2][5]

How tall can an ADU be in Burlingame?

16 ft for a detached ADU, or 18 ft within 1/2 mile of major transit, plus 2 ft to match the roof pitch. An attached ADU can be 30 ft, or 25 ft in the Hillside Overlay.[1]

How long does an ADU permit take in Burlingame?

The city decides within 15 business days whether the application is complete, then has 60 days to approve or deny it.[9]

For a property in the City of San Mateo, compare San Mateo ADU builders by project type and use that city’s rules and fee lines when asking for bids.

Nearby cities

What we couldn't confirm

  • Owner-occupancy rules are not stated on the city pages read; the table uses state law.
  • Burlingame School District's adopted rate is not confirmed; only a 2024 study proposal ($3.10 per sq ft) was found.
  • The fee schedule does not say how development impact fees apply to ADUs of 750 sq ft and up.
  • The FY 2026-27 planning fee for an ADU application was not found.
  • Whether any Burlingame parcels are in Hillsborough City School District was not checked.

Sources

Every fact on this page links to one of these. We read each one on the date shown.

  1. 1. City of Burlingame Size/height/setback/parking standards Checked Oct 18, 2026
  2. 2. City of Burlingame Valuation x2.29 Checked Oct 18, 2026
  3. 3. California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) All state ADU/JADU rules used in state_baseline.md (sizes, heights, setbacks, parking, owner-occupancy, JADU, Checked Oct 18, 2026
  4. 4. City of Burlingame None at this time Checked Oct 18, 2026
  5. 5. San Mateo Union HSD San Mateo/Foster City $5.02 Checked Oct 18, 2026
  6. 6. Burlingame School District Proposed $5.17 total Checked Oct 18, 2026
  7. 7. City of Burlingame BMC 25.48.030 Checked Oct 18, 2026
  8. 8. City of Burlingame eTRAKiT online permit portal Checked Oct 18, 2026
  9. 9. City of Burlingame 15 business days completeness Checked Oct 18, 2026