ADUs above a garage in Del Mar

Del Mar's ADU code favors the first story. An ADU over a garage is possible but tightly limited (Del Mar Municipal Code Chapter 30.91 (June 2025)).

Source: DMMC §30.91.040(B)(4), (I)(3), (K).

A better fit: attach to the garage

The code lets an ADU attach to an existing garage at grade. That often gives the same benefits without the height problem. It does rule out a JrADU.

Checklist

• Is there first-story area for 800 sq ft?
• Does the house meet zone height?
• Will neighbors' windows be offset or obscured?
• No roof deck

Questions homeowners ask

• Can an ADU be built above a garage in Del Mar? Only as an attached second-story ADU where first-story space can't fit up to 800 sq ft.
• Can I build on top of my detached garage? A detached ADU is limited to 16 ft (18 ft near major transit), which usually rules it out.

Why the code limits second stories

Del Mar's chapter ties ADU form to its certified LCP, which protects public scenic views and minimizes bulk and scale. That's why detached ADUs top out at 16 ft (18 ft near major transit, 14 ft in the Bluff, Slope and Canyon Overlay Zone), and why a second-story attached ADU is allowed only when the ground floor can't fit up to 800 sq ft.

Alternatives that usually work better

• Attach the ADU beside the garage at grade, which the code expressly allows for an existing garage.
• Convert the garage to a JrADU (attached garage) and add a detached ADU elsewhere.
• Convert a detached garage to the detached ADU with up to 150 sq ft added for entry.

If a second story is the only option

Expect matching style and roof pitch, window offsets toward neighbors, no roof deck, and height at 25 ft or the zone limit, whichever is lower, never more than two stories.

Sources, checked Oct 14, 2026: Del Mar Municipal Code Chapter 30.91 (June 2025).