Fremont Warns Older Pre-Approved ADU Plans Are Invalid in 2026: What Buyers Should Check Before Paying

FREMONT, Alameda County — October 23, 2026. An ADU design advertised as “city pre-approved” may not be usable for a new Fremont permit. The city’s Preapproved Accessory Dwelling Units page warns that all plans prepared for the 2022 building-code cycle became invalid for new use when the 2025 code regulations took effect January 1, 2026. Participating designers were asked to update their drawings. A homeowner should check the current approved list before buying drawings advertised from an older catalog.

What is currently listed?

Fremont maintains separate groups of current 2026–2028 plans and older 2022–2025 designs awaiting updates. The city’s page currently identifies a 499-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bath plan by Basically Homes, powered by Vitalizebuild Construction, within its current list. Listings can change. The existence of multiple attractive older renderings on the city website does not mean all those designs are presently eligible for an expedited permit.

How much time does preapproval save?

For qualifying current plans, Fremont states it reviews applications using preapproved ADU drawings in seven business days rather than fifteen business days for standard applications. It also lists a $1,000 flat plan-review fee for the preapproved-plan path, with additional permit and inspection fees varying by project. These are advertised plan-review terms, not a guarantee that construction can begin after one week. An applicant still needs site-specific plans and any applicable engineering, studies or utility review.

Does the city own the drawings?

No: Fremont says designers retain copyrights to their approved drawings. Homeowners normally must contract with the specific designer to use the plan. Downloading a plan preview from a government website is not a license to build it or give copies to another contractor. Compare the design contract, intellectual-property permissions and revision responsibilities before paying.

Another review option: an appointment

The city offers Appointment Plan Check for certain eligible residential projects, including some preapproved ADUs and junior ADUs, to review drawings with staff by virtual appointment. Eligibility depends on conditions such as flood-zone, easement and other complicating property constraints. Applicants are notified after a completeness review; they should not assume any project is automatically eligible.

How to verify the next step

Ask the Fremont Planning Division at 510-494-4455 or planinfo@fremont.gov which designs are current, what parcel-specific requirements apply and what fees the city will charge. Homeowners with an already existing unpermitted ADU have a different issue; the city also describes a separate ADU Amnesty Program for certain units built before January 1, 2020.

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Source: City of Fremont preapproved ADU guide, ADU Amnesty Program and Appointment Plan Check information. City availability and code interpretations may change; contact officials before paying a designer or contractor.

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