ADU Rulebook

City · Arizona

ADU rules in Chandler

5 sources

These are the primary sources for accessory dwelling unit regulations in Chandler: the city's own zoning code, planning department pages, and permit guides. Start here before talking to anyone: the rules below are what your permit reviewer will apply.

Rules at a glance

Detached (backyard) ADU
Allowed

One detached ADU permitted on any lot or parcel where a single-family dwelling is the principal use; a second detached ADU is allowed on lots of one acre or more if at least one ADU is a deed-restricted affordable unit (80% AMI)

Chandler City Code Sec. 35-2202.2(1)(a)-(b)
Attached or internal ADU
Allowed

One attached ADU permitted per lot in addition to one detached ADU (maximum of one attached and one detached)

Chandler City Code Sec. 35-2202.2(1)(a)
Maximum size
75% of the gross floor area of the existing single-family dwelling or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is less; gross floor area means the interior habitable area of the single-family dwelling

Applies per ADU, attached or detached

Chandler City Code Sec. 35-2202.2(1)(a)
Owner occupancy
Not required

Sec. 35-2202.2 contains no owner-occupancy requirement; the section was adopted to comply with A.R.S. 9-461.18 (HB 2720), which restricts what cities over 75,000 may impose on ADUs, per the recitals of Ordinance 5113

Chandler City Code Sec. 35-2202.2 (no such requirement in the section); Ord. 5113 recitals
Extra parking
None; no ADU parking requirement in the current code. The former requirement of one additional off-street space (old Sec. 35-2202(9)(c)) was struck by Ord. 5113, and current Sec. 35-2202 expressly excludes ADUs from accessory-building standards

Verified by reading current Sec. 35-2202 and 35-2202.2 (neither imposes ADU parking) and Article XVIII parking regulations (no ADU mention)

Chandler City Code Sec. 35-2202 and 35-2202.2, as amended by Ord. 5113 sec. 2 (12-9-24)
Approval process
Permitted use

ADUs are a listed permitted use in AG-1 (35-401(13)), SF-33 (35-501(9)), SF-18, SF-10, and SF-8.5, and are permitted in MF-1, MF-2, and MF-3 where the principal use is a single-family residential home; no use permit or hearing required. A building permit is required per the city's detached buildings chart

Chandler City Code Secs. 35-401(13), 35-501(9), 35-2202.2(1)
Rental restrictions
No ADU-specific rental restrictions in the zoning code. The pre-2024 prohibition on using an ADU as a short-term rental (old Sec. 35-2202(9)(d)) was removed by Ord. 5113. Any short-term rental citywide, including an ADU, requires a city STR license and state TPT license under City Code Chapter 22

The second detached ADU allowed on 1-acre-plus lots must be rented only to households at or below 80% AMI via recorded deed restriction (Sec. 35-2202.2(1)(b))

Chandler City Code Sec. 35-2202.2; Chapter 22 (Secs. 22-3.1, 22-4.7)
The fine print: 7 caveats that can change the picture
  • Maximum of one attached plus one detached ADU per lot; a third (second detached) ADU is allowed only on lots of one acre or more and only if at least one ADU on the lot is a restricted-affordable unit rented at or below 80% AMI via recorded deed restriction or development agreement (35-2202.2(1)(a)-(b))
  • ADUs must comply with the underlying district's building height, lot-use intensity, and front setback limits; rear and side setbacks are reduced to a 5-foot minimum, but uninhabitable space attached to an ADU (e.g. a garage) must meet the full district side and rear setbacks (35-2202.2(1)(c)-(d))
  • ADUs must share the same water, sewer, and electric providers and meters as the primary residence (separate meters prohibited) and must have a separate independent entrance (35-2202.2(1)(e), (g))
  • Exterior design must either use stucco/EIFS walls with a concrete tile roof at 4:12 slope, or match the primary residence in materials, colors, and architectural style (35-2202.2(1)(f))
  • In multifamily and mobile-home districts (MF-1, MF-2, MF-3), ADUs are permitted only where the principal use of the lot is a single-family residential home
  • A lot containing an ADU cannot be split unless each resulting lot meets minimum lot size, has separate utility connections, and has legal access (35-2202.2(1)(h))
  • Chandler's separate 'guest quarters' rules (35-2202(6)) still exist for units without kitchens; guest quarters may not have ovens, ranges, or built-in cooking facilities and remain limited to one accessory building per lot

Summarized from Chandler's ordinance text, read July 2026; every row links the code section it came from. Rules often vary by zone and lot, so treat this as orientation, not a permit determination, and confirm with the planning department before you commit to a design.

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ADU regulations

Short-term rental rules

Planning to rent your ADU on Airbnb or VRBO? Chandler regulates short-term rentals separately; check these before counting on nightly rental income.

Arizona statewide law also applies

Arizona sets baseline ADU rights at the state level. Where local rules are stricter than state law allows, state law usually wins, so both are worth reading.

See Arizona statewide rules

Spotted something outdated?

Zoning codes change. If a link is dead or Chandler has updated its ordinance, report it and we'll verify against the official source.

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