City · Arizona
ADU rules in Scottsdale
These are the primary sources for accessory dwelling unit regulations in Scottsdale: 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
One detached ADU allowed per single-family residential lot as a permitted accessory use where the underlying district allows a single-family dwelling; lots of one acre or more may add a second detached ADU if it is a Restricted-Affordable Detached ADU (deed-restricted to households at or below 80% of area median income).
Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7.902.A.1.a and Sec. 7.904.A.1.b-dOne attached ADU allowed per single-family residential lot; the main single-family dwelling must already exist and have a certificate of occupancy before an ADU can be built.
Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7.902.A.1.a and Sec. 7.904.A.1.aOnly one ADU per lot may use the 1,000 sq ft / 75% allowance; all other ADUs on the lot are capped at 500 gross sq ft. Max 2 ADUs total on lots under one acre, 3 on lots of one acre or more (one of the three must be Restricted-Affordable Detached).
Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7.904.A.2.a and Sec. 7.904.A.1.dNo owner occupancy or familial/marital/employment relationship required for an ADU rented as long-term housing (Sec. 7.904.A.3.a expressly disclaims any relationship requirement). Exception: an ADU issued a certificate of occupancy on or after Sept 14, 2024 may be used as a vacation/short-term rental only if the property owner resides on the same property as their primary residence.
Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7.904.A.3.a; Sec. 7.203.A.4The code imposes no parking requirement on the ADU itself (A.R.S. 9-461.18.B.3 bars cities from requiring it); it only requires that the main dwelling's minimum required parking be maintained at all times, and replaced on the same lot if ADU construction removes it.
Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7.904.A.8.aPermitted use with administrative review: the property owner submits a development application reviewed and decided by the Zoning Administrator or designee (approve, approve with stipulations, or deny; the decision is not appealable). No public hearing or use permit. City process is pre-application, then formal administrative application, then building permits.
Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7.903.AAn ADU may be rented separately from the main dwelling but may not be sold separately, and the lot may not be subdivided (including by condominium plat) to split the ADU from the main dwelling. Any rented ADU is subject to Sec. 7.203 vacation/STR rules (city STR licensing regime). A Restricted-Affordable Detached ADU may only be rented to households earning up to 80% of area median income, at Arizona Department of Housing rent limits, and may not be offered as a vacation/short-term rental.
Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7.902.A.3.a-d; Sec. 7.203.A.4The fine print: 9 caveats that can change the picture
- Airport exclusion zones: ADUs are barred on land in the vicinity of a military airport or ancillary military facility (A.R.S. 28-8461) and, as amended by Ordinance 4687 (Sept 30, 2025, implementing HB2928), on land in the vicinity of an FAA commercially licensed or general aviation airport or a public airport (A.R.S. 28-8486) with a noise level above 65 decibels. Parts of Scottsdale fall in the Scottsdale Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor vicinities; the 2025 amendment shrank the excluded areas (Sec. 7.902.A.1.b).
- An ADU is only allowed on a lot that already has a main single-family dwelling with a certificate of occupancy; the ADU itself cannot get a certificate of occupancy before the main dwelling has one (Sec. 7.902.A.1.a).
- The third ADU (Restricted-Affordable Detached) is only available on lots of one acre or more and must be deed-restricted to renters at or below 80% of area median income with no STR use (Sec. 7.904.A.1.c, Sec. 7.902.A.3.c).
- Cumulative occupancy of the main dwelling plus all ADUs on the lot is capped at six adults (Sec. 7.904.A.3.a).
- Separately metered utility connections (electrical, gas, water, sanitary sewer) are required unless the utility provider determines otherwise; each ADU also needs a separate exterior entrance, an independent path to the street, a unique address, and at least 50 sq ft of private outdoor living space (Sec. 7.902.A.2.a, Sec. 7.904.A.7, 9, 10). The city's 10/2025 FAQ emphasizes only separately metered electrical connections.
- Detached ADUs cannot be placed in a required front or side yard; within a rear yard they may be as close as 5 ft to a side or rear property line, and must be at least 10 ft from the main dwelling or another ADU (Sec. 7.904.A.5-6). Height matches the underlying zoning district.
- In the northern part of the city, Natural Area Open Space (NAOS) requirements still apply and an ADU may not be built within NAOS (city ADU FAQ).
- Scottsdale's separate Guest House use still exists in parallel: guest houses (no kitchen, not rentable) built after Jan 1, 2025 require a recorded deed restriction limiting them to guest-house use; converting a guest house to an ADU requires meeting all ADU requirements and approval.
- The Municode-codified text is current only through Ordinance 4681 (July 1, 2025), so the Ordinance 4687 (Sept 30, 2025) amendments, mainly the narrowed airport exclusion, are not yet reflected in the online code.
Summarized from Scottsdale'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.
ADU regulations
- scottsdaleaz.govOfficial sourceVerified July 2026https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/codes-and-ordinances/accessory-dwelling-units
- library.municode.comOfficial sourceVerified July 2026Code of Ordinances §7.900https://library.municode.com/az/scottsdale/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=VOLII_APXBBAZOOR_ARTVIIGEPR_S7.900ACDWUN
- scottsdaleaz.govOfficial sourceVerified July 2026https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/docs/default-source/scottsdaleaz/codes---ordinances/adu-faqs.pdf
Short-term rental rules
Planning to rent your ADU on Airbnb or VRBO? Scottsdale 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 rulesSpotted something outdated?
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