Side by side · Florida
Compare ADU rules across Florida
Flexible on where you build? The same backyard cottage can be routine in one city and impossible in the next. This table puts 36 Florida cities side by side so you can shortlist the friendly ones before reading a single ordinance, or narrow it to just the cities you are deciding between. Every value is summarized from the city's own code; open a city's page for the full notes, citations, and fine print.
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| City | Detached ADU | Attached / internal | Max size | Owner occupancy | Extra parking | Approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alachua County | Allowed | Allowed | Greater of 1,700 sq ft of living area or 50% of the principal residence | Required | No added spaces required; parking 'if provided' must be on the same lot and use the shared driveway | Permitted use |
| Broward County | Allowed | Allowed | Max 50% of the principal structure; minimum 500 sq ft | Not required | 1 off-street space per ADU bedroom, in addition to the parking otherwise required under Sec. 39-228 | Permitted use |
| Cape Coral | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not applicable; no ADU provisions exist | No owner-occupancy rule can exist because the code contains no ADU authorization. Guest houses may only be built on sites with a principal residential dwelling unit, but the code does not state an owner-occupancy requirement for either unit. Ordinance read September 2026 | Not applicable; no ADU provisions exist | No permit pathway can exist because ADUs are not an authorized use in any district; unlisted uses are expressly prohibited under Sec. 4.1.6.A.5. Guest houses in the RE district are regulated as accessory structures under Article 5, Chapter 2. Ordinance read September 2026 |
| Clearwater | Allowed | Allowed | 750 sq ft or 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area, whichever is less | Required | 1 off-street space per unit per city guidance (code tables list 0 to 1); a legal on-street space may substitute | Permitted use |
| Daytona Beach | Allowed | Allowed | Tiered by lot size: 500 sq ft on lots of 5,000 to 7,500 sq ft; 640 sq ft on lots of 7,501 to 10,000 sq ft; 800 sq ft on lots over 10,000 sq ft. A detached ADU is also held to the SFR-5 accessory-structure cap of 50 percent of the principal building's floor area, so the smaller limit controls. Minimum floor area is 240 sq ft for a studio or one-bedroom ADU and 390 sq ft for a two-bedroom ADU. | Required | 1 space plus one per additional ADU bedroom, in addition to the 2 spaces per unit required for the single-family principal dwelling. ADU parking must be stabilized, and a lot with an ADU is not entitled to parking exemptions otherwise authorized by the Code. | Permitted use |
| Dunedin | Allowed | Allowed | 800 sq ft of gross floor area (living area only); no more than two stories or the height of the principal dwelling, whichever is less | Required | No ADU-specific parking requirement; every residential house or duplex must have two parking spaces, one of which may be inside a garage | Permitted use |
| Fort Lauderdale | Accessory dwellings (granny flats or cottages) may be permitted only when accessory to a standard single family dwelling in the RS-8, RD-15, RC-15, RM-15, RML-25, RMM-25, RMH-25 and RMH-60 zoning districts, subject to size, density, minimum parcel size and parking limitations. In RS-8 and RD-15 the only accessory dwelling allowed is servant's quarters for persons, other than the immediate family, employed on the premises, so a general-purpose ADU is effectively limited to the RC-15, RM-15, RML-25, RMM-25, RMH-25 and RMH-60 districts. Ordinance read September 2026 | The ordinance expressly allows an accessory dwelling attached to another accessory structure (for example a garage): it must have a separate entrance from the attached accessory structure and be separated from it by a common fire resistant wall. It does not provide for a unit attached to or inside the house, and the ULDR definitions point the other way: a 'principal building' includes 'any addition or alteration to an existing principal building', and a 'single family dwelling' is a building containing one dwelling unit, while accessory dwellings are allowed only 'when accessory to a standard single family dwelling'. A second kitchen-equipped unit added onto or carved out of the house would therefore make it a two-family dwelling, a separate use listed in the RD-15, RC-15 and RM-15 districts (Sec. 47-18.45) but not in RS-8, rather than an accessory dwelling; this is our reading of the definitions, not an express rule, so confirm with the city's zoning staff. ULDR Sec. 47-19.2.A and A.3; Sec. 47-35.1 (definitions of principal building, single family dwelling and duplex or two family dwelling); Sec. 47-19.1.JFull rules for Fort Lauderdale Ordinance read September 2026 | 600 sq ft of gross floor area or 49 percent of the gross floor area of the principal structure, whichever is less; the unit is limited to a one bedroom/one bath unit or an efficiency | Not required | 1 space for the accessory dwelling, in addition to the 2 spaces required for the principal single family dwelling; Table 1 of Sec. 47-20.2 lists 'Single family dwelling unit + accessory dwelling (granny flat)' at 2 per dwelling unit plus 1 per accessory unit | Permitted use |
| Fort Myers | Allowed | Allowed | Lesser of 40 percent of the living area of the principal dwelling or 1,200 sq ft; minimum 400 sq ft; no more than one bedroom | Required | One dedicated on-site space for the guesthouse, in addition to the parking required for the principal dwelling | Permitted use |
| Gainesville | Allowed | Allowed | 850 sq ft per ADU (attached or detached) | Not required | None required | Permitted use |
| Hillsborough County | Allowed | Allowed | 900 sq ft of living space; a variance up to the lesser of 1,200 sq ft or 25 percent of the principal dwelling's living space may be requested on lots of at least 14,520 sq ft | Required | No ADU-specific parking requirement found; Sec. 6.11.02 is silent on parking and the required off-street parking table in Sec. 6.05.02.E has no separate line for accessory dwellings (single-family conventional dwellings require 2.0 spaces per dwelling unit) | Table 2.02.02 designates Accessory Dwellings with a C in every district where they are allowed. Per the table key, C means Conditional Use, permitted pursuant to Article VI standards and the procedures of Section 10.01.00, with no public hearing required unless specified. Sec. 6.11.01.A adds that compliance with the Part 6.11.00 standards is determined during development review with no additional procedural steps, so review is administrative rather than a discretionary hearing. Land Development Code Table 2.02.02 (key and Accessory Dwellings row); Sec. 6.11.01.AFull rules for Hillsborough County Ordinance read September 2026 |
| Jacksonville | Allowed | Allowed | Building footprint limited to 25 percent of the gross floor area of the principal structure on the lot, or 750 sq ft, whichever is less | Required | No ADU-specific parking requirement; the off-street parking schedule requires two spaces for a single-family dwelling and lists no separate ADU category | Permitted use |
| Key West | The SF (single-family residential) district accommodates one accessory attached or detached unit per principal dwelling unit, but only if the unit wins a building permit allocation under the BPAS growth cap and meets the affordability and occupancy criteria of Sec. 122-233. No other residential district (LDR-C, MDR, MDR-1, MDR-C, HDR, HDR-1) lists accessory units; a separate accessory unit infill program covers mixed use and commercial districts. Ordinance read September 2026 | Same authorization as detached: one accessory attached or detached unit per principal dwelling in the SF district, subject to BPAS allocation and the Sec. 122-233 criteria. Under the BPAS definitions, an accessory unit cannot take up more than 40 percent of the principal structure. Ordinance read September 2026 | 300 to 600 square feet (both a maximum and a minimum). Maximum one bedroom unless the planning board approves a second bedroom by variance, and even then total floor area stays capped at 600 square feet. An accessory unit within the principal structure cannot exceed 40 percent of that structure. | The zoning sections (122-232 to 122-234) impose no ongoing owner-occupancy rule, but the BPAS definition requires that when an accessory unit occupancy permit is originally initiated, the principal unit must be owned and occupied by a permanent resident. The accessory unit itself must be occupied by permanent residents as a primary residence. The Comprehensive Plan's Policy 1-1.1.7 adds that the owner-occupancy condition does not apply while the principal unit is under construction; the code section does not repeat that exception. Ordinance read September 2026 | None. There is no additional parking requirement for the accessory unit, and parking surfaces are not counted as open space. | Permitted use |
| Kissimmee | Allowed | Allowed | 800 sq ft or 40% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area, whichever is less; 500 sq ft minimum | Required | 1 off-street space per ADU, in addition to the primary dwelling's required parking; none inside the downtown parking exemption area | Permitted use |
| Lakeland | ADUs are permitted in urban contexts where a legally conforming single-family detached dwelling is the principal structure on the lot, and where specifically allowed in a residential Planned Unit Development or Special Public Interest District; every ADU requires discretionary Planning and Zoning Board approval after a public hearing. Table 2.3-2 lists 'Secondary Dwelling Unit accessory to single-family detached dwelling units' as a permitted accessory use in the RA-1, RA-2, RA-3, RA-4, RB, MF-12, MF-16, MF-22 and O-1 districts (not MH or any commercial or industrial district), subject to Section 4.3. Land Development Code Sub-Sections 4.3.2.1(a) and 4.3.2.3; Table 2.3-2 and footnote 2Full rules for Lakeland Ordinance read September 2026 | Not allowed | 800 sq ft or 40% of the principal dwelling, whichever is less; minimum living area 300 sq ft. Maximum height 12.5 ft, or 24 ft when built over a garage. | Required | One off-street space for the ADU in addition to the spaces required for the principal dwelling; tandem parking in driveways is permitted. | Not labeled a conditional use permit, but approval is discretionary: the applicant submits a site development plan and architectural drawings to the Planning and Zoning Board, the Board mails notice to owners abutting or across the street and holds a public hearing, must make five findings (architectural compatibility, neighborhood scale, no excessive noise/traffic/parking, adequate open space and tree retention, no significant privacy/light/air impact), and may impose conditions. In designated historic districts the Historic Preservation Board separately issues a Certificate of Review/Appropriateness on the design findings. Ordinance read September 2026 |
| Largo | Allowed | Allowed | On residential lots: gross floor area may not exceed 800 sq ft or 50 percent of the living floor area (air conditioned/heated) of the principal structure, whichever is less; if 50 percent of the principal unit's living area is under 400 sq ft, the maximum ADU size is 400 sq ft. On non-residential properties: flat 800 sq ft cap. | Required | No minimum for the ADU itself if the property already meets the parking requirement for the primary use; otherwise 1 space per ADU (Table 9-2). The ADU also must not reduce the primary structure's parking below the Sec. 9.5 minimums (single-family minimum is 1 space per dwelling unit). | Permitted use |
| Lee County | Allowed | Allowed | 60 percent of the living area of the principal single-family residence, for either an accessory apartment or an accessory dwelling unit; nonliving areas are excluded from the computation provided the overall accessory structure complies with the division | Not required | One additional off-street space on top of the base requirement of Sec. 34-2020(a), which is 2 spaces per single-family unit, so 3 total on-site spaces in the typical case; all required parking must be provided on the site | Permitted use |
| Miami | Allowed | Allowed | Detached ADU: ten percent of the lot area, up to 800 sq ft max. ADU within or attached to the principal building: ten percent of the lot area, up to 500 sq ft max. Minimum sizes: efficiency unit 275 sq ft, one bedroom 450 sq ft, two bedroom 550 sq ft. No waivers may be applied to maximum unit size. | The single-family residence and the ADU must always be under the same ownership. Owner occupancy in the form of a current homestead exemption (the property is the owner's primary residence under Florida law) is required only to rent the ADU, and is verified at initial registration and every annual renewal. If homestead status lapses, the owner must notify the office of zoning within 30 days. Miami 21 Code Sec. 3.18(b) (Ownership and Use); City Code Sec. 2-214(a)(2)c, (a)(3)b, (b)Full rules for Miami Ordinance read September 2026 | Minimum of 1 parking space per ADU; within a TOD (transit oriented development) or Transit Corridor no parking is required (per the T3 and T4 residential rows of Art. 4 Table 4). Where an existing legal principal building prevents the ADU space from being placed within the second or third layer, it may be placed in the first layer with exemptions from driveway separation and first layer paving rules, using parking strips no wider than two feet. | Permitted use |
| Miami Beach | Allowed | Allowed | Greater of 600 sq ft or 10% of the main home's size, with an absolute maximum of 1,500 sq ft; minimum 200 sq ft. The ADU's area counts toward the site's overall unit size calculation (the RS development regulations table caps total unit size at 50% of lot area; 40% on lots created by a lot split). Accessory structures built before January 1, 2019 are exempt from the minimum and maximum areas unless expanded. | The code does not impose an explicit owner-occupancy requirement to build an ADU, but by default the ADU may only be used by the family occupying the primary dwelling, their temporary guests, or servants of the occupants. Owner occupancy becomes an express requirement in the only situation where leasing an ADU to an unrelated family is allowed (the two mapped exception areas), with evidence of ownership submitted to the planning director each year; if the property ceases to be owner-occupied, lease renewal is prohibited. Ordinance read September 2026 | No ADU-specific parking requirement found. The general accessory use provisions require off-street parking for accessory uses to comply with Chapter 5, but the Chapter 5 parking tables list no separate line item for accessory dwelling units; the underlying single-family detached dwelling requirement in Parking Tier 1 is two spaces. | Permitted use |
| Miami-Dade County | Allowed | Allowed | 400 to 800 sq ft of habitable area (set by the CDMP; ordinance defers to it) | Not required | 1 space in addition to the principal dwelling's required parking; waived within 660 ft of a transit-served major corridor, mixed-use corridor, or rapid transit activity corridor | Permitted use |
| Monroe County | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not applicable; no ADU provisions exist | Not applicable; no ADU provisions exist, so no owner-occupancy rule for ADUs can exist in the code. Land Development Code Sec. 101-1, definition of 'accessory use or accessory structure'Full rules for Monroe County Ordinance read September 2026 | Not applicable; no ADU provisions exist | No permit pathway for an ADU exists because the use is not authorized. Any additional dwelling unit requires its own residential ROGO allocation or exemption; Sec. 138-19 defines the annual residential ROGO allocation as the maximum number of dwelling units for which building permits may be issued during an annual allocation period, and units compete through the ROGO application process. Land Development Code Sec. 101-1, definition of 'dwelling unit'; Sec. 138-19, Residential Rate of Growth Ordinance (ROGO)Full rules for Monroe County Ordinance read September 2026 |
| Orange County | Allowed | Allowed | 50% of the primary dwelling's living area or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is less; on lots of 2+ developable acres, 50% or 1,500 sq ft, whichever is less; maximum 2 bedrooms | Required | 1 additional off-street space; may be met by the garage, carport, or driveway of the primary dwelling | Permitted use |
| Orlando | Allowed | Allowed | 1,000 sq. ft. absolute maximum; ADU must be smaller than the principal structure, and house plus ADU cannot exceed 0.50 floor area ratio (or the district FAR if less) | Not required | 1 space for the principal dwelling; ADUs over 500 sq. ft. require 1 additional space, ADUs of 500 sq. ft. or less require no extra space if the principal structure's parking was code-compliant when built | Permitted use |
| Palm Beach County | Allowed | No countywide provision either authorizes or prohibits attaching an Accessory Quarters to the principal dwelling. The definition covers any complete, separate living quarter equipped with a kitchen and provisions for sanitation and sleeping located on the same lot as the owner-occupied principal dwelling, without naming a configuration, and the only rule inside the Accessory Quarters section is that a detached unit serving a Townhouse or Zero Lot Line home must sit at the rear of the lot. Article 3 does contemplate an attached unit in two overlays: the IRO and PRA townhouse standards provide that a Townhouse, including wings, garages, or Accessory Quarters, must meet minimum common wall requirements unless set back five feet from the side property line (Table 3.B.15.F Note 3; Table 3.B.16.F Note 5). Cutting the other way, the county's general definition of an Accessory Building or Structure is a detached structure (Art. 1.H.2), and the Westgate CRA Overlay has to say expressly that an Accessory Quarters be detached, which the countywide rules never do. Confirm an attached or interior layout with the Palm Beach County Zoning Division before designing one. ULDC Art. 4.B.1.E.1.a, .f; Art. 1.H.2 (Accessory Building or Structure); Art. 3, Table 3.B.15.F Note 3 and Table 3.B.16.F Note 5Full rules for Palm Beach County Ordinance read September 2026 | 800 sq ft on lots under 1 acre; 1,000 sq ft on lots of 1 acre or more; plus up to 500 sq ft of additional roofed porch, patio, porte-cochere, carport, or garage area | Required | 1 space per unit | Permitted use |
| Pensacola | Allowed | Allowed | Living area capped at 60 percent of the principal dwelling's living area, up to a maximum of 1,500 sq ft. On lots under 5,000 sq ft, a 20 percent floor-to-lot-area ratio sets the maximum floor area instead. The unit (or combination of structures) may not occupy more than 25 percent of the required rear yard. | Not required | One additional off-street parking space for the accessory dwelling unit. | Permitted use |
| Pinellas County | Allowed | Allowed | 1,000 sq ft, reduced to 750 sq ft if the property is within the Coastal Storm Area or flood hazard areas established in LDC Sec. 158-23, and a flat 750 sq ft in the Lealman and Downtown Palm Harbor form-based code districts. Unconditioned space connected to and serving the ADU (such as garage or storage space for the ADU) counts toward the size calculation. A larger ADU may be approved pursuant to Sec. 138-77. | Required | ADUs larger than 750 sq ft must have at least one dedicated off-street parking stall; ADUs of 750 sq ft or less need none. No ADU parking is required in the Lealman and Downtown Palm Harbor form-based code districts. | Permitted use |
| Saint Petersburg | Allowed | Allowed | 800 sq ft gross floor area, and all areas under roof may not exceed 67 percent of the floor area of the principal dwelling | Not required | 1 off-street space for ADUs with up to 2 bedrooms, plus 0.5 space per additional bedroom; waived if five alley-and-transit criteria are all met, and exempt within 1/4 mile of a SunRunner BRT station under Ord. 633-H (effective 5-21-2026, not yet codified) | Permitted use |
| Sarasota | Allowed | Allowed | 650 square feet of floor area maximum | Only in the RSF-E and RSF-1 through RSF-4 zones: either the principal dwelling or the ADU must be owner-occupied, with owner occupancy determined by homestead status, and the building permit applicant must file an affidavit agreeing to reside in one of the units. Subsection (2.1) is expressly limited to those five zones, and the code states no owner occupancy rule for the other districts where ADUs are permitted, including RSM-9, RTD-9, the multiple-family, commercial, downtown and urban mixed-use zones, and the Missing Middle overlay. Ordinance read September 2026 | None when added to an existing home with on-street parking on an abutting street, and never in the downtown zones or RTD-9; otherwise one additional space | Permitted use |
| Sarasota County | Allowed | Allowed | Varies by district. RE and RSF districts: total floor area may not exceed 750 sq ft; if the lot is at least twice the district minimum lot size, the ADU may instead be up to 50 percent of the principal dwelling's enclosed living area or 1,200 sq ft, whichever is less. OUR and OUE districts: no numeric cap, but the ADU's square footage must be less than the principal dwelling's. | Required | In RE and RSF districts, one additional parking space on the same premises is required for the ADU; tandem parking and shell or grass surfacing are permitted for that space. The OUR and OUE ADU standards state no additional parking requirement, and the Sec. 124-120 parking table has no ADU line item. | Permitted use |
| Seminole County | Allowed | Allowed | 50 percent of the principal dwelling's living area or 1,100 square feet, whichever is less (50 percent or 1,600 square feet in A-3, A-5, A-10 and A-1 parcels over 3 acres); an ADU of up to 700 square feet is allowed regardless of the principal dwelling's size | Required | One off-street space for the ADU, on the same lot and served by the same driveway as the principal dwelling; paved or a stabilized surface acceptable to the County Engineer | Permitted use |
| St. Augustine | St. Augustine regulates ADUs as 'accessory apartments'. The Sec. 28-2 definition expressly includes 'garage apartments', a detached form, so detached units qualify wherever the use is allowed. The use is listed among permitted uses only in RG-1 (Sec. 28-163), RG-2 (Sec. 28-164), RL-1 (Sec. 28-166), and HP-1 (Sec. 28-183); it does not appear in the RS-1 or RS-2 single-family district use lists (Secs. 28-161, 28-162), so allowance depends entirely on the zoning district. Code of Ordinances §28-2 (definition); §§28-163, 28-164, 28-166, 28-183 (district use lists)Full rules for St. Augustine Ordinance read September 2026 | The Sec. 28-2 definition covers a dwelling unit 'contained in an owner-occupied building or premises comprising three (3) or less dwelling units, including garage apartments and single-family type buildings used as apartments and sharing a common entrance', so attached and internal units qualify. Same district limitation as detached: permitted in RG-1, RG-2, RL-1, and HP-1 only; not listed in RS-1 or RS-2. Code of Ordinances §28-2; §§28-163(1)(g), 28-164(1)(b), 28-166(1)(b), 28-183(2)(b)Full rules for St. Augustine Ordinance read September 2026 | Less than 800 sq ft or 25 percent of the primary dwelling unit, whichever is less | Required | No ADU-specific requirement; rate of the most closely related listed use applies, and HP-1 through HP-4 are exempt from off-street parking | Permitted use |
| St. Johns County | Allowed | Allowed | Lesser of 35 percent of the main structure's square footage or 2,000 sq ft of living quarters, except the unit may be at least 800 sq ft | Required | Adequate parking as reasonably determined by the County Administrator; no fixed space count | Permitted use |
| St. Pete Beach | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not applicable; no ADU provisions exist | Not applicable: the code allows no ADU of any form, so no owner-occupancy rule can attach to one. The single-family districts prohibit every use not specifically permitted, and accessory structures may not contain sleeping rooms, kitchens or living space. Ordinance read September 2026 | Not applicable; no ADU provisions exist | Not applicable: there is no permit path for an ADU because the use does not exist in the code, and uses not specifically or provisionally permitted are prohibited. In the Pass-a-Grille Overlay, multi-unit building types require units 'existing prior to redevelopment' (Sec. 20.07 density rules), so new second units cannot be created there either. Ordinance read September 2026 |
| Tallahassee | Allowed | Allowed | 1,200 sq ft gross floor area under roof, up to two stories | Not required | No ADU-specific parking requirement found | Permitted use |
| Tampa | A detached ADU is allowed inside a conforming accessory structure (or a nonconforming one per Article VII), but only through an S-1 special use permit and only inside the mapped ADU-eligible areas in the Sec. 27-156 Table 4-1 note 17 (the boundary areas the city describes as Seminole Heights, Lowry Park Central, Sulphur Springs, Temple Crest, Wellswood and parts of Riverside Heights, plus the East Tampa Overlay District). In the Tampa Heights Overlay District an ADU, including one in an accessory structure, is a permitted use in all residential districts under Sec. 27-244(e)(2)e. Everywhere else in the city a detached ADU is not available; only a family-only Extended Family Residence can go in an accessory structure. §27-132 (Accessory dwelling unit, c.); §27-156 Table 4-1 note 17; §27-244(e)(2)e.Full rules for Tampa Ordinance read September 2026 | An ADU may be located within the single-family dwelling with a separate entrance, under the same S-1 special use permit and geographic limits; permitted use in the Tampa Heights Overlay District. Outside the eligible areas, the only internal option is an Extended Family Residence (S-1 in nearly all districts) restricted to family members. §27-132 (Accessory dwelling unit, c.); §27-156 Table 4-1 note 17; §27-244(e)(2)e.ii.Full rules for Tampa Ordinance read September 2026 | 950 sq ft of living space (S-1 ADU); 1,100 sq ft accessory-structure cap in the Tampa Heights Overlay; 600 sq ft of living area for an Extended Family Residence | Required | No ADU space count in the code outside Tampa Heights; the city handout lists 1 space per unit in the eligible areas; Tampa Heights requires 1 on-site space only for ADUs over 600 sq ft (tandem allowed); NMU districts require no additional spaces | Table 4-1 lists 'Dwelling unit, accessory' as X/S1 in the RS-150 through RM-75 residential districts plus CN and CG: a permitted use (X) in the Tampa Heights Overlay District per Sec. 27-244, and an S-1 special use permit (zoning administrator review with a written determination due within 45 days of a complete application, Sec. 27-127(b)(1)) in the other mapped ADU-eligible areas and the East Tampa Overlay District. Seminole Heights SH districts (Sec. 27-211.8) and NMU districts (Sec. 27-212.4) also list accessory dwelling as S1. The S-1 permit is reviewed annually by staff, and if any conditions change a new permit is required. Outside the eligible areas ADUs are not available at all. §27-156 Table 4-1 and note 17; §27-127(b)(1); §27-132; §27-211.8; §27-212.4; §27-244(e)(2)e.Full rules for Tampa Ordinance read September 2026 |
| West Palm Beach | A detached accessory unit is possible only in specific districts, each with its own rules. Sec. 94-303 permits accessory apartments 'with extra requirements' only in the single-family high density (SF14) district, on lots of at least 6,000 sq ft and 60 ft wide, and requires them to meet the residential accessory structure standards of Sec. 94-304, which also allows converting a detached garage into a dwelling unit where that unit is permitted. Outside SF14, the Northwood (NMUD) and Currie (CMUD) mixed-use districts allow detached accessory dwelling units of up to 800 sq ft (NMUD only with the Townhouse and Zero-Lot Line building types; CMUD only behind the house on a single-family lot), and several Downtown Master Plan residential subdistricts permit an 'Outbuilding', which 'may contain an additional dwelling unit in those cases where density permits.' The other single-family districts (SF3, SF5, SF7, SF11) list no accessory unit, and roofed accessory buildings are banned outright in the Echo Lakes and Westfield neighborhoods. Zoning and Land Development Regulations Sec. 94-303(a), (b)(1); Sec. 94-304(a)(2), (b)(1); Sec. 94-74(a)(2); Sec. 94-210(p)(2); Sec. 94-215 (Accessory Dwelling Units); Tables IV-2 and IV-3 (Outbuilding); Sec. 94-611 (Outbuilding)Full rules for West Palm Beach Ordinance read September 2026 | Not allowed | 800 sq ft for an SF14 accessory apartment (also the cap in the NMUD and CMUD districts), 25 ft maximum height. All roofed accessory buildings on a residential lot together may not exceed 75 percent of the house's gross floor area, capped at 1,000 sq ft. | Not required | Yes. SF14 accessory apartment: one space for the apartment plus two for the house, all on site. NMUD accessory dwelling unit: one space on top of the house's minimum. Parking Table XV-6 separately sets 1.5 to 2 spaces per accessory garage apartment. | Permitted use |
| Winter Park | Winter Park has no citywide ADU ordinance, but two routes produce a detached second unit. In the R-2 (low density residential) district, 'Principal dwellings and cottage dwellings' are a permitted use, and a cottage dwelling is a smaller second home with its own kitchen on the same property (Sec. 58-95). On historic-designated properties in any district, the Historic Preservation Board may approve a garage apartment or accessory cottage as a conforming use that can be rented and separately metered (Sec. 58-469(3)). Everywhere else, a detached guesthouse or garage apartment of up to 1,000 sq ft is allowed only without a kitchen, separate meters or rental, so it is not a true dwelling unit (Sec. 58-71(10)). Code of Ordinances Sec. 58-66(b)(3); Sec. 58-95 (Dwelling, cottage); Sec. 58-469(3); Sec. 58-71(10)Full rules for Winter Park Ordinance read September 2026 | Only in the R-2 district: the code defines a cottage dwelling as 'a building which is attached to or detached from a principal dwelling, is smaller in area than the principal dwelling, is occupied exclusively by one family, has one kitchen' (Sec. 58-95), and R-2 permits principal and cottage dwellings (Sec. 58-66(b)(3)). An attached cottage dwelling works much like a small duplex unit, and the code never calls it an accessory dwelling unit. The historic-property pathway covers only garage apartments and accessory cottages, which are accessory buildings, and it bars converting existing garage space (Sec. 58-469(3)(d)). No other district allows a second kitchen unit inside or attached to a house. Code of Ordinances Sec. 58-95 (Dwelling, cottage); Sec. 58-66(b)(3); Sec. 58-469(3)(d)Full rules for Winter Park Ordinance read September 2026 | R-2 cottage dwellings (lots 70 ft wide or less): up to 20 percent floor area ratio, at least 500 sq ft of living area, and always smaller than the principal dwelling (combined FAR 50 percent). Historic-property garage apartments or accessory cottages: a 750 sq ft target that the Historic Preservation Board may adjust, never above 1,000 sq ft. Kitchenless guesthouses: 1,000 sq ft. | Not required | Yes. R-2 cottage dwellings on lots 70 ft wide or less: one off-street space for the cottage plus two for the principal dwelling, behind the front dwelling with one driveway. Historic-property units: on-site tenant parking behind the front setback, each space independently accessible, with no regular street parking. Otherwise the general rule is two spaces per dwelling unit for projects of two units or less. | In the R-2 district a principal and cottage dwelling pair is a permitted use, so it goes through ordinary building-permit review against the R-2 standards (Sec. 58-66(b)(3)). A rentable garage apartment or accessory cottage on a historic property needs Historic Preservation Board approval through the certificate of review process, and the property must first complete landmark, resource or historic-district designation (Sec. 58-469(3)(a)). Kitchenless guesthouses are permitted accessory uses (Sec. 58-71(10)). Code of Ordinances Sec. 58-66(b)(3); Sec. 58-469(3), (3)(a)-(b); Sec. 58-71(10)Full rules for Winter Park Ordinance read September 2026 |
Summarized from each city's ordinance text, most recently read October 2026. Tap a value marked with an info icon to see exactly what it depends on, straight from the ordinance. Nearly every value has zone, lot-size, or process caveats beyond that; the per-city pages carry the full notes and code citations. Treat this as orientation, not a permit determination.
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Reading the table
- Detached ADU is the make-or-break column for backyard cottages: minimum lot sizes (often 8,000 to 14,500 sq ft) hide behind many of the "Allowed" values, so check your lot before celebrating.
- Attached / internal (basement apartments, additions) is legal almost everywhere and is usually the path of least resistance.
- Approval: "Permitted use" means staff-level sign-off; "Conditional use" means a public hearing, which adds time, cost, and uncertainty.
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