ADU rules in Orlando

ADU standards apply citywide; detached ADUs get accessory-structure setbacks. City guide adds a detached ADU may not be in front of the main house. In R-2, R-3, MXD, and Office districts, detached ADUs over 500 sq. ft. must meet tandem single-family development standards (Part 3C). Lot must meet a per-zone minimum size (see caveats).

ADUs connected to the principal structure use the same setbacks as the principal structure. City guide confirms attached, garage-conversion, above-garage, and internal ADUs. Per the guide, attached ADUs over 500 sq. ft. in R-2, R-3, MXD, and O districts must meet duplex development standards.

Two lot-size tiers per zone: a smaller minimum lot allows an ADU up to 500 sq. ft., a larger lot (R-1 districts only) allows up to 1,000 sq. ft. Non-conforming lots of record approved by variance are capped at 500 sq. ft. In Historic Preservation overlay districts, Sec. 62.706(o) allows a new ADU of up to 700 sq. ft., regardless of the zoning district, through a certificate of appropriateness, if its size fits the prevailing pattern of nearby contributing buildings and every other Sec. 58.501 standard is met; the city guide describes 700 sq. ft. as the historic-district maximum. Per the city guide, Lake Nona PD lots may have one 1,000 sq. ft. ADU regardless of lot size, exempt from FAR.

Ordinance Part 3A imposes no owner-occupancy requirement, and the city's official ADU guide states explicitly that both the main house and the ADU may each be owner-occupied or rented to a long-term tenant. The same person or entity must own both units; the ADU cannot be sold separately. Short-term home sharing is the exception: it requires the owner or a tenant to live on the property (see rental restrictions).

The additional space for a larger ADU must be behind the front yard setback, at least 20 feet from the street side lot line, independently accessible from the street, and not enclosed within the principal structure.

ADUs are permitted by right (no conditional use permit) on eligible lots in R-1AA, R-1A, R-1, R-1N, R-2A, R-2B, R-3A-D, MXD-1/2, O-1, and O-2, subject to development standards; PD zones (including Lake Nona) depend on the PD ordinance. Ordinance requires an Appearance Review prior to building permit approval; the ADU must match the principal structure's exterior finish and architectural style, with an alternative-design path via the Appearance Review Official. City guide notes appearance is reviewed within the building permit application, with a separate Appearance Review Determination required before permits for corner lots or alternative designs.

Part 3A is silent on rentals; the city's ADU guide says an ADU may be rented via a standard residential lease and that stays under 30 days need a separate registration. The home sharing rules in Sec. 58.989 allow short-term stays for 'hosted visits only, where the property owner or tenant lives on-site and is present on the property for the hosted visit, and provided there is a single booking at a time', with no more than four unrelated guests per booking; Sec. 58.990 requires registration with two proofs of on-site residency and an annual fee. The city's home sharing page names garage apartments as eligible space, but leasing out a whole dwelling for short-term use is otherwise allowed only as a Commercial Dwelling Unit in the districts that permit one. The same person or entity must own both the main house and the ADU.