ADU Rulebook

City · New Jersey

ADU rules in Teaneck

1 source

These are the primary sources for accessory dwelling unit regulations in Teaneck: 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 ADU is a permitted use in any garage or accessory structure on the lot of a detached single-family residence, in the zones listed in Sec. 33-54 (R-S, R-M, and B-R). Detached ADUs are limited to 24 feet in height, and an ADU built above a permitted detached accessory structure needs 4-foot side and rear setbacks for the added space.

Secs. 33-54, 33-55, 33-56(a), (i), (j)
Attached or internal ADU
Allowed

An ADU may be an entirely self-contained portion of the principal single-family dwelling; one ADU is a permitted use in any residence in the R-S, R-M, and B-R zones. An attached ADU must comply with main building setbacks, use the same exterior materials and colors as the principal dwelling, and may not have a separate external entrance facing the same street as any other entrance on the lot.

Secs. 33-54, 33-55, 33-56(m), (r), (s)
Maximum size
Attached ADU: up to 40% of the primary dwelling's floor area or 800 sq ft, whichever is greater; if deed-restricted for low- and moderate-income occupancy under UHAC (N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1 et seq.), up to 50% of the primary dwelling's floor area or 1,200 sq ft, whichever is greater. A fully handicapped-accessible ADU (NJ Barrier Free Subcode) earns the property a 5% increase in total maximum floor area, applicable to the PDU, the ADU, or both. Detached ADUs are capped at 24 feet in height; the ordinance's square-footage formula in Sec. 33-56(e) is worded for attached ADUs, and a garage attached to a detached ADU may not exceed the allowable combined square footages otherwise allowed on the lot.

Floor area must be computed from exterior wall dimensions and shown on the plot plan for both units; the computation counts all stories of all structures on the lot including sheds, garages, and carports.

Sec. 33-56(e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (p)
Owner occupancy
Required

Either the ADU or the primary dwelling unit must be the domicile of the person(s) who own the lot ('person' is defined as a natural person only, not an entity). The owner must file a sworn affidavit by January 1 every year confirming no change in conditions and that the owner resides in the primary residence or the ADU; failure to file automatically revokes the ADU's certificate of occupancy within 20 days and carries a $500 fine, with further fines for continued occupancy.

Secs. 33-55, 33-56(d), 33-58
Extra parking
One parking space per ADU; the space must be located within the setbacks and in an existing driveway as tandem parking.

Stated as a flat one-space requirement with a specific siting rule; no waiver or transit exemption appears in the article.

Sec. 33-56(n)
Approval process
Permitted use

ADUs are allowed as a permitted use in the R-S, R-M, and B-R zones; approval is an administrative zoning review by the Zoning Officer, who must verify the Sec. 33-56 requirements and render a final decision within 10 business days of a complete application. A certificate of occupancy is issued after final inspection by the Construction Official and Fire Official ($100 fee).

Secs. 33-54, 33-56, 33-57, 33-59
Rental restrictions
The ADU may be used only for residential purposes for single families, and since the owner must be domiciled in either unit, long-term rental of the non-owner-occupied unit is the contemplated use; larger affordable ADUs must carry a UHAC deed restriction for low- and moderate-income occupancy. ADU use must be consistent with Chapter 23 (Lodging Places Other Than Hotels/Motels): short-term rentals (1 to 30 days) require an annual $500 license and health certificate, are capped at 60 days per year and 30 days per stay, and short-term rental activity may not occur in any accessory building on the premises, which appears to bar short-term rental of detached ADUs. Sec. 23-2 separately prohibits the lease or rental of any accessory building or structure appurtenant to a dwelling regardless of purpose or duration, except for film permits.

The interaction between Sec. 23-2's blanket accessory-building rental prohibition (adopted 2023) and Article IX's later authorization of ADUs in accessory structures (adopted 2025) is not expressly reconciled in the text; Article IX allows accessory-structure ADUs as dwellings while Chapter 23 restricts renting accessory buildings.

Secs. 33-56(b), (d), (f), (t); 23-1(b), (c), (d), (k), (l); 23-2
The fine print: 9 caveats that can change the picture
  • ADUs are permitted only in the R-S, R-M, and B-R zones (Sec. 33-54).
  • The principal dwelling must be an existing detached single-family residence, and only one ADU is allowed per lot (Secs. 33-55, 33-56(a), (c)).
  • The larger 50% or 1,200 sq ft size limit applies only to ADUs deed-restricted for low- and moderate-income families under UHAC, with a recorded deed restriction per N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.11 (Sec. 33-56(e), (f)).
  • The Sec. 33-56(e) floor-area formula is written for attached ADUs; detached ADUs are governed by a 24-foot height cap, 4-foot minimum side and rear setbacks for new construction, and combined lot floor-area limits (Sec. 33-56(h), (i), (k)).
  • No balconies or decks may be associated with an ADU, and no separate external entrance may face the same street as another entrance on the lot (Sec. 33-56(q), (s)).
  • Owner occupancy is verified by a mandatory annual affidavit due January 1; failure to file automatically revokes the certificate of occupancy and triggers fines (Sec. 33-58).
  • On transfer of the property, the new owner must apply within 60 days for a certificate of continued use, and the ADU may not be sold independently of the primary residence (Sec. 33-60).
  • Short-term rental activity may not occur in any accessory building (Sec. 23-1(c)), and Sec. 23-2 prohibits renting accessory buildings or structures generally, so detached ADUs appear ineligible for short-term rental; township-wide short-term rentals are capped at 60 days per year.
  • The sanitary disposal system serving the ADU must be inspected and approved under the NJ Uniform Plumbing Subcode (Sec. 33-56(o)).

Summarized from Teaneck'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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