ADU Rulebook

City · North Carolina

ADU rules in Raleigh

6 sources

These are the primary sources for accessory dwelling unit regulations in Raleigh: 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

"Accessory Dwelling Units may be detached, attached, or internal to the principal dwelling"; may also be located above a garage. A manufactured home may serve as an ADU if it meets design standards and is no greater than 600 sq ft.

UDO Sec. 2.6.3.C and 2.6.3.D.6; Sec. 3.6.2.C
Attached or internal ADU
Allowed

Attached and internal ADUs allowed. In a Frequent Transit Area where two ADUs are permitted on a lot, only one may be attached to the principal dwelling.

UDO Sec. 2.6.3.C and 2.6.3.D.2
Maximum size
800 sq ft on residential lots up to 40,000 sq ft; 1,000 sq ft on lots over 40,000 sq ft; 800 sq ft in mixed-use districts (RX, OX, NX, CX); always less than the gross floor area of the principal dwelling; manufactured-home ADUs capped at 600 sq ft

Gross floor area includes all conditioned space, and attached unconditioned space counts toward the accessory structure floor area. Detached ADU height max 26 ft in all cases.

UDO Sec. 2.6.3.G (table G1), 2.6.3.D.1, 2.6.3.D.6, 2.6.3.I; Sec. 3.6.2.G
Owner occupancy
Not required

No owner-occupancy requirement appears anywhere in the ADU regulations (Sec. 2.6.3.D or 3.6.2.D), which were read in full; the list covers foundation, size, access, ownership transfer, separation, and lot rules only. Ownership of the ADU may not be transferred separately from the principal dwelling.

UDO Sec. 2.6.3.D (complete regulations list; no owner-occupancy provision)
Extra parking
No. The city's official ADU FAQ states "Additional parking does not have to be provided with an ADU", and UDO 2.6.3/3.6.2 impose no ADU parking requirement.

The alley setback table distinguishes 4 ft without parking vs 20 ft with parking, confirming parking is optional. Raleigh removed off-street parking minimums citywide by text change.

City of Raleigh ADU FAQs; UDO Sec. 2.6.3.H (table H5)
Approval process
Permitted use

ADUs are a by-right accessory housing pattern in R-1, R-2, R-4, R-6, R-10 (Sec. 2.6.3.F) and RX, OX, NX, CX (Sec. 3.6.2.F); no special or conditional use approval is required, only standard building or change-of-use permits (new single-family dwelling process for new detached ADUs, ADU change-of-use process for conversions, accessory structure/addition process for attached ADUs).

UDO Sec. 2.6.3.F and 3.6.2.F; City of Raleigh ADU permitting page
Rental restrictions
No minimum lease term or ADU-specific long-term rental restriction in the UDO. Short-term rental of an ADU is allowed: UDO 6.4.6.E permits STR use of "a portion of or the entire dwelling unit... including part or all of an accessory structure" with a miscellaneous zoning permit. Caveat: if the ADU is built under the NC owner/builder license exemption (NCGS 87-1), the owner must certify it is built "Not For Rent" before permit issuance.

The not-for-rent restriction stems from state contractor-licensing law when no licensed general contractor is used, not from zoning; hiring a licensed contractor avoids it.

UDO Sec. 6.4.6.E.1 and 6.4.6.E.2; City of Raleigh ADU FAQs (owner/builder exemption)
The fine print: 8 caveats that can change the picture
  • Max size is lot-area dependent in residential districts: 1,000 sq ft only on lots greater than 40,000 sq ft; 800 sq ft otherwise, and always less than the principal dwelling's gross floor area
  • One ADU per lot, except lots in a Frequent Transit Area (per the Comprehensive Plan) may have two ADUs, of which only one may be attached; townhouse lots are limited to one ADU regardless
  • ADUs are not permitted on flag lots in residential districts (Sec. 2.6.3.D)
  • Detached ADU setbacks vary by lot area (side/rear 5 ft to 10 ft; side street 10 ft to 15 ft; alley 4 ft without parking, 20 ft with); height capped at 26 ft
  • A detached ADU must be separated at least 6 ft from any other building on the lot unless integrated into another building
  • The city FAQ lists DX among allowed districts, but the code tables list R-1, R-2, R-4, R-6, R-10 (2.6.3.F) and RX, OX, NX, CX (3.6.2.F); DX does not appear in either section's district list
  • Manufactured homes may serve as ADUs only if they meet roof-pitch, eave, wall-height, cladding, and skirting standards and do not exceed 600 sq ft
  • Short-term rental of an ADU requires a separate miscellaneous zoning permit under UDO 6.4.6.E

Summarized from Raleigh'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? Raleigh regulates short-term rentals separately; check these before counting on nightly rental income.

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