Compare ADU rules across Utah

In the TR-10,000, CR-20,000, CR-40,000 and CE-5 zones an ADU is a permitted use. The owner gets an Accessory Dwelling Unit permit from the Building Department, plus a building permit for any construction, and renews the ADU registration every year (the city's October 2026 application lists a $101 registration and inspection fee). In the CE-50 zone ADUs are a conditional use. Detached ADUs are limited to zones where a single-family home is itself a permitted use, which excludes CE-50, where a single-family home is a conditional use. Utah Code 10-21-304(3)(a) bars a conditional use permit for a detached ADU in a primarily residential zone.

Ordinance read October 2026

Ord. 2026-09-21 (adopted 9-22-2026) created Sec 17.5.136, which permits a detached ADU on any lot or parcel that contains at least 11,000 square feet, contains a detached single-family dwelling, and is located where the single-family dwelling is a permitted use. The section also states that nothing in it authorizes a detached ADU on a lot smaller than 11,000 square feet, so smaller lots still cannot have one. The owner of a legally constructed accessory structure may apply to convert it to a detached ADU if it meets setback and building, health, and fire codes. The ordinance implements Utah Code 10-21-304 (in force 10-1-2026), which requires cities like American Fork to permit detached ADUs on single-family lots of 11,000 square feet or larger. The older Sec 17.5.106 (living and sleeping quarters not permitted in any accessory building) remains in the code; it continues to govern ordinary accessory buildings that are not detached ADUs.

Ordinance read October 2026

Owner occupancy is tied to rental, not creation: renting an IADU is not allowed "if the IADU is in a primary dwelling that is not occupied as the owner's primary residence" (§03-230.C.8), and renting a DADU is not allowed "if the primary dwelling is not occupied as the owner's primary residence" (§03-230.D.9). No owner-occupancy requirement is stated for an ADU housing the owner's relatives, domestic help, or house guests. Utah Code 10-21-303(3)(j) expressly permits this rental condition for internal ADUs.

Ordinance read October 2026

Chapter 19.75 still lists detached ADUs as conditional uses in the R-1 (single-family), RR-1 (rural residential) and F-1 (foothill residential) zones, approved by the Planning Commission after a public hearing (§19.75.030: "Detached ADUs may be allowed as conditional uses"). Since October 1, 2026, Utah Code 10-21-304 requires Cottonwood Heights (population 34,238, a third-class city and so a "specified municipality") to adopt rules permitting a detached ADU on any single-family lot of 11,000 sq ft or more, but the statute directs the city to adopt that rule rather than granting the right itself, and the city had not amended its code as of October 21, 2026. A city-initiated amendment (ZTA-26-004) that would make detached ADUs a permitted use went to a Planning Commission public hearing on October 21, 2026 and still needs City Council adoption. Today a detached ADU must be a permanent structure in the rear yard, at least 6 feet from the house, and meet the zone's accessory building standards.

Ordinance read October 2026

Internal ADUs are permitted uses that still require an ADU application, fees, inspection, affidavit, any building permits and annual renewal (§19.75.040(A)). Detached ADUs remain conditional uses requiring Planning Commission approval after a public hearing (§19.75.040(B)); the city's ADU page lists a $1,100 conditional use permit fee on top of the $100 ADU license. Utah Code 10-21-304(3)(a), in force since October 1, 2026, bars a conditional use permit for a detached ADU in a primarily residential zone, and the pending amendment ZTA-26-004 would make both types permitted uses, but until the City Council adopts it the codified conditional use process is the city's written rule.

Ordinance read October 2026

An accessory dwelling unit may be built in a permanent accessory building on the same lot as an owner-occupied single-family home (§10-12-29(A)(2), (B)(1)), and §10-12-6 allows living quarters in an accessory building only as such a unit. Every residential zone (R-1-15,000, R-1-20,000, R-1-12,000, RR-1, R&L-1-20,000, HR-1, CE-2, CE-3) lists accessory units only as a conditional use, and they are expressly not permitted in the Senior Housing Overlay Zone. Code Amendment 26-4, adopted April 28, 2026, renamed accessory apartments "accessory dwelling units" and requires a unit in an accessory building to have at least one bathroom, a kitchen area, and a separate sleeping area. The state detached-ADU mandate in Utah Code 10-21-304 (in force since October 1, 2026) does not reach Elk Ridge. It binds only a fifth-class city with "a population of 5,000 or more" (10-21-101(25)(b)), and the Utah Population Committee estimated Elk Ridge at 4,848 residents on July 1, 2025.

Ordinance read October 2026

An accessory dwelling unit inside a single-family home (a portion of the dwelling with its own cooking, sleeping and sanitary facilities, per the §10-2-2 definition) must meet the §10-12-29 standards. The city lists it only as a conditional use in every residential zone (for example §10-7A-3). State law overrides that listing for an internal unit, meaning one created within the footprint of the house: Utah Code 10-21-303(1)(a) provides that "the use of an internal accessory dwelling unit is a permitted use" in any area zoned primarily for residential use, and subsection (3) is a closed list of the conditions a city may still impose. An addition that enlarges the house's footprint is not an internal unit and stays under the local conditional-use rule. A home may have only one accessory unit, either inside the house or in an accessory building, never both (§10-12-29(C)(3)).

Ordinance read October 2026

Under the local code, every residential zone lists accessory units as a conditional use (for example §10-7A-3), handled under §10-12-33. Under §10-12-29(B)(1) city administration may approve them after an application and a finding of conformance. The city's Conditional Use Application form states "Conditional Use Permits are approved/denied by city administration" and requires notice to owners within 300 feet (§10-12-37). In the CE-3 zone, conditional uses need Planning Commission and City Council approval (§10-9C-6-2). The October 13, 2026 fee schedule lists an accessory apartment permit at a $400 fixed fee plus a $30 annual renewal. An internal unit (within the house's footprint) is different: Utah Code 10-21-303(1)(a) makes it a permitted use in primarily residential areas, so the city's conditional-use listing cannot lawfully apply to it. The 10-21-304 bar on conditional use permits for detached units does not reach Elk Ridge, which is below the 5,000-resident threshold.

Ordinance read October 2026

Since Ord. 2026-16 (adopted and effective September 21, 2026), "Detached accessory dwelling units are permitted on any lot or parcel that is eleven thousand (11,000) square feet or larger and contains a single-family dwelling, if the single-family dwelling is a permitted use on the lot or parcel," which tracks Utah Code 10-21-304. The unit must still go with an owner-occupied single-family dwelling that was not approved as part of an R2 overlay project, and only one accessory dwelling unit is allowed per dwelling. The 6,000 sq ft lot floor and the Accessory Dwelling Unit Map exclusions now apply to internal units only, so detached units on qualifying lots in the AFPD, R3 and Planned Residential Development overlay areas are no longer excluded by the map. The code does not authorize detached units on lots under 11,000 sq ft (city staff described 11,000 sq ft as the new minimum lot size, down from 12,000), and a legally built accessory structure may be converted into a detached unit with a building permit.

Ordinance read October 2026

Internal accessory dwelling units (within the footprint of the house) are allowed with an owner-occupied single-family dwelling not approved as part of an R2 overlay project, but "Internal accessory dwelling units are prohibited on lots or parcels six thousand (6,000) square feet or less and in the areas adopted on the Lindon City Accessory Dwelling Unit Map"; some mapped-area lots with final plat approval dated on or after October 1, 2021 may be allowed. A unit may also go in a new or existing garage or accessory building substantially attached to the house by a covered walkway, breezeway or porch within 18 feet of the house. The amended code ties the lot-size and map rules to internal units by name and states no separate lot rule for these substantially attached units, so confirm eligibility with the city. One accessory dwelling unit maximum per dwelling.

Ordinance read October 2026

An accessory apartment may be permitted in a detached building only on a lot of at least 11,000 square feet (about a quarter acre). Ordinance 2026-09, adopted June 3, 2026, cut that threshold from 21,780 square feet (half an acre) to match Utah's new detached-ADU statute. The front wall of the detached structure must sit at least 10 feet behind the front wall of the primary dwelling, and the structure must also meet the city's accessory-building standards in section 18.84.230, which cap accessory buildings at 20 percent of the rear yard, require at least 3-foot side and rear setbacks below 15 feet of height, and set maximum heights that rise with lot size. Unlike the internal-unit subsection, the detached subsection does not list eligible zones.

Ordinance read October 2026

Since Ordinance O-2026-0025 (adopted September 22, 2026), detached accessory dwelling units are a permitted use: they "shall be allowed only on properties where a single-family dwelling is permitted by zoning, and which are a minimum of eleven thousand (11,000) square feet in area" and "shall not be allowed in Planned Residential Development (PRD) Zones" (§22-6-11(D)). Existing accessory structures such as detached garages may be converted if the location, setback, size, parking, and height rules are met. The use table as amended by O-2026-0027 (October 13, 2026) also marks accessory dwelling units "N" in the R5 and OS5/ROS zones, and several planned-development zones and the Affordable Senior Housing overlay prohibit them. This implements Utah Code 10-21-304 (in force October 1, 2026), which requires cities like Orem to permit a detached unit on any lot of 11,000 square feet or more containing a single-family dwelling. Only one accessory dwelling unit of any kind is allowed per lot.

Ordinance read October 2026

Interior accessory dwelling units are a permitted use but "shall be allowed only in owner-occupied detached single-family dwellings and in such other dwellings as may be specifically designated by ordinance but shall not be allowed in any R5 zone or PRD zone" (§22-6-11(C)). The unit "must be located within the footprint of the primary dwelling"; space connected only by a breezeway or similar structure does not count. Several planned-development zones (for example PD-17, PD-19, PD-20, PD-43) and the Affordable Senior Housing overlay also prohibit accessory dwelling units. A lot may have only one accessory dwelling unit of either kind.

Ordinance read October 2026

Park City now has two detached paths, each with a lot-size floor. A detached Accessory Apartment under 15-4-7 needs a lot of at least 3,750 sq ft ("Detached Accessory Apartments are allowed on Lots 3,750 square feet or greater"), single-family setbacks, compliance with the plat's Area and Limits of Disturbance, and a height of no more than 18 feet from Existing Grade; it can also be created within a detached garage. Section 15-4-7.2, enacted by Ord. 2026-21 on 10/1/2026 to implement state Senate Bill 284 (Utah Code 10-21-304), adds a separate Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit: "One Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit may be constructed on a Lot that is 11,000 square feet or greater that contains one Single-Family Dwelling," in any zoning district where a single-family dwelling is an allowed use. A Detached ADU is also capped at 18 feet, must follow zoning, disturbance and recorded-plat restrictions, cannot sit in the front yard, and needs proof of adequate utility capacity. Detached Accessory Apartments are barred in the Holiday Ranchettes Subdivision and Accessory Apartments of any form on Main Street area storefront property in HRC and HCB; those footnotes do not mention the new Detached ADU, so check with the Planning Department there.

Ordinance read October 2026

It depends on which ADU type you build. For an Internal ADU, "The Single-Family Dwelling shall be occupied by the Owner and the Internal Accessory Dwelling Unit shall not be sold separately." For a Detached ADU under the new 15-4-7.2, "The Single-Family Dwelling or Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit shall be occupied by the Owner, and the Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit shall not be sold separately," so the owner may live in either building. Both recorded deed restrictions repeat that "only one (1) unit on the Property may be rented; the other must be occupied by the Owner." Section 15-4-7 states no owner-occupancy requirement for Accessory Apartments (the city removed it in 2021); its deed restriction simply runs with the land. Utah Code 10-21-303(3)(j) and 10-21-304(4)(c) are what let the city attach owner occupancy to internal and detached units.

Ordinance read October 2026

An accessory apartment may sit in a detached accessory structure associated with a single-family dwelling, including a tiny home on a permanent site-built foundation, but only in the A-1, R-R, R-1, RM-7, DV and Grove mixed housing zones, only on an owner-occupied single-family lot, and only where the lot can supply the required off-street parking. The city sets no minimum lot size for one, and in the R-1 zone a detached accessory structure may not exceed the height of the house or 25 feet, whichever is more restrictive. Utah Code 10-21-304, in force since October 1, 2026, requires a specified municipality such as Pleasant Grove to permit a detached accessory dwelling unit on any lot of 11,000 square feet or larger holding a single-family dwelling where single-family is a permitted use, without a conditional use permit in a primarily residential zone. Pleasant Grove's existing rule already allows detached units on smaller lots too; its only alignment change so far is the parking rewrite in Ordinance 2026-030 (adopted October 6, 2026).

Ordinance read October 2026

A unit within or attached to a single-family residential building (over the garage, in the basement, or in an addition) is allowed in the A-1, R-R, R-1, RM-7, DV and Grove mixed housing zones; no accessory apartment may be in any multi-family dwelling, and the lot must satisfy the parking requirement. Utah Code 10-21-303(1)(a) independently makes an internal accessory dwelling unit a permitted use in any area zoned primarily for residential use, and Pleasant Grove's zone list covers every primarily residential district, so the two rules line up. Whether a structure counts as attached is now set by the section 10-6-2 definition of "Building, Attached" as rewritten by Ordinance 2026-015 (April 14, 2026) and now in the published code: "A structure physically joined to another structure or building by a common wall or floor to ceiling assembly to become one (1) continuous structure or building, not including breezeways greater than six feet (6') in length." A separate building merely sitting within six feet of the house no longer counts as attached, so it is held to the accessory-structure rules.

Ordinance read October 2026

A detached ADU is allowed, either as a detached accessory structure or inside one, sited in the rear and/or side yard. What limits it is the zone, not the ADU type: ADU use is a permitted use only in areas zoned primarily for residential use (RA, R1, R2, LDR, MDR, HDR, CMU, VLDR, RM, RC, any Project Redevelopment Option zone, and Specific Development Plan Overlay zones 2 through 5), and Section 14.30.020 then prohibits ADUs in all PRO zones, in R2 zones with a Performance Development Overlay (R2PD), and in areas designated RM, R16, R17, R18, R19 or R110, except where an in-code map shows an exception. West of Interstate 15, ADUs are permitted everywhere zoned primarily for residential use except SDP-5 and R2PD. Those zone prohibitions now conflict with state law: since October 1, 2026, Utah Code 10-21-304(1)(a) says a city like Provo "shall adopt a land use regulation that permits a detached accessory dwelling unit on any lot or parcel that is 11,000 square feet or larger and contains a single-family dwelling, if the single-family dwelling is a permitted use on the lot or parcel." Provo has not yet adopted that regulation; a Council-sponsored amendment (PLOTA20260551) adding detached ADUs on such lots in the otherwise prohibited areas was heard by the Planning Commission on October 14, 2026 and noticed for the Municipal Council on November 3, 2026, so check with Development Services before relying on a zone prohibition for a lot of 11,000 square feet or more. Provo publishes the eligible area as an "ADU Overlay" on its Zoning Interactive Map, which is the practical way to check one address.

Ordinance read October 2026

Internal ADUs (inside the house, including a basement conversion), ADUs in an addition, and ADUs over an attached garage are all allowed, but only in conjunction with a one-family detached dwelling. They face exactly the same zone-eligibility test as detached ADUs: permitted in the zones listed in 14.30.010(3), then carved back by the 14.30.020 prohibitions covering all PRO zones, R2PD, and the mapped RM/R16 through R110 areas. An addition may not alter the one-family character of the building, and only one front entrance may be visible from the front yard.

Ordinance read October 2026

Owner (or blood/marriage/adoption relative of a deeded owner, or family-trust trustor) must reside on the property, but owner occupancy is NOT required when the principal use is a duplex, multi-family dwelling, or non-residential use; temporary absences up to 3 years (military, job assignment, medical care) are also excepted. An owner-occupancy statement goes into a recorded restrictive covenant.

Ordinance read October 2026

Detached ADUs are a permitted use, but only on single-family home lots of 7,000 sq ft or more in areas zoned primarily for residential use (R, A, Forestry, PC zones); in the PC zone the minimum drops to 6,000 sq ft if the county has approved design standards. Not permitted in townhomes, multi-family PUDs, or other attached unit types, or on lots that cannot satisfy parking, setback, or lot coverage requirements. Utah's detached-ADU mandate that took effect October 1, 2026 (Utah Code 10-21-304, an 11,000 sq ft lot floor) binds cities only; the county code for counties (Title 17, Chapter 80) has no detached-ADU section, so the county's own 7,000 sq ft rule governs here.

Ordinance read October 2026

The code recognizes internal ADUs (IADUs) rather than attached additions: an IADU must be created within the primary dwelling and within its footprint at the time the unit is created (a garage counts if habitable and sharing a common wall). IADUs are a permitted use on single-family lots of 6,000 sq ft or more in residential zones (R, A, Forestry, PC). No category exists for an ADU added onto the house outside the existing footprint. State law makes an internal ADU a permitted use in any area zoned primarily for residential use and lets a county bar them only on lots of 6,000 sq ft or less (Utah Code 17-80-303(1), (3)(h)).

Ordinance read October 2026

Since Ordinance 26-55 (adopted September 15, 2026, effective on publication September 21, 2026) Sandy allows a detached ADU on a lot of at least 11,000 square feet in its single-family residential zones; before that, detached units were prohibited. The unit must sit in the rear or side yard behind the front plane of the house (a front-yard location is possible on lots of 40,000 square feet or more that meet the house's setbacks), on a permanent foundation, and at least 6 feet from the house. In the R-2-10, R-2-8, RM and PUD zones ADUs are allowed only within detached single-family developments, and they are not allowed in the MH zone. Legal accessory structures built before October 1, 2026 (garage, shed, workshop) can be converted if they meet the same standards.

Ordinance read October 2026

Syracuse's code expressly allows detached ADUs, but only in the A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, and RPC zones, only on a lot with an existing (or concurrently built) single-family dwelling, only on lots of at least 10,000 square feet, and only with a minor conditional use permit. State law now goes further: since October 1, 2026, Utah Code 10-21-304(1)(a) says a specified municipality such as Syracuse "A specified municipality shall adopt a land use regulation that permits a detached accessory dwelling unit on any lot or parcel that is 11,000 square feet or larger and contains a single-family dwelling, if the single-family dwelling is a permitted use on the lot or parcel", and 304(3)(a) bars requiring a conditional use permit for a detached ADU in a primarily residential zone. As of October 21, 2026 the city had not amended its ADU section to match (no Planning Commission hearing or Council ordinance on ADUs since June 2026), so the local zone list and permit step are still the text on the books, but a homeowner on an 11,000+ sq ft single-family lot outside the listed zones (for example R-4) can point to the statute.

Ordinance read October 2026

Internal (basement or attic) and attached ADUs are expressly allowed, but only in the A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, and RPC zones on single-family lots meeting the underlying zone's minimum lot size, and the code requires a minor conditional use permit. For internal ADUs, Utah Code 10-21-303(1)(a) makes the use "a permitted use" in any area zoned primarily for residential use, and a city may prohibit one only on the grounds the statute lists (for example a lot of 6,000 sq ft or less), so the local zone list and permit requirement are narrower than state law allows for units built inside the house. Attached additions built outside the house's existing footprint are not internal ADUs under Utah Code 10-21-101(16), which requires a unit created "within the footprint of the primary dwelling", so they remain governed by the local rules.

Ordinance read October 2026

The code requires a minor conditional use permit for every ADU. Minor conditional uses are decided administratively by the Community Development Department as Land Use Authority (no public hearing), and a denial can be appealed to the Planning Commission; a building permit and a certificate of final occupancy are also required before the ADU may be occupied. State law now limits this step: Utah Code 10-21-304(3)(a) says the city's detached-ADU regulation may not "require a conditional use permit for a detached accessory dwelling unit if the proposed detached accessory dwelling unit is located in a primarily residential zone" (effective October 1, 2026), and 10-21-303(1)(a) already makes an internal ADU a permitted use in residential areas. The city had not amended its code to match as of October 21, 2026.

Ordinance read October 2026

Detached ADUs are now allowed. Ord. 515-26 (adopted September 15, 2026) replaced Chapter 17.82 and repealed the old rule that barred any detached accessory structure from being used as a dwelling. A detached ADU is a permitted use in any zone that allows single-family homes as a permitted use, but §17.82.050.C sets a floor: "The minimum lot size required for a detached ADU in all single-family residential zones shall be eleven thousand (11,000) square feet." It may not sit in the front yard, must meet zone-specific setbacks (30 ft rear in A-1 and R-1-22, 20 ft rear in R-1-10, 10 ft side, 20 ft street side, 8 ft from the house), may not use a septic system, and an existing accessory building permitted on or before October 1, 2026 may be converted only if it was legally built and meets those setbacks.

Ordinance read October 2026

Detached ADUs (DADUs) are permitted only on platted lots of 10,000 square feet or larger in the R-1, RR, RE, PC, LSFR and VLSFR zones, although the residential use table's footnote narrows the R-1 entry to the R-1-10, R-1-12 and R-1-14 subzones. They are also allowed on parcels or platted lots of 10,000 square feet or more in the A-1, A-5 and A-20 agricultural zones, on detached single-family lots in the HO zone, and in the PCH hillside zone only above a garage on a lot the subdivision plat designates for an ADU. Each DADU needs a permanent foundation, a footprint smaller than the house, a 20-foot height cap, and Design Review Committee approval of its design and materials. Utah Code 10-21-304, in force since 10-1-2026, requires West Jordan (a first-class city) to adopt a regulation permitting a detached ADU on any lot of 11,000 square feet or more that holds a permitted single-family home; the city had not amended its code as of 10-21-2026, so lots in zones such as R-2, R-3 and PRD remain excluded on paper.

Ordinance read October 2026

Owner occupancy is not an absolute prerequisite, but it controls how the property may be rented: if the owner of record lives in either the house or the ADU as a primary residence, the other unit may be rented out. If the owner lives in neither, the owner may rent the house and ADU together as a single unit or rent only one of them, but may not rent both separately at the same time. These options are stated as subject to Utah Code 10-21-303, and renting either unit requires a business license.

Ordinance read October 2026