City · Utah

ADU rules in Lindon

1 source

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

Detached accessory apartments are allowed, but only in conjunction with an owner-occupied single-family dwelling that was not approved as part of an R2 overlay project; they are prohibited on lots of 6,000 sq ft or less and in the areas shown on the Lindon City Accessory Apartment Map. Detached units carry extra height, setback, size, design, and utility requirements.

§17.46.100(2)(a), (3)
Attached or internal ADU
Conditional

Internal accessory apartments and apartments in garages or accessory buildings substantially attached to the main dwelling (by covered walkway, breezeway, or porch, within 18 feet) are allowed under the same conditions: owner-occupied single-family dwelling, lot larger than 6,000 sq ft, not in a map-prohibited area, and not part of an R2 overlay project. One accessory apartment maximum per dwelling.

§17.46.100(2)(a), (2)(b), (2)(g)
Maximum size
Detached: 1,500 sq ft or 40% of the primary dwelling, whichever is less; substantially attached (garage/accessory building): 60% of the primary dwelling footprint, max 1,200 sq ft; internal: no size restriction

Detached units must also be at least 300 sq ft and contain no more than 3 bedrooms; the detached cap counts livable floor area across both stories combined. The substantially attached cap applies to apartments in garages or accessory buildings connected by covered walkways, breezeways, or porches within 18 feet of the main dwelling.

§17.46.100(2)(d), (2)(g), (3)(c)
Owner occupancy
Required

Accessory apartments are allowed only in conjunction with an owner-occupied primary single-family dwelling. Owner occupant is defined as someone with 50% or more recorded ownership (or a qualifying family-trust trustor) occupying the dwelling as a primary residence; temporary absences up to 3 years (military, disability, job assignment, ecclesiastical service) do not break owner-occupied status.

§17.46.100(2)(a); §17.46.015
Extra parking
1 off-street stall for an internal ADU; 2 off-street stalls for a detached or substantially attached ADU (in addition to 2 stalls for the primary dwelling)

Garage or carport stalls used by the primary dwelling do not count toward the ADU stalls (or vice versa) unless the garage holds more than 2 vehicles with an accessible route to the apartment. Internal ADU parking may not be in the front setback; for detached units at most 1 designated stall may sit in the front yard setback, and tandem side-yard parking can qualify. Surfaces must be dustless and hard (asphalt, concrete, compacted gravel, masonry, or pavers), with a walkway from the apartment entrance to its stalls.

§17.46.100(2)(c)
Approval process
Permitted use

Approval runs through an accessory apartment building permit: the applicant submits a scaled site plan and detailed floor plans to the chief building official and pays fees per the city fee schedule. The section describes no conditional use permit, hearing, or discretionary review for accessory apartments; the city may record a notice under Utah Code 10-9a-530 when one is approved.

§17.46.100(2)(e), (4)
Rental restrictions
No separate sale or subdivision from the primary dwelling; short-term rental of an ADU requires a city business license and an owner-occupied primary dwelling

The ADU section bars selling or subdividing the apartment separately from the principal dwelling, parcel, or lot. Chapter 17.80 allows an accessory dwelling unit to operate as a short-term rental only when the primary dwelling is owner occupied, requires a business license under Title 5, and adds STR parking on top of the dwelling's required parking. No minimum lease term for long-term rentals was found in the ADU section.

§17.46.100(2)(i); §17.80.020; §17.80.030(4), (6)
The fine print: 6 caveats that can change the picture
  • Accessory apartments are prohibited on lots of 6,000 sq ft or less and in areas adopted on the Lindon City Accessory Apartment Map (calibrated to stay under the 25% of primarily residential areas that Utah Code 10-9a-530 lets cities exclude); the map itself is an image on file with the city, so parcel-level eligibility must be checked with Lindon
  • Not allowed with single-family dwellings approved as part of an R2 overlay project; maximum one accessory apartment per owner-occupied dwelling (§17.44.070 likewise caps R1 lots at one single-family dwelling plus one accessory apartment)
  • Detached units: max 2 stories and no taller than the primary dwelling or 30 feet; must sit at least 10 feet behind the street-facing facade of the house, except front-yard placement is allowed only on lots deeper than 250 feet with 60 feet of separation from the house; entrances may not face the street unless the unit is behind the house or qualifies for front-yard placement
  • Except for sewer, all utilities to a detached unit must run through the primary dwelling's service lines; separate meters or laterals need chief building official or public works director approval on hardship grounds
  • Detached units must be at least 300 sq ft and have no more than 3 bedrooms; second-story access stairs must be interior unless building code requires otherwise
  • A home with a second kitchen is not treated as having an accessory apartment unless permitted as one; second kitchens require a recorded affidavit that the space will not be used as an apartment (§17.46.110)

Summarized from Lindon'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.

Compare Lindon with 26 nearby cities

ADU regulations

Utah statewide law also applies

Utah sets baseline ADU rights at the state level. Where local rules are stricter than state law allows, state law usually wins, so both are worth reading.

See Utah statewide rules

Spotted something outdated?

Zoning codes change. If a link is dead or Lindon has updated its ordinance, report it and we'll verify against the official source.

Report a correction

Ready to build?

Planning an ADU in Lindon?

Tell us about your project and we'll match you with vetted local designers and builders as we bring them online. No cost, no obligation.