City · Utah
ADU rules in Syracuse
These are the primary sources for accessory dwelling unit regulations in Syracuse: 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 ADUs are expressly allowed, but only in the A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, and RPC residential zones, only on a lot with an existing (or concurrently built) single-family dwelling, and only on lots of at least 10,000 square feet; a minor conditional use permit is required.
SMC §10.30.020(E)(1), (E)(6), (E)(7)(c), (E)(21)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 a minor conditional use permit is required.
SMC §10.30.020(E)(1), (E)(7)(a)-(b), (E)(21)Internal and attached ADUs may not exceed 50 percent of the gross square footage of the principal dwelling; detached ADUs may not exceed the footprint of the main dwelling or 1,500 square feet of gross living area, whichever is smaller. Minimum size is whatever the adopted building code requires.
SMC §10.30.020(E)(15)An owner occupant must live on the property, in either the principal dwelling or the ADU, and a deed restriction recording that requirement must be filed with the county recorder before a building permit issues. Exceptions: a bona fide temporary absence of three years or less (military service, temporary job assignment, sabbatical, voluntary service) or the owner's placement in a hospital, nursing home, or assisted living facility.
SMC §10.30.020(E)(2)-(3)The ADU's parking must be on site, off street, and independent of the primary household's parking. Tandem parking is not allowed for the one-space (studio or single bedroom) case but is allowed for the two-space (two or more bedroom) case.
SMC §10.30.020(E)(18)A minor conditional use permit is required for every ADU. Minor conditional uses are decided administratively by the Community Development Department (no public hearing); 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.
SMC §10.30.020(E)(21)-(23); §10.20.080Neither the principal dwelling nor the ADU may be used for nightly or weekly rental. The ADU may not be sold or subdivided separately from the principal dwelling, and its occupants may not exceed one family as defined in the code.
SMC §10.30.020(E)(11), (E)(16)-(17)The fine print: 8 caveats that can change the picture
- ADUs are allowed only in the A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, and RPC zones; the R-4 residential zone and all other zones are not on the list (§10.30.020(E)(1))
- Detached ADUs require a minimum lot of 10,000 sq ft; internal and attached ADUs need only the underlying zone's minimum lot size (§10.30.020(E)(7))
- One ADU per single-family lot, and a single-family dwelling must exist on the lot or be built together with the ADU (§10.30.020(E)(4), (E)(6))
- An owner-occupancy deed restriction approved by the City Attorney must be recorded with the county before the ADU building permit issues, and it runs with the land until the ADU is discontinued (§10.30.020(E)(3))
- Separate utility connections are prohibited for internal ADUs, and the owner is charged for two City utility connections regardless of shared connection (§10.30.020(E)(9))
- New street-facing entrances are restricted: an ADU entrance added to a street-facing facade must sit at least 20 feet behind the front facade of the principal dwelling (§10.30.020(E)(19))
- Detached ADU height and setbacks follow the accessory building standards of §10.30.020(F), and new detached construction must meet fire separation requirements (§10.30.020(E)(5)(b), (E)(20))
- Home occupations inside an ADU are limited to businesses with no client visits (§10.30.020(E)(12))
Summarized from Syracuse'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.
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.
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