Navigating Legal Requirements for ADUs
Depending on where you live, your ADU will need to comply with size regulations, zoning laws, other building code specifics and more. Some areas allow you to have multiple ADUs on a lot, some places allow only one or none at all.
So, how can you find out what the ADU legal requirements are in your area?
Step 1: Turn to the Internet.
Where else? You’re already here.
- Start with your local city or county’s official .gov website. Within a section like the housing department or planning division there may be information about the ADU rules and regulations. Especially in ADU-friendly states like California, some cities have all the information handy and laid out for you on a specific web page, or a downloadable ADU guide or fact sheet.
- Get further into the specifics by looking at the official municipal code. It can get weedy, but hey, some people like this kind of thing. Searching for your city and keywords like “official municipal code” and “accessory dwelling units” can get you to the official laws around ADUs in your area as your legislators wrote them.
- A lot of ADU construction companies publish guides to the ADU requirements in different cities on their websites. These articles can be helpful to start with or use as a framework but often aren’t completely accurate, up-to-date, or comprehensive.
Step 2: Call or Visit Your City’s Housing Department
In most areas, you’ll need to get a building permit in order to build an ADU in your backyard. The office that deals with these permits will also have people there who can walk you through your area’s specific ADU requirements or direct you to the most up-to-date information.
Even if you prefer to just search online, it’s worth giving this office a call to double-check that the information available online is up-to-date, because the laws around ADUs are changing fast.
Step 3 (Optional): Hire a Builder to Figure All This Out for You
Depending on your budget and priorities, it might be worth it to outsource this process. Many ADU builders are willing to sort out the rules and regulations in your area, submit building permit applications, and do other logistical legwork in the service of building your ADU.
Once you’ve learned the legal requirements for building an ADU where you live, it’ll be time to start the most exciting process - designing your dream backyard cottage!
