Volusia County, FL Accessory Structures: ADU Impact Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- Fee triggered by
- Independent water & sewer connections
- No fee if
- Utilities shared with principal dwelling
- No fee if
- Independent well & septic system
- ADU size cap
- 50% of principal dwelling living area
- ADU living area range (lots <1 acre)
- 240 to 1,200 sq ft
Summary
An accessory dwelling unit in unincorporated Volusia County can carry its own water, sewer, and electric meters, but Code of Ordinances § 72-277(e)(4) only triggers utility impact fees when the ADU has independent water and sewer connections: sharing the principal home's connections or running on a private well and septic avoids the charge.
Accessory dwelling units may have independent meter connections for water, sewer, and electric utilities from the principal detached single-family dwelling unit. Utility impact fees will not be charged if the accessory dwelling unit shares utility connections with the principal detached single-family dwelling unit or if the accessory dwelling unit shares or has an independent well and septic system. However, if the accessory dwelling unit has independent water and sewer connections, then impact fees on these utilities will be charged.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 108 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Section 72-277(e)(4) draws a specific line: an accessory dwelling unit may have independent meter connections for water, sewer, and electric utilities separate from the principal detached single-family dwelling, but impact fees attach only to independent water and sewer connections. If the ADU instead shares the principal dwelling's utility connections, or shares or has its own independent well and septic system, no impact fee is charged. That fee structure sits inside the county's broader ADU framework: units are permitted only in listed classifications under (e)(1), capped at 50 percent of the principal dwelling's living area with a 240-to-1,200-square-foot range on lots under an acre under (e)(2)a, and must meet the same setbacks as the principal dwelling under (e)(2)c. Because independent electric service alone doesn't trigger the fee, a homeowner who wants a separately metered ADU can avoid the water/sewer impact charge by keeping those two utilities tied to the main house's existing connections while still metering power independently.
Violations & Fines
Constructing an ADU with independent water and sewer connections without paying the required impact fees, or otherwise building outside § 72-277(e)'s standards, is enforced as a Code violation under § 1-7: fines up to $500.00, up to 60 days in jail, or both, with continuing violations counted daily, plus potential code enforcement board action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be charged a new impact fee for my accessory dwelling unit's water service?
Can I avoid ADU utility impact fees with a well and septic system?
Can an ADU have separate electric metering without triggering fees?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Volusia County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Volusia County to another location·View the Florida accessory structures overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.