Rockville, MD Accessory Structures: ADU Owner Occupancy (2026)
Key Facts
- Certification
- Annual, on Division of Inspection Services form
- Must disclose
- Owner's residence and any rental status
- Inspections
- At least annual, apartment and main dwelling
- Fees
- Owner pays certification fees
Summary
Owners of a Rockville one-family home with an accessory-apartment special exception must certify annually where they live and whether any part of the house is rented.
301.2.6 Accessory apartments. The owner of a one-family dwelling in which there is an accessory apartment for which a special exception has been granted must: (a) Certify annually on a form provided by the Division of Inspection Services: (i) where the owner of the dwelling resides; and (ii) whether or not any portion of the structure ... is rented. (b) Permit periodic inspections by the Division of Inspection Services of both the accessory apartment and the main dwelling.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 5-287 amends IPMC § 301.2.6 to require the owner of a one-family dwelling with an accessory-apartment special exception to certify annually, on a Division of Inspection Services form, where the owner resides and whether any portion of the structure is rented. The owner must also allow periodic inspections of both the accessory apartment and the main dwelling, the Division inspects every such property at least once a year, and pay any certification fees the City imposes. The rule enforces the owner-occupancy condition attached to the special exception rather than creating it; the exception itself comes from a separate zoning approval.
Violations & Fines
Failing to file the annual owner-occupancy certification or refusing the Division's inspection breaches the special exception's conditions under § 5-287 (IPMC § 301.2.6), exposing the property to municipal-infraction enforcement and possible loss of the exception.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rockville require the owner to live in a house with an accessory apartment?
Who inspects Rockville accessory apartments?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockville
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