Austin processes ADU applications under the HOME Initiative amendments (Ordinance 20231207-001 and 20240516-002) to Land Development Code Chapter 25-2. ADUs are permitted by right on SF-1, SF-2, and SF-3 lots of at least 2,500 sq ft. The pathway is administrative: no zoning case or board hearing for code-compliant designs. Applications go through the Development Services Department Residential Permit team with a target review time of about 30 business days.
Austin's HOME (Home Options for Middle-Income Empowerment) Initiative reshaped ADU permitting in two phases. Phase 1 (Ordinance 20231207-001, effective December 2023) allows up to three housing units per SF-1, SF-2, or SF-3 lot, eliminates the primary-vs-secondary use distinction, and removes occupancy limits on unrelated adults. Phase 2 (Ordinance 20240516-002, effective May 2024) drops the minimum lot size for a small-lot residential to 1,800 sq ft and broadens the ministerial pathway. ADU plan review happens at Development Services (DSD) on the Residential Permit track. The standard package includes site plan, floor plans, elevations, energy code compliance (Austin Energy Green Building or 2021 IECC), and drainage information per the March 2025 small-site drainage ordinance. McMansion impervious-cover and FAR limits in LDC 25-2 Subchapter F still apply. ADUs may share utilities with the main house or have separate meters. ETJ properties follow Travis County rules instead.
Building an ADU without a permit is a Class C misdemeanor under LDC 25-1-451 with fines of up to $2,000 per day. Austin Code typically issues a Notice of Violation first, then escalates to Stop Work Order and Municipal Court citation. Unpermitted ADUs must either receive an after-the-fact permit (doubled fees) or be removed.
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See how Austin's adu permits rules stack up against other locations.
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