Scottsdale, AZ Accessory Structures: ADU Permits (2026)

Arizona HB 2720, codified at Ariz. Rev. Stat. Sec. 9-461.18, requires Scottsdale (population well above the 75,000 threshold) to allow accessory dwelling units by-right on lots zoned for single-family use. Scottsdale's City Council adopted Zoning Ordinance amendments in late 2024 to implement the state mandate. Lots are entitled to one detached ADU and one attached/internal ADU as a matter of right (two total); lots exceeding one acre may add a second detached unit (three total). Applicants submit through Scottsdale Planning & Development Services for building, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical permits, with work subject to the International Residential Code as adopted by Scottsdale with local amendments (confirm the current adopted edition with Plan Review). The state statute preempts most prior local restrictions including design-match requirements, additional parking demands, and outright short-term rental prohibitions for ADUs. Scottsdale's hillside and Environmentally Sensitive Lands Ordinance (ESLO) overlay areas - large parts of north Scottsdale - still apply slope, native-vegetation, grading, and view-corridor standards that significantly constrain detached ADU placement.