Rutherford County, TN Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- ADU occupants
- Family members or invited guests only
- Non-family rental
- Needs BZA Special Exception, § 1101 Q.4.a.i
- Owner-occupancy
- Owner must also live on the property
- Entrance rule
- Can't face the right-of-way, § 1101 Q.2.b
- Enforcement
- Each day a separate offense, § 1410
Summary
Rutherford County won't let you rent an accessory dwelling unit to just anyone. Zoning Ordinance § 1101 Q.2.a requires the ADU to be occupied by the owner's family members, as the ordinance defines that term, or their invited guests, meaning open-market tenants are off the table in unincorporated areas.
2. Design and Occupancy Standards
a. The second unit must be occupied by family members as defined in Appendix A of this ordinance, or their invited guests.
Full Breakdown
1. a limits who can actually live in the second unit: family members as the ordinance defines that term, or their invited guests, not an open-market tenant. The ordinance's definitions section defines "family" as people related by blood, marriage or adoption unless the household is a small licensed group setting, such as up to eight unrelated mentally or physically impaired persons plus three house parents. 2 occupancy criteria can't be met, the applicant can seek a Special Exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals instead of a routine permit, though the ordinance leaves that decision to the Board's discretion.
c). a still applies on top of this, since the property owner must live in the principal structure or the ADU regardless of who occupies the other unit.
Violations & Fines
Leasing an ADU to someone who isn't a family member or invited guest, without a Board of Zoning Appeals Special Exception, violates the occupancy standard in § 1101 Q.2.a. Under § 1410, a complaint goes to the Director of Building Codes, each day the unauthorized rental continues is a separate offense, and the county can pursue an injunction or ask utilities to withhold service until the use is corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent my Rutherford County ADU on Airbnb or to a stranger?
Is there any way to rent an ADU to someone who isn't family?
Who counts as "family" for this rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rutherford County
Compare Rutherford County to another location·View the Tennessee accessory structures overview
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