Lincoln, NE Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Districts allowed
- R-1 through R-4 residential districts
- Owner-occupancy
- Owner must live on property
- Deed restriction
- ADU cannot be sold separately
- Size cap
- 800 sq ft or 40% of main building
- Short-term rental limit
- Only one short-term rental per lot
Summary
Lincoln requires accessory dwelling unit owners to live on-site, bars selling the ADU apart from the main house via deed restriction, and caps short-term rental use to one unit per lot.
The owner of the lot ... is required to reside on the property in either the main building or the accessory dwelling ... The property shall be subject to a deed restriction stating that the accessory dwelling shall not be sold separate from the main building ... An accessory dwelling may be used as a short-term rental if conditions (1) through (4) are met, provided it is the only short-term rental on the premises.
Full Breakdown
Lincoln's zoning code allows an accessory dwelling unit alongside a single-family home in the R-1 through R-4 districts, but attaches ownership and rental strings: the lot owner, or controlling beneficiary of any entity that owns it, must live in either the main house or the accessory dwelling, and the property carries a deed restriction barring the ADU from being sold apart from the main building. If the ADU is rented as a short-term rental, it must be the only short-term rental on the premises, and the operator still needs the Chapter 5.39 license. The ADU is capped at 800 square feet or 40% of the main building's floor area, whichever is smaller, plus one bedroom.
Violations & Fines
Occupying or renting an ADU without the recorded deed restriction, without owner residency on the lot, or running it as a second short-term rental on the premises violates the conditional-use approval and draws zoning enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell my house without the accessory dwelling in Lincoln?
Can I rent out my ADU as an Airbnb in Lincoln?
Does the property owner have to live in the ADU or the main house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lincoln
Compare Lincoln to another location·View the Nebraska accessory structures overview
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