Tazewell County, IL Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 157.055(H), Accessory Dwellings
- Rental rule
- No rental to non-family members
- Ownership link
- Same owner as principal dwelling, § 157.055(C)
- 911 address
- Required for every accessory dwelling
- Penalty
- Up to $500 per week, § 157.999(B)
Summary
Tazewell County's accessory dwelling standards flatly bar renting the unit to anyone outside the family: Section 157.055(H) states the accessory dwelling shall not be used for rental property for non-family members. The unit can be occupied by relatives but cannot be leased on the open market.
An accessory dwelling shall be permitted in any residential and agriculture district in accordance with the following requirements: ... (G) An accessory dwelling may be located in an unattached garage for the residents of the principal dwelling. (H) The accessory dwelling shall not be used for rental property for non-family members; and (I) A 911 address shall be obtained for the accessory dwelling.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-7: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. LU-21-12, passed 9-29-2021; and Res. LU-26-09, passed 7-29-2026).
Full Breakdown
055 lists nine conditions an accessory dwelling must meet in a residential or agriculture district, and clause (H) is a direct rental prohibition: the accessory dwelling shall not be used for rental property for non-family members. 055 keeps the accessory unit tied to the same household rather than functioning as an independent rental. The unit can still be occupied by family members of the owner, and it can sit inside the principal home, in an unattached garage (G), or as a stand-alone structure, but in every configuration it stays off the residential rental market.
Every accessory dwelling also has to have its own 911 address for emergency response (I), a floor area between 350 and 800 square feet capped at half the principal dwelling's floor area (E), and it must share the principal dwelling's driveway (D). The rental bar was part of the accessory dwelling standards adopted by Ordinance LU-17-14 in 2017, later amended by Ordinance LU-21-02 in 2021, and it applies regardless of how the unit is built or where it sits on the lot.
Violations & Fines
Leasing an accessory dwelling to a non-family tenant violates Section 157.055(H) and is treated as a petty offense under the chapter's general penalty, Section 157.999(B): a fine of up to $500 per offense, with each week the violation continues counted as a separate offense, and the county may also pursue an abatement action in circuit court under Section 157.999(C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent out my accessory dwelling unit to a tenant in unincorporated Tazewell County?
Can a relative live in my accessory dwelling rent-free?
What happens if I get caught renting my ADU to a non-family tenant?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tazewell County
Compare Tazewell County to another location·View the Illinois accessory structures overview
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