Bossier City, LA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Bossier City's Unified Development Code permits exactly one freestanding, single-family Accessory Dwelling Unit per lot under Section 5.6.2, but only as a discretionary Conditional Use approved through the public-hearing process of Section 3.3.2. The ADU must sit in the rear or side yard of an owner-occupied single-family home in the R-A Residence-Agriculture district, or in the rear yard only in the R-E, R-LD or R-MD districts, and only within the incorporated area of Bossier City; unincorporated Bossier Parish tracts follow separate parish rules. The code caps ADU size on a sliding scale tied to lot area: 800 square feet of heated area on lots up to 12,000 square feet, 1,200 square feet on lots between 12,001 and 25,000 square feet, 1,600 square feet on lots up to one acre, and up to half the primary home's heated area or 1,600 square feet, whichever is larger, on tracts over an acre.

Setbacks are strict: the ADU must sit at least 20 feet from the rear property line, at least 10 feet from the side line, and be separated from the primary dwelling by at least twice the required side yard setback. Crucially, the ordinance bars using an ADU as a rental: it must function strictly as a guest house, with occupancy by any one visitor limited to 30 consecutive days and no more than half of any twelve-month period. The Metropolitan Planning Commission's Executive Director enforces compliance, and Article 17 makes violation of any UDC provision a misdemeanor punishable by up to $500 and 30 days imprisonment per violation, with each day of continued violation counted as a separate offense.