Bryan, TX Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Bryan, TX, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Permit
- Conditional use permit required citywide
- Size
- 400 to 1,000 square feet
- Units per lot
- One accessory dwelling unit maximum
- Renting/selling
- Cannot be rented, leased, or sold separately
- Midtown overlay
- No permit needed; up to 1,200 sq ft
Summary
Bryan allows one accessory dwelling unit per residential lot, but it requires a conditional use permit, caps size at 1,000 square feet, and bans renting or selling it separately from the main house.
Accessory dwelling units may be allowed by conditional use permit as an incidental residential use of a structure on the same lot as the main dwelling unit and used by the same person or persons of the immediate family, or servants employed on the premises, and meet the following standards:
a. Accessory dwelling units must be designed and constructed so that they are in keeping with the general architecture and building material of the main structure.
b. Manufactured homes are not permitted as accessory dwellings.
c. The accessory dwelling unit must be constructed to the rear of the main dwelling, separate from that upon which the main dwelling is constructed.
d. The accessory dwelling unit may be constructed only with the issuance of a building permit.
e. The accessory dwelling unit may not be sold separately from sale of the entire property, including the main dwelling unit, and shall not be rented or leased and may not be issued utility meters separate from the main structure.
f. The square footage of the accessory dwelling unit cannot exceed 1,000 square feet, nor be less than 400 square feet.
g. A minimum of one additional parking space shall be provided for each accessory dwelling unit located on the premises.
(2) Within the Midtown Pattern Overlay District—Cottage and Flex House (MP-CF), midtown accessory dwelling units do not require prior approval of a conditional use permit.
a. Intent and purpose.
1.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 31).
Full Breakdown
Citywide, Bryan's zoning ordinance treats an accessory dwelling unit as a conditional use: the property owner must obtain a conditional use permit before building one, and only one is allowed per lot. The unit must sit behind the main house, match its architecture, and run 400 to 1,000 square feet, no manufactured homes qualify. It cannot be sold apart from the main property, cannot be rented or leased, and cannot carry a separate utility meter. One extra parking space is required. The Midtown Pattern Overlay District carves out an exception: ADUs there skip the permit but must meet separate size, height, and parking rules.
Violations & Fines
Building or renting out an accessory dwelling unit without a conditional use permit, or leasing/selling it separately, is a zoning violation enforceable through Chapter 130's compliance and code enforcement process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build an accessory dwelling unit in Bryan without a permit?
Can I rent out a Bryan accessory dwelling unit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bryan
How Bryan compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Bryan to another location·View the Texas accessory structures overview
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