Catoosa County, GA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Catoosa County, GA, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Units per lot
- One freestanding accessory dwelling per lot
- Size cap
- 40 percent of principal dwelling's floor area
- Bedrooms
- No more than two bedrooms
- Location
- Rear yard only
- Wait period
- Principal home must be complete three years first
- Parking
- One extra off-street parking space required
Summary
Unincorporated Catoosa County allows one freestanding accessory dwelling per lot in single-family detached residential districts, but only under tight numeric limits. The Unified Development Code caps the unit at 40 percent of the main home's floor area and two bedrooms, restricts it to the rear yard, and requires the principal dwelling to have stood finished for at least three years first.
4)Freestanding accessory dwellings, excluding tenant dwellings, are allowed in single-family detached residential zoning districts in accordance with the following requirements:a.There shall be no more than one accessory dwelling per lot on any residentially zoned property; ... d.The size of the accessory dwelling shall be no more than 40 percent of the habitable floor area of the principal dwelling and shall not exceed the height of the principal dwelling.e.The accessory dwelling shall be located only within the rear yard; ... g.One additional off-street parking space shall be provided to serve the accessory dwelling;h.The accessory dwelling may be placed on a property only when the principal dwelling has been completed for at least three years;
Full Breakdown
Section 5.02.03(B)(4) of the Unified Development Code sets the standards for a freestanding accessory dwelling on residentially zoned property, separate from the tenant-dwelling and guesthouse rules that apply only in the A-1 agricultural district. Only one accessory dwelling is allowed per lot, and it cannot be a manufactured home, though it can sit above a detached garage or stand as its own structure. The unit is capped at no more than two bedrooms and at 40 percent of the habitable floor area of the principal dwelling, and it cannot exceed the principal dwelling's height.
Placement is restricted to the rear yard, and the lot itself still has to meet the minimum lot size for its zoning district under Article II of the UDC. The county also requires one additional off-street parking space dedicated to the accessory dwelling, on top of whatever parking the principal residence already needs. A timing rule keeps the accessory unit from arriving ahead of the main house: it can only be placed on the property once the principal dwelling has been completed for at least three years, which rules out building both structures at once or adding the accessory unit early in a new subdivision.
These are the general zoning standards; a separate condition in the same subsection requires the property owner to actually live in one of the two dwellings as a permanent residence.
Violations & Fines
An accessory dwelling built beyond the 40 percent size cap, placed outside the rear yard, added before the principal home has stood completed for three years, or built as a second freestanding unit on a lot that already has one is a zoning violation under the UDC, enforceable by the Zoning Administrator the same way any unpermitted structure is, including a notice of violation and a required removal or bring-into-compliance order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a detached accessory dwelling on my residential lot in unincorporated Catoosa County?
How soon after building my house can I add an accessory dwelling?
Can the accessory dwelling be a mobile home or manufactured home?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Catoosa County
How Catoosa County compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Compare Catoosa County to another location·View the Georgia accessory structures overview
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