ADU rules in Davenport, IA — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Davenport must allow one ADU per single-family lot under Iowa's SF 592 (2025). City zoning caps ADUs at 1,000 square feet, detached in the rear yard. Owner-occupancy mandates are barred by state law.
Iowa's SF 592 (Iowa Code §364.3(20)), effective July 1, 2025, requires Davenport to allow at least one accessory dwelling unit on every single-family lot, caps ADU size at 1,000 square feet or 50% of the primary dwelling, and bars any owner-occupancy mandate. Davenport zoning Chapter 17.08 permits one ADU per lot, in a detached structure in the rear yard, up to 1,000 square feet of gross floor area, at the height allowed for a detached garage, with separate utility meters. A building permit and setback compliance under Chapter 17.09 apply. The city's older owner-occupancy condition is now overridden by state law.
Unpermitted ADU: stop-work order and retroactive permit with penalty fees. Occupying a unit without a certificate of occupancy is a code violation subject to abatement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Davenport's adu rules rules stack up against other locations.
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