Frisco, TX Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Frisco, TX, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Building Permit before construction
- Rental condition
- Main house must stay owner-occupied
- Resale rule
- Cannot be sold apart from main house
- Garage Apartment location
- Attached to garage, above or level
- Guest House location
- Must be separate from main dwelling
- Setback standard
- Same as primary structure, Figure 4.06.04.1
Summary
Frisco's Zoning Ordinance allows a Garage Apartment or Guest House as an incidental residential use under Section 4.06.03, but only with a Building Permit, only if it isn't sold separately from the main house, and only rented while the primary dwelling stays owner-occupied. Setbacks track the same accessory-structure table used for sheds and patio covers.
A Garage Apartment or Guest House shall be allowed as an incidental use on the same lot or tract as the main dwelling unit provided that it meets the following standards. (A) Location. (1) A Garage Apartment shall be constructed attached to a garage, either above or on the same level as the garage). (2) A Guest House shall be constructed separate from the main dwelling. (B) Building permit requirement. A Garage Apartment or Guest House may be constructed only with the issuance of a Building Permit. (C) Rental. (1) A Garage Apartment or Guest House may not be sold separately from the sale of the entire property, including the main dwelling unit. (2) A Garage Apartment or Guest House may be rented or offered for rent provided that the main dwelling unit is owner-occupied.
Full Breakdown
03, Garage Apartment or Guest House, treats an accessory dwelling unit as an incidental use allowed on the same lot as the main house, subject to four conditions. Location: a Garage Apartment must be built attached to a garage, either above it or on the same level, while a Guest House must stand separate from the main dwelling, so the two forms cannot be mixed on one lot. Permit: subsection (B) states a Garage Apartment or Guest House may be constructed only with the issuance of a Building Permit, issued through the Development Services Department the same way any other accessory structure is permitted.
Rental and sale: subsection (C) bars selling the unit separately from the entire property, including the main dwelling, and allows renting it out only provided that the main dwelling unit is owner-occupied, which cuts off the unit as a standalone rental once the owner moves out. 04, where the Guest House or Garage Apartment line matches the front, side and rear setbacks of the primary structure rather than the smaller clearances allowed for patio covers or fire pits. The provision was adopted by Ordinance 19-10-83 on October 1, 2019 and carried forward by Ordinance 2021-07-47.
Violations & Fines
Building a Garage Apartment or Guest House without the required Building Permit, or renting it out after the main house is no longer owner-occupied, violates Section 4.06.03 and is enforced under the Zoning Ordinance's general penalty clause, Section 8.01.02: a fine of $200 to $2,000 per offense, with each day of continued noncompliance counted separately and the minimum fine doubling on a second conviction within 24 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent out a garage apartment in Frisco?
Do I need a permit to build a guest house in Frisco?
Can I sell my garage apartment separately from my house in Frisco?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Frisco
How Frisco compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Frisco to another location·View the Texas accessory structures overview
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ADU Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Collin County handle adu rules.