Gordon County, GA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Gordon County, GA, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Inside the main house
- One unit, one bedroom, lesser of 50 percent or 1,200 sq ft
- Freestanding, residential lot
- One unit per lot, no more than two bedrooms
- Freestanding, agricultural lot
- Up to five units per lot where permitted
- Location
- Freestanding unit only within the rear yard
- Parking
- One additional off-street space for each accessory dwelling
- Penalty
- Fine up to $1,000 or 60 days, per violation
Summary
In unincorporated Gordon County, Georgia, the Unified Land Development Code allows one accessory dwelling inside a principal dwelling (one bedroom, capped at the lesser of 50 percent of the floor area or 1,200 square feet) and a freestanding unit in the rear yard with no more than two bedrooms on residential land. Each unit needs one extra off-street parking space.
C.Accessory dwellings contained within a principal dwelling shall comply with the following standards:1.There shall be no more than one (1) accessory dwelling in a principal dwelling unit;2.The accessory dwelling shall be accessible from the interior of the principal dwelling;3.The accessory dwelling shall have no more than one (1) bedroom;4.The accessory dwelling shall not exceed fifty (50) percent of the habitable floor area of the principal dwelling or one thousand two hundred (1,200) square feet, whichever is less;5.One (1) additional off-street parking space shall be provided to serve the accessory dwelling; and6.The accessory dwelling shall comply with all building and health code standards. E.Freestanding accessory dwellings shall comply with the following standards:1.There shall be no more than one (1) accessory dwelling unit per lot on any residentially zoned property; ... 4.The accessory dwelling unit may be located in a second floor over a detached garage or may be a separate structure;5.The accessory dwelling unit on any residentially zoned property shall have no more than two (2) bedrooms;6.The accessory dwelling shall be located only within the rear yard;
Full Breakdown
Section 5.02.02 of the Gordon County Unified Land Development Code governs accessory dwellings in unincorporated Gordon County, Georgia. It defines the category to include basement apartments, garage apartments, caretaker or other employee quarters and guesthouses, and it excludes tents, boats, manufactured storage buildings and mobile structures such as RVs and travel trailers, except for RVs and travel trailers in a permitted campground or travel trailer park.
An accessory dwelling contained within the principal dwelling is limited to one per principal dwelling unit. It must be accessible from the interior of the main house, it is limited to one bedroom, and it cannot exceed the lesser of 50 percent of the principal dwelling's habitable floor area or 1,200 square feet. It needs one additional off-street parking space and must comply with all building and health code standards.
A freestanding accessory dwelling follows a second list. Residentially zoned land carries one unit per lot with no more than two bedrooms. Industrially zoned land carries one unit per lot where the Unified Land Development Code permits it, and agriculturally zoned land can carry up to five units per lot where permitted. The unit can occupy the second floor over a detached garage or stand as a separate structure, but it has to sit only within the rear yard, on a lot that meets the minimum lot standards in Table 4.01.01(N), with one additional off-street parking space.
Two neighboring rules apply as well. Section 5.02.01(F)(6) states that accessory structures shall not be used as a dwelling unit except as Section 5.02.02 provides, and Section 5.02.01(F)(7)(a) sets a 10-foot minimum from property lines that do not abut a street right-of-way for accessory structures in residential districts. Section 10.00.02(D) requires a building permit issued by Gordon County before construction, erection, moving or alteration of any building or structure begins, and Section 10.00.04 ties every application to the Gordon County Fee Schedule adopted by the Board of Commissioners.
Violations & Fines
The County Administrator enforces the Unified Land Development Code (Section 10.05.03) and sends the property owner a written notice describing the violation and the fix. Using property in violation of the code's conditions is a violation under Section 10.05.02. A conviction carries a fine up to $1,000 or 60 days imprisonment, or both, for each violation, and each day counts as a separate offense (Section 10.05.04). No further County permits or inspections are issued until the violation is corrected, and Magistrate Court of Gordon County hears the case (Section 10.05.01).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a garage apartment in unincorporated Gordon County?
How large can an apartment inside my house be?
How many accessory dwellings does a farm lot get?
Can an RV or travel trailer count as an accessory dwelling?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gordon County
How Gordon County compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Compare Gordon County to another location·View the Georgia accessory structures overview
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