Granville County, NC Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Granville County Code § 32-162(6) defines an accessory dwelling as an addition, such as a mother-in-law suite, to an existing single-family stick-built dwelling that contains its own separate sleeping, kitchen and bathroom facilities. This standard sits within the Land Development Code's Division 3 individual use standards for accessory uses, which apply to residential uses in all zoning districts under § 32-161. The rule caps the county at one accessory dwelling located within a principal dwelling per lot, meaning a homeowner cannot carve out two separate in-law suites within the same house to obtain two independent living units.

Because the standard specifically addresses a unit built within an existing stick-built structure, it is distinct from the code's separate manufactured home standards at § 32-194 and from a freestanding accessory dwelling in a detached building, which is not addressed by this subsection and would instead be evaluated under the general accessory structure standards of § 32-162(1), including the 35-foot height cap and required side or rear yard placement. Development Services reviews accessory dwelling additions through the same building permit and zoning compliance process used for other residential additions.