Hennepin County, MN Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Hennepin County itself does not zone land for residential ADUs - municipal zoning authority comes from Minn. Stat. §462.357, which empowers each of the county's 45+ cities to set its own ADU rules. Minneapolis was the first major city in the metro to legalize ADUs citywide in December 2014 (Ordinance 2014-Or-103). The current rules are codified at Minneapolis Code of Ordinances Title 20, Chapter 537.110. One ADU is allowed per zoning lot. A detached ADU may not exceed 21 ft in height (measured per the zoning code). Gross floor area of a detached ADU - including any vehicle parking area and habitable area on all levels - is capped at 1,300 sq ft or 16% of the lot area, whichever is greater, not exceeding 1,600 sq ft, and never exceeding the gross floor area of the principal dwelling. The detached ADU must be at least 20 ft from the habitable portion of the principal residence. The owner-occupancy requirement and recorded covenant requirement were repealed effective March 6, 2021. Units created before that date that are subject to a recorded owner-occupancy covenant remain subject to it, but the property owner may request a release once a building official verifies State Building Code compliance. Construction permits are obtained through Minneapolis Construction Code Services (612-673-3000). Suburban Hennepin cities (Bloomington, Minnetonka, Edina, Plymouth, Maple Grove, etc.) each have their own ADU rules - some allow them, others restrict to internal ADUs, and a few do not allow them.