ADU rules in Hernando, MS — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Hernando, Mississippi regulates accessory uses through Article XII (Accessory Buildings and Uses) of its Zoning Ordinance, codified as Appendix B of the Code of Ordinances. The ordinance defines an accessory building as a subordinate building incidental and customary to the principal building or use on the same lot, and Mississippi has no statewide ADU mandate, leaving authority to municipalities under Miss. Code Ann. Title 17 (Local Government). Building permits for accessory structures are issued by the Office of Planning / Building Department.
Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulation in Hernando, Mississippi is handled through the city's Zoning Ordinance rather than a dedicated ADU statute. The Zoning Ordinance was adopted by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen and became effective July 17, 2007, and is published as Appendix B of the Code of Ordinances on Municode. Article XII addresses Accessory Buildings and Uses; it defines an Accessory Building as 'a subordinate building which is incidental to and customary in connection with the principal building or use and located on the same lot,' and an Accessory Use in similar terms. Because Mississippi has not enacted a statewide ADU enabling statute (compare California Gov't Code §65852.2), the question of whether a homeowner may establish a separate dwelling unit on a residential lot is governed entirely by Hernando's local zoning text and DeSoto County land-use rules where applicable. Detached living quarters that meet the definition of a separate dwelling typically must comply with the underlying district's density, lot size, and use regulations rather than being treated purely as an accessory use, and the city's residential districts (R-40, R-30, R-20, R-15 and similar) are dimensioned for one principal single-family dwelling per lot. The City of Hernando Building Department, located at 475 West Commerce Street and reachable through the Office of Planning, accepts permits for Accessory Structures (sheds, detached garages, pool houses) as well as electrical, mechanical, plumbing, sign, swimming pool, and fence permits through the My Government Online portal at mgoconnect.org. Hernando has adopted the 2024 International Building Code and the 2023 National Electric Code (with amendments) for construction of all buildings; residential construction is governed by the Mississippi Residential Code adopted under Miss. Code Ann. §17-2 (Mississippi Building Codes Council). Property owners interested in attached units (interior conversions, basement apartments, above-garage living quarters) should request a written zoning interpretation from the Office of Planning before building, since converting a single-family residence into a two-family use can trigger district restrictions. As of 2026 there is no published Hernando ordinance authorizing detached accessory dwelling units by right.
Constructing an accessory building or interior conversion that creates a separate dwelling unit without zoning approval and a building permit is a violation of Appendix B (Zoning) and the adopted building codes. Enforcement is through the Office of Planning and Building Department; remedies include stop-work orders, required removal or modification, and civil fines. Continued occupancy of an unpermitted dwelling can trigger additional building official action.
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