Kansas City, MO Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Kansas City, MO, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Max ADU floor area
- 800 sq ft or 90% of main house
- Max footprint
- 800 sq ft, 60% of house/25% of rear yard
- Setback (detached ADU)
- 5 feet from property lines
- Max height (detached)
- 25 feet or house height, less
- Occupancy rule
- Owner must live on-site, deed-restricted
Summary
Kansas City allows one accessory dwelling unit per lot with a detached house, capped at 800 square feet with a five-foot setback and an owner-occupancy deed restriction.
Accessory dwelling units may be attached or detached from the principal dwelling unit. If attached they shall be located in the rear or side yard. If detached they shall be located in the rear yard. The owner of the lot shall reside in either the principal dwelling or accessory dwelling... Maximum footprint of the ADU: 60% of the footprint of the principal dwelling or 25% of the rear yard, whichever is smaller. In no case shall the footprint exceed 800 square feet. Maximum floor area: 800 square feet or 90% of the floor area of the principal dwelling, whichever is smaller.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 139 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
Under Zoning and Development Code § 88-305-15, ADUs are permitted on any lot where a detached dwelling is the principal building. A detached ADU must sit in the rear yard, stay under 25 feet or the height of the main house (whichever is less), and keep a 5-foot setback from all property lines. Footprint is capped at 60% of the main house's footprint or 25% of the rear yard, whichever is smaller, and never more than 800 square feet; floor area tops out at 800 square feet or 90% of the main dwelling's floor area, whichever is smaller. No extra off-street parking is required. The property owner must live in either the principal dwelling or the ADU and record a deed restriction limiting occupancy accordingly, with proof filed with the Director of City Planning and Development before the ADU gets a certificate of occupancy.
Violations & Fines
Building or occupying an ADU without the recorded owner-occupancy deed restriction and a certificate of occupancy from the Director of City Planning and Development is a zoning code violation; the city can withhold or revoke the certificate of occupancy until the restriction is on file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent out both the main house and the ADU in Kansas City?
Do I need extra parking for a Kansas City ADU?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kansas City
How Kansas City compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Compare Kansas City to another location·View the Missouri accessory structures overview
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ADU Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Jackson County handle adu rules.