Lake Havasu City, AZ Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Development Code § 14.03.03E.1 caps accessory dwelling units at one per parcel and requires the use not alter the character of the premises as a single-family residence, keeping the ADU clearly secondary to the main home. Size is bracketed on both ends: a minimum of 400 square feet and a maximum of 1,000 square feet, or 50% of the living area of the primary structure, whichever produces the smaller ceiling. Setback rules require that no accessory structure sit within 5 feet of a side or rear property line, and none may encroach into or onto a public utility easement.

Detached ADUs face additional limits: they cannot occupy more than 50% of the required rear yard, cannot exceed 15 feet in height, and must maintain a minimum 3-foot separation from the closest structural projection of the primary structure, or whatever greater separation the adopted Building Code requires. The code layers on compliance obligations beyond the zoning numbers: the ADU must meet all applicable Building and Fire Code requirements, and detached living quarters must be architecturally compatible with the primary structure through matching features, materials and colors.

If serviced with separate utility meters, the second electric and gas meters must carry a metal plaque with a letter designation at least 1/2-inch tall identifying the total number of service meters on the property, a labeling detail utility crews and inspectors both rely on.