Little Rock, AR Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Little Rock, AR, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Allowed districts
- R-2, R-3, R-4, R-7A only
- Floor area cap
- Can't exceed principal dwelling
- R-2/R-3 rule
- Landowner must occupy one unit
- R-4 rule
- Barred if duplex already on lot
- Approval type
- Conditional use permit
Summary
Little Rock allows accessory dwelling units only in the R-2, R-3, R-4, and R-7A residential districts, and caps their floor area at no more than the principal home's square footage.
Accessory dwellings within the R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-7A districts shall conform to the following area requirements:(1)No accessory dwelling shall exceed the permitted height of the district.(2)In no instance shall the floor area of the accessory dwelling exceed that of the principal dwelling.(3)In the R-2 and R-3 districts, one (1) of the dwelling units must be occupied by the landowner.(4)In the R-4 district, an accessory dwelling is expressly prohibited when a duplex exists on the lot.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 83).
Full Breakdown
Little Rock's zoning code (Sec. 36-252) treats an accessory dwelling unit as a subordinate second unit on a residential lot, but only allows them by conditional use permit in the R-2, R-3, R-4, and R-7A districts. R-1 excludes them entirely. Height can't exceed the district's limit, and floor area can never exceed the primary house's square footage. In R-2 and R-3, the landowner must occupy one of the two units. In R-4, an accessory dwelling is barred outright if a duplex already sits on the lot, and a single-family or manufactured home must already exist on-site before the planning commission will approve one.
Violations & Fines
Building an accessory dwelling in a district that doesn't allow it, or exceeding the floor-area cap, is a zoning violation enforceable by Little Rock's Department of Planning and Development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build an ADU in Little Rock's R-1 single-family district?
How big can a Little Rock accessory dwelling unit be?
Do I need approval before building an accessory dwelling?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Little Rock
How Little Rock compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Compare Little Rock to another location·View the Arkansas accessory structures overview
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