Key Facts Ordinance Text Full Breakdown Violations FAQ Sources More in Memphis

Memphis, TN Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

ADU rules in Memphis, TN, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.

Key Facts

Governing section: UDC § 2.7.2.D, Accessory Dwelling Units
Units per lot: One ADU maximum, single-family lots only
Minimum lot size: 7,000 square feet to allow an ADU
Mid-size lot cap: 700 sq ft or 1/3 of house, smaller
Administrative deviation: Up to 10% increase, Zoning Administrator approval
Applies to: City of Memphis and unincorporated Shelby County

ADU Eligibility Quick-Check

An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a smaller, independent living unit on the same lot as a single-family home: converted garages, detached cottages, basement or attic conversions, and attached additions all qualify. Most states have streamlined ADU permitting since 2020, but local rules still control size, height, and setback.

Is your lot zoned single-family or multi-family residential?
Does your lot have at least 1,200 sq ft of buildable space?
Is your existing home owner-occupied (in most states this is not required, but some require it for ADU permits)?
Will the ADU stay under your state's size cap (commonly 850-1,200 sq ft for detached)?
Can you provide one off-street parking space (waived in many states within 0.5 mi of transit)?

If you answered 'yes' to most of these, you likely qualify in Tennessee under recent ADU streamlining laws. The Memphis, TN rules below cover local size, height, and setback requirements.

Summary

Memphis and Shelby County zoning allows one accessory dwelling unit per single-family lot, but a lot under 7,000 square feet cannot have one at all. On a lot between 7,000 square feet and 1.5 acres, the ADU's living area is capped at 700 square feet or a third of the main house's floor area, whichever is smaller.

Accessory dwelling units shall only be permitted as accessory to single-family detached uses. No more than one accessory dwelling unit shall be permitted per lot. ... 1. The living area of the accessory dwelling unit may not exceed the living area of the principal structure. a. On residential lots of less than 7,000 square feet, no accessory dwelling units may be constructed. b. On residential lots of at least 7,000 square feet but less than 1.5 acres, the total living area of the accessory dwelling unit shall not exceed 700 square feet, or 1/3 of the gross floor area of the principal dwelling structure on the lot, whichever is smaller. c. On residential lots of 1.5 acres or greater, the total floor area of the accessory dwelling unit shall not exceed 50% of the gross floor area of the principal dwelling structure on the lot. ... 4. The height of a principal structure may not be exceeded by any accessory dwelling, except where required parking is provided on the ground floor of the accessory dwelling structure.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.

Full Breakdown

D of the Unified Development Code, applicable to accessory dwelling units in both the City of Memphis and unincorporated Shelby County, permits one ADU per lot, and only as an accessory to a single-family detached home; it cannot be located inside the principal structure itself, so a garage apartment or detached carriage house qualifies but a basement or attic unit inside the main house does not. Every ADU goes through Administrative Site Plan Review. 5 acres or larger allows the ADU up to half the principal dwelling's gross floor area.

In every tier, the ADU's living area can never exceed the living area of the main house, and the Zoning Administrator can grant an administrative deviation of up to 10% above the otherwise-applicable cap. If adding the ADU pushes the site below the parking the underlying zoning requires, one additional space must be added in the side or rear yard or on the ADU's ground floor. 5 times that height, or the district's own height limit, if the ADU provides its required parking on its ground floor. Windows other than clerestory windows are barred on any ADU wall within 5 feet of an adjoining single-family-zoned parcel.

Violations & Fines

An accessory dwelling unit built without the required Administrative Site Plan Review, oversized for its lot tier, placed inside the principal structure, or missing the additional parking space it triggers can be denied a certificate of occupancy or ordered brought into compliance by the Zoning Administrator, and an as-built violation can draw a citation and required remediation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I build an accessory dwelling unit on a small city lot in Memphis?

Only if the lot is at least 7,000 square feet. Section 2.7.2.D.1(a) bars any accessory dwelling unit on a residential lot smaller than that, regardless of how the lot is zoned. Lots between 7,000 square feet and 1.5 acres can have one, capped at 700 square feet or a third of the main house's floor area.

Can I convert my basement into an accessory dwelling unit instead of building a separate structure?

No. Section 2.7.2.D says an accessory dwelling shall not be located within the principal structure, so a basement or attic conversion inside the main house does not qualify. The ADU has to be a genuinely separate structure, such as a detached garage apartment, and it still needs Administrative Site Plan Review approval.

Does adding an ADU require extra parking?

It can. Section 2.7.2.D.2 requires one additional parking space on the property if the accessory dwelling unit drops the site below the parking count the underlying zoning otherwise requires. That extra space has to go in the side or rear yard, or on the ground floor of the accessory dwelling structure itself.

Sources & Official References

[1]Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code

Other rules in Memphis

Shed & Carport RulesSome Restrictions Noise Ordinances: Aircraft NoiseFew Restrictions Parking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSignificant Restrictions Parking Rules: EV ChargingSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Driveway RulesSome Restrictions Fence Regulations: Retaining WallsLight Restrictions Animal Ordinances: BeekeepingSome Restrictions

All Memphis rules

How Memphis compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Compare Memphis to another location·View the Tennessee accessory structures overview

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.