Pembroke Pines, FL Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

621(A)(7) opens with a purpose clause that doubles as a disclaimer: ADUs are 'a recognized element of our neighborhoods,' but the provisions 'do not override any deed restriction or homeowners' association declarations restricting accessory dwelling units; however the city has no authority to enforce such restrictions,' meaning a city permit for an ADU does not clear an HOA's own ban. Eligibility is narrow: an ADU is 'permitted only as accessory to, and on the same lot as, a single-family dwelling,' never a two-family, multifamily or mobile home dwelling, and a lot gets no more than one.

It can be attached (a downstairs apartment with an operative interconnecting door to the principal dwelling, entered only from the side or rear yard) or detached (an apartment over a garage or a stand-alone guesthouse), but a mobile home, RV or similar vehicle can never serve as one. ' Lots on septic service are excluded outright. On lot requirements, a new ADU is allowed only if the lot meets the zoning district's current minimum lot area and stays under common ownership; an existing ADU can't be split onto its own separate lot unless that split independently meets every zoning and land-development standard.

Building requirements set the floor-area band at 300 to 1,000 square feet, always less than the principal dwelling's floor area, with detached ADUs counting shared storage, bathroom or laundry space (but not enclosed parking) toward that cap. Every ADU must function as a full residence with a kitchen, bathroom and living or bedroom area; a two-foot paved walkway must connect its entrance to its parking; the structure has to match the principal building's finishes, roof pitch and paint scheme; and converting a front-facing attached garage requires removing the garage door and rebuilding the enclosure to match the house.

Parking requires one additional paved off-street space, on a paved driveway, entirely on the property. 620 ties an ADU's setbacks to the primary building's own setback lines on every side, and caps height at the primary building's height or 24 feet, whichever is less.