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Peoria, AZ Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

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

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

Key Facts

Units allowed
1 attached + 1 detached ADU by right
Larger lots (1+ acre)
2nd detached ADU if affordable-restricted
Size cap
75% of house floor area or 1,000 sq ft
ADU setback
5 feet rear and side, § 21-316.D.2.a
Governing section
Peoria City Code § 21-316

Summary

Peoria allows one attached and one detached accessory dwelling unit on a standard single-family lot under Section 21-316, capping each ADU at seventy-five percent of the main house's floor area or 1,000 square feet, whichever is smaller. Lots of an acre or more can add a second detached ADU if it is deed-restricted as affordable housing.

A. Purpose and Applicability. ... These regulations are in addition to applicable regulations within the Peoria Engineering Standards Manual, Building and Fire Codes. To the extent any provision in this Section conflicts with A.R.S. 9-461.18, the state law shall control. ... C. Eligibility as a Permitted Use. 1. Permitted Use. ... a. No more than one (1) attached accessory dwelling unit and one (1) detached accessory dwelling unit on a single-family dwelling lot; ... 2. Eligibility. For the purpose of this Section, an accessory dwelling unit shall only be constructed on a single-family lot or parcel, and shall not exceed seventy-five (75) percent of the gross floor area of the existing single-family dwelling on the same lot or parcel, or one thousand (1,000) square feet, whichever is less. ... D. Development Standards. ... 2. Setbacks. ... a. The minimum rear and side building setback shall be five (5) feet from the property line.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-9: Supplement contains: LLocal legislation current through Ord. 2026-15, passed 6-16-26).

Full Breakdown

Section 21-316 lets a single-family lot in Peoria add up to one attached and one detached accessory dwelling unit by right, without a public hearing or variance, as long as adequate public utility service exists. On a lot of one acre or larger, an owner can add a second detached ADU, but only if at least one of the two detached units is a restricted-affordable unit, meaning it carries a deed restriction or development agreement committing it to households earning up to eighty percent of area median income.

2: it cannot exceed seventy-five percent of the existing single-family home's gross floor area, or 1,000 square feet, whichever number is smaller. a; the front setback still follows the district's standard for the principal dwelling. An ADU cannot go on a lot with a duplex or other multifamily development, cannot be built before the single-family home it serves, and cannot be a mobile home, RV, or other movable structure. No extra parking is required for an ADU, but a property owner cannot sell or convey the ADU separately from the primary house, and a lot split that would leave the ADU on its own parcel has to bring both the new primary unit and the ADU into full utility and occupancy compliance first. 18, wherever the two conflict.

Violations & Fines

Building an ADU that exceeds the 75 percent or 1,000-square-foot cap, adding a second detached unit without the required affordable-housing deed restriction, or violating the five-foot ADU setback under Section 21-316 is a Zoning Ordinance violation. It enforces the same way as any other zoning violation, through Section 21-114's civil or criminal process, with a denied or rejected ADU application appealable to the Board of Adjustment under Section 21-316.C.3.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many ADUs can I build on a single-family lot in Peoria?
One attached and one detached ADU by right, under Section 21-316.C.1.a. If your lot is an acre or larger, you can add a second detached ADU, but only if at least one of the two detached units is deed-restricted as affordable housing for households earning up to eighty percent of area median income.
How big can an accessory dwelling unit be?
Whichever is smaller of two limits: seventy-five percent of the existing single-family home's gross floor area, or 1,000 square feet, under Section 21-316.C.2. A 2,000-square-foot house, for example, caps its ADU at 1,000 square feet under that rule, while a smaller home caps the ADU at three-quarters of its own size.
What setback does an ADU need from the property line?
Five feet from the rear and side property lines, under Section 21-316.D.2.a, tighter than most principal-dwelling setbacks. The front setback still has to match whatever the zoning district requires for the main single-family home, and the ADU otherwise follows the same height and lot-coverage rules as that house.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Peoria

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

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