Port St. Lucie, FL Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Under Port St. Lucie Code of Ordinances Section 158.217(C), the accessory uses allowed in the RE and RS-1 through RS-3 single-family residential districts are limited to items such as unattached storage buildings, home workshops, playhouses, garages, carports, swimming pools, gazebos and similar yard structures. An accessory dwelling unit (a secondary living unit with its own kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area) is not among the listed accessory uses, and Section 158.217(A) caps accessory uses at no more than 20% of the principal building's floor area or the lot's ground area. Florida law leaves ADUs to local choice: Florida Statute 163.31771(3) provides that a local government 'may' adopt an ordinance to allow ADUs in single-family areas, and where adopted such units must be rented at an affordable rate. Because Port St. Lucie has not adopted an ADU allowance ordinance, a true ADU is generally limited to multi-family (RM) zoning or requires a variance/rezoning, and a 'guest house' without a full kitchen may be treated as part of the principal dwelling subject to the city's minimum-living-area and setback rules. Verify current options with the city's Planning and Zoning Department before designing any second unit.