Raleigh, NC Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Raleigh passed sweeping ADU reform in 2020 under text change TC-4-20, removing the prior requirement for Board of Adjustment approval and allowing ADUs by-right on any lot with a single-family detached home in R-1, R-2, R-4, R-6, R-10, RX, and residential mixed-use districts. This aligns with NC Gen Stat Chapter 160D on local zoning authority and places Raleigh at the forefront of ADU policy in North Carolina. Under UDO 2.5.1, an ADU may be attached (basement apartment, above-garage unit connected to the main dwelling) or detached (standalone cottage, garage conversion with living space). Maximum size is 1,000 square feet of heated floor area, or 50 percent of the principal dwelling's heated area, whichever is less. Height is capped at 25 feet for detached ADUs, and the structure must respect the standard accessory structure setbacks: 5 feet from side and rear property lines, unless the ADU has a habitable door or window facing a side lot line, in which case the setback increases to 10 feet. One off-street parking space is required for the ADU in addition to spaces for the main dwelling, except in transit-served areas where the requirement is waived. Owner-occupancy of either the primary dwelling or the ADU is required; investors cannot rent out both units to separate tenants. The ADU may not be rented for terms shorter than 30 days, effectively banning Airbnb use. Permits are issued by Raleigh Development Services and require site plan review, building permits, and connection to city water and sewer (or approved private systems in unincorporated Wake County portions). HOAs may still restrict or prohibit ADUs through private covenants, and many Raleigh subdivisions do.