Richardson, TX Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Richardson, TX, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Only accessory unit allowed
- 'Servants' quarters,' domestic help only
- Rental ban
- Cannot be rented or used as separate dwelling
- Kitchen ban
- No kitchen or separate utility connections
- Masonry rule
- 35% masonry if over 150 sq ft (Art. VI §2(b)(2))
- Height cap
- One story; 12-25 ft depending on size (Art. VI §3(b))
Summary
Richardson zoning has no true accessory dwelling unit category. The only living-quarters accessory building it allows in single-family districts is a 'servants' quarters,' and the zoning definition bars it from ever being rented out or used as a separate dwelling, and strips it of any kitchen or its own utility hookups.
Servant's quarters means an accessory building located on the same lot as the principal building or portion of the principal building in a residential zoning district used and occupied as living quarters for persons employed on the premises by the occupant of the premises, on a full-time basis as domestic help, such as a maid, gardener, chauffeur, cook and not rented or otherwise used as a separate dwelling and which shall not have kitchen facilities or separate utility connections.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Every standard single-family district in Richardson, including R-1500-M, R-2000-M, R-1800-M, R-1250-M, R-1100-M, R-1000-M and R-950-M, lists 'Servants' quarters' as a permitted accessory use alongside a detached garage or carport. ' That combination forecloses the modern accessory dwelling unit model of a garage apartment rented to a tenant or family member as an independent household. Building standards reinforce the constraint: in the R-1250-M District, Article VI, Section 2(b)(2) requires any accessory building over 150 square feet, including a servants' quarters, to carry at least 35 percent masonry on each exterior wall, while Article VI, Section 3(b) caps accessory building height at one story, 12 feet if 150 square feet or smaller, and 25 feet if larger.
Separately, Chapter 19's solid waste definitions recognize 'garage apartment' as a form of 'Apartment' for trash-service billing purposes, showing the term exists in city usage, but that billing definition does not create a zoning right to build or rent one; the zoning code's own accessory-use list only authorizes the more restrictive, unrentable servants' quarters.
Violations & Fines
Converting a servants' quarters or detached garage into a rented apartment, or adding a kitchen or independent utility meter to one, takes the structure outside its permitted accessory use and outside the building standards written for it, exposing the owner to a zoning enforcement action. Under the Code's general penalty, Section 1-8, zoning violations carry a fine of up to $2,000.00 per offense, with each day of a continuing violation, such as an occupied illegal rental unit, treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a rentable garage apartment in Richardson?
What is a 'servants' quarters' under Richardson zoning?
Are there building standards for a servants' quarters in Richardson?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Richardson
How Richardson compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Richardson to another location·View the Texas accessory structures overview
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How other cities in Dallas County handle adu rules.