Sandy, UT Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Sandy City Code Section 21-11-1 regulates accessory apartments, extended living areas, and guesthouses attached to single-family dwellings. Only one accessory apartment or extended living area is allowed per single-family structure, and it cannot occupy any accessory building; a lot may also hold no more than one guesthouse. The unit must preserve the single-family appearance of the home: only one primary entrance may face the street, additional entryways for the accessory living area must be on the side or rear of the dwelling, and any addition must match the primary home's exterior materials, colors, windows, architectural style, and roof pitch.

An accessory apartment does not need interior connectivity to the main home, but it must be joined by a common wall rather than a breezeway or nonhabitable space like a garage. Separate utility meters are prohibited, and no separate address or mailbox may be assigned. The property must comply with the City's adopted Fire, Building, and Health Codes, and a building permit is required before construction begins. An accessory apartment is created only through an administrative special use permit from the Community Development Department plus a valid accessory apartment business license, and its approval must be recorded with the Salt Lake County Recorder's Office.

The permit expires on sale of the property, a change of residence of the primary occupant, or expiration of the business license, and it is not transferable to a new owner. Off-street parking must be available for accessory apartment occupants under the City's adopted residential parking standards, with any modified parking replaced on-site and additional vehicles accommodated off the street.