Sedona, AZ Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Sedona, AZ, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- ADU cap
- 1 per lot or parcel
- Detached ADU
- Same setback/height/coverage as main house
- Utilities
- Must share connection with main house
- Driveway
- Shared common driveway with primary dwelling
- Building code
- Must meet adopted IRC
Summary
Sedona allows one accessory dwelling unit per lot, and a detached ADU must match the setback, lot coverage and height limits of the main house. ADUs may have a full kitchen, must tie into the same utilities as the primary home, and must comply with the adopted International Residential Code.
No more than one ADU may be permitted per lot or parcel. ... ADUs may contain a kitchen and shall be connected to the same utility services as the single-family dwelling. ... Detached structures used for ADUs shall meet the setback, lot coverage, and height requirements of the principal building. ... Vehicular access to an ADU from the nearest public or private street shall be provided by a common driveway with the primary dwelling. No parking space shall encroach upon fire truck access or obstruct driveway access to the primary dwelling. ... ADUs shall comply with all requirements of the IRC as adopted by the City.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Initiative Ordinance 2026-01, approved by voters at the July 21, 2026 election).
Full Breakdown
D(3)(a); a property cannot add a second ADU no matter how large the parcel is. An ADU may include a full kitchen, not just a kitchenette, but it must connect to the same utility services, water, sewer and power, as the single-family dwelling on the property rather than running independent hookups. If the ADU is a detached structure, it has to meet the same setback, lot coverage and height requirements that apply to the principal building on the lot, so an ADU cannot be built closer to the property line or taller than the main house would be allowed to be in that zoning district.
Vehicle access to the ADU must come off the same common driveway used by the primary dwelling; the code specifically bars a parking space serving the ADU from encroaching on fire truck access or blocking the driveway to the main house. Every ADU must also comply with the International Residential Code as adopted by the City of Sedona, which governs the structural, electrical, plumbing and life-safety requirements the unit has to meet before it can receive a certificate of occupancy. Two related restrictions sit in the same subsection but are not part of this general standard: ADUs must be owned by the same person who owns the principal dwelling, and an ADU that receives its certificate of occupancy on or after September 14, 2024 faces limits on use as a vacation or short-term rental.
Violations & Fines
Adding a second ADU, building one that exceeds the primary structure's setback or height limits, or running an unauthorized separate utility connection is a code violation under SLDC Section 1.7, enforceable as a Class 1 misdemeanor or by civil citation in Sedona Magistrate Court. An ADU built or occupied without the required IRC compliance and certificate of occupancy is also subject to a stop-work or vacate order from the City's Code Enforcement Officer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build two ADUs on one Sedona lot?
Can my detached ADU be taller than the setback allows for a shed?
Does my ADU need its own water and sewer connection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sedona
How Sedona compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Compare Sedona to another location·View the Arizona accessory structures overview
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