Suffolk, VA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Suffolk, VA, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- By-Right
- A, RR, RE districts
- Per Lot
- One ADU
- Detached, Lot Under Acre
- Needs CUP
- Occupancy
- One person per 200 sq ft
- State Law
- VA Code Sec. 15.2-2292.1
Summary
Suffolk allows one accessory dwelling unit per lot, permitted by-right in the agricultural and rural-residential districts. A detached ADU on a lot under one acre needs a conditional use permit. Occupancy is capped at one person per 200 square feet.
Occupancy of the accessory dwelling unit shall not exceed one (1) person per two hundred
(200) square feet of gross floor area.
H. The zoning permit shall be reviewed for compliance by the Zoning Administrator on an annual basis.
I. Any detached accessory dwelling unit in the A, Agricultural, RR, Rural Residential and RE, Rural Estate zoning districts on lots of less than one (1) acre requires a conditional use permit.
(14) Reserved.
(15) Where manufactured homes are permitted as a principal use, not more than one (1) manufactured home may be placed on the same lot or parcel as an occupied principal residential dwelling for the sole purpose of providing housing for an elderly (sixty (60) years or older) or medically disabled member of the family residing in the occupied principal residential dwelling, subject to the conditions set forth in Subsections 31-701 (b) (13) (A), (C), (D), and (E). However, in no case shall the manufactured home contain a gross floor area greater than one thousand (1,000) square feet.
(16) Day care, child (as accessory to permitted religious assembly or school). In addition to general requirements and those requirements set forth by the required conditional use permit, day care centers intended for children shall comply with the following minimum standards:
A. Fenced Play areas. A fenced play area of not less than one thousand five (1,500) square feet shall be provided for twenty (20) children or less, with seventy-five (75) square
Full Breakdown
Suffolk's UDO Sec. 31-701 defines an ADU as a clearly subordinate dwelling with complete living, sleeping, sanitation, and cooking facilities, whether internal, attached, or detached from the principal home. A 2017 amendment made ADUs permitted by-right in the A, RR, and RE districts, ending the blanket conditional-use requirement, though a detached ADU on a lot under one acre still needs a conditional use permit. Only one ADU is allowed per lot, occupancy cannot exceed one person per 200 square feet, and the unit must meet the principal dwelling's setbacks and connect to its water and sewer or septic system.
Violations & Fines
An unpermitted ADU is a zoning violation subject to daily fines and can be ordered removed or brought into compliance through the certificate-of-occupancy process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build an ADU in Suffolk?
How big can a Suffolk ADU be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Suffolk
How Suffolk compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Compare Suffolk to another location·View the Virginia accessory structures overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.