Tuscaloosa, AL Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Table V-5, Accessory Uses and Structures Table, marks an accessory dwelling unit "P" (permitted by right) only in the CN, SFR-4, SFR-5, MR-1, MR-2, D, DP, DHE, GPD and RPD columns; the cell is blank, meaning prohibited, in SFR-1 through SFR-3, SFR-E, LR, LMF, the multifamily (MRU, MFRU, MFR, MHR) districts, R, LC, GC, UC, NC, HC and every industrial district. Sec. 25-107(a)(1) then layers on a use-specific parking standard: an ADU requires one additional off-street vehicular parking space on top of whatever the principal dwelling already needs under Article VI, Division 2, off-street parking, bicycle parking, and loading standards.

Because an ADU is also an accessory structure, it must separately clear Sec. 25-106's general standards: in a residential district it cannot be located closer to the street than the principal structure, cannot be taller than the principal structure, and its footprint is capped at whichever is larger of 650 square feet or 40 percent of the principal structure's building footprint. The same section requires at least a five-foot setback from any lot line in a required side or rear yard and limits accessory coverage of the required rear yard to 30 percent.

These rules were adopted as part of the citywide Unified Development Ordinance rewrite (Ord. No. 9572, Sec. 2, effective 12-17-24) and amended twice since, by Ord. No. 9616 (5-13-25) and Ord. No. 9751 (3-10-26), so the district table should be checked against the current zoning map rather than an older printed copy of the code.