West Jordan, UT Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Section 13-5B-8 governs accessory dwelling units in West Jordan's residential zoning articles, separate from the agricultural-zone ADU rules in section 13-5A-2. Every property is limited to one ADU, internal or detached, and the code specifically bars having both an internal and a detached unit on the same lot at once. Internal ADUs are governed directly by Utah Code section 10-21-303, while detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs) are permitted only on platted lots of 10,000 square feet or larger, and only in the R-1, RR, RE, PC, LSFR and VLSFR zones; they are barred outright wherever the primary dwelling relies on a septic tank.

Every DADU must sit on a permanent foundation, have a smaller footprint than the primary building, and cover no more than 20 percent of the combined rear and side yard. Setback and height standards run separately from the standard yard table in 13-5B-3: six feet from the primary dwelling, six feet from the rear property line, six feet from the internal side property line, and 20 feet from a corner side property line, with a 20-foot maximum building height. Any DADU built above 17 feet must step its side and rear setbacks back an additional foot for every foot of height over 17 feet.

A DADU's design and materials must be compatible with the primary home and approved by the design review committee, and the property remains subject to the zone's overall maximum building coverage limit.