Garage conversion rules in Lane County, OR — sometimes called garage-to-ADU or accessory living unit conversions — govern permits, ceiling height, egress, and parking replacement.
Turning a garage into living space is a change of use that requires a Lane County building permit and must meet Oregon Residential Specialty Code plus zoning rules. In the RR zone a converted unit may qualify as the parcel's one allowed ADU under Lane Code 16.290.
Lane County follows the Oregon Residential Specialty Code, so converting a garage into habitable space needs a building permit covering egress, insulation, ceiling height, and safe electrical and heating systems. Because the conversion changes the use, it is reviewed against Lane Code 16.290 zoning: adding a full dwelling unit counts against the one-ADU-per-parcel limit and must meet the 900 sq ft and setback standards. Off-street parking displaced by the conversion may need to be replaced. Septic capacity and wildfire rules also apply. Inside city limits, the city's building and zoning offices handle the permit instead.
Occupying a converted garage without permits or final inspection is a code violation; the county can require the space be brought to code or returned to non-habitable use.
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See how Lane County's garage conversions rules stack up against other locations.
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