Garage conversion rules in Sunrise, FL — sometimes called garage-to-ADU or accessory living unit conversions — govern permits, ceiling height, egress, and parking replacement.
Sunrise prohibits converting an existing garage in a residential district into a habitable room, under LDC Sec. 16-118(a)(3). The only exception is a conversion proven to have existed and been completed before 1995.
Sunrise flatly bars turning a residential garage into living space. Land Development Code Sec. 16-118(a)(3) prohibits converting an existing garage into a habitable room as defined in the Minimum Housing Code, and the city's homeowner guidance repeats that a single-family garage conversion is prohibited. The sole path to legalizing one is to show substantial competent evidence that the conversion existed and was finished before 1995 and was already done when the current owner bought the home. New conversions are not permitted, so plans to add a bedroom or in-law suite inside the garage will be denied. Enclosing a carport or covered patio into living space likewise requires code compliance the city will not approve for garages.
An illegal garage conversion draws code enforcement and an order to restore the garage or remove the work. Living in the unpermitted space without a certificate of occupancy adds daily fines.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Broward County.
See how other cities in Broward County handle garage conversions.
See how Sunrise's garage conversions rules stack up against other locations.
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