Washington County, MN Accessory Structures: Garage Conversions (2026)
Garage conversion rules in Washington County, MN, sometimes called garage-to-ADU or accessory living unit conversions, govern permits, ceiling height, egress, and parking replacement.
Key Facts
- Rule
- Garage-as-dwelling-unit is prohibited
- Governing section
- Development Code Ch. Two §1.1(11)
- Also barred
- Cellars, RVs, trailers, unfinished basements
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county and townships only
- Enforcing agency
- County Zoning Administrator
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, fine and/or imprisonment
Summary
Washington County's Development Code flatly bans converting a garage into living space. Section 1.1(11) of Chapter Two prohibits using a cellar, garage, recreational vehicle, trailer, unfinished-exterior basement, or any other accessory building as a dwelling unit anywhere in the unincorporated county and its townships.
(11) Dwelling Unit - Use Prohibited. The use of a cellar, garage, recreational vehicle, trailer, basement with unfinished exterior above or accessory building as a dwelling unit is prohibited.
Full Breakdown
" The rule sits inside the General Standards that apply countywide to every zoning district in unincorporated Washington County, meaning a detached garage, pole building or other accessory structure cannot legally be finished out and occupied as a bedroom, apartment or full-time residence, regardless of lot size or district. 1(11) and denied outright. Property owners in the Shoreland Management Overlay District or the St. 2(1), which mandates a building permit for the accessory structure itself before any interior work begins. This provision governs unincorporated townships only; Stillwater, Woodbury, Oakdale, Cottage Grove, Forest Lake and the county's other cities regulate accessory-structure occupancy under their own municipal codes, not this county ordinance.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Section 1.1(11), like any other Development Code provision, is a misdemeanor under Chapter One Section 15.1, punishable by a fine, imprisonment, or both, plus the cost of prosecution. The Zoning Administrator can also deny or revoke a Certificate of Compliance for the property until the illegal living space is removed and the structure returns to an accessory use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn my detached garage into a rental unit?
Does this rule apply inside Woodbury or Stillwater?
What other structures does the ban cover besides garages?
Do I need county approval to remodel a garage's interior?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Minnesota accessory structures overview
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