Accessory Structures in Carrollton, TX

If you live in Carrollton or are thinking about moving there, accessory structures are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Carrollton has 4 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of accessory structures, and some of them might surprise you.

Garage Conversions

A Carrollton short-term rental or bed and breakfast cannot turn its garage into a bedroom or living space. The General Code also bars remodeling or enlarging the home to add bedrooms once it is licensed as an STR or B&B.

Key details: Garage-to-bedroom conversion: Prohibited for STR/B&B use. Adding bedrooms to expand capacity: Prohibited. Related restriction: No paving pervious soil w/o DCO OK. Correction window: 30 days for non-imminent violations. Enforcing agency: Department of Code Operations (DCO).

Converting a garage into living space or adding bedrooms at a licensed STR or B&B is a misdemeanor under Section 97.11, punishable per Section 10.99 for each day the violation continues, with each day a separate offense under Section 97.09(A). The DCO may also pursue civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation per day under Section 97.09(J), and the violation counts toward the three-citation threshold that can trigger denial or revocation of the lodging license under Sections 97.26(A)(2) and 97.27(B)(2).

Compared to other cities, Carrollton takes a harder line on garage conversions. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Shed & Carport Rules

Carrollton's zoning ordinance caps every lot to one detached accessory building plus one detached garage, bars sheds built from shipping containers or trailers, and limits accessory building height to 15 feet in every Single-Family district. Sheds over 120 square feet must match the main house's exterior materials under a sliding scale set by Zoning Ordinance Article 7, Section K.3.

Key details: Buildings per lot: One accessory building plus one garage (Sec. K.3(d)). Max height: 15 feet in all SF districts (Sec. L.3(b)). Banned as sheds: Trailers, shipping containers, commercial boxes (Sec. K.3(b)). 121-240 sq ft standard: Metal or exterior-grade wood siding required. Street-facing placement: Must be screened from adjacent public street.

Article 36, Penalty for Violation, makes any violation of the zoning ordinance a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,000, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense. Owners, builders, contractors and agents who assist in building or maintaining a noncompliant shed can each be charged separately, and the ordinance requires no proof of a culpable mental state, meaning an honest mistake is not a defense.

ADU Rental Restrictions

Carrollton's Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance defines a guest house as a secondary structure for temporary guest stays only, and it expressly states the structure 'is not for rent, lease or permanent occupancy.' The servants'-quarters definition carries the identical rental ban. Neither may have a separate utility meter, and neither may include a kitchen without Article 7 approval, closing off any path to an independent backyard rental unit.

Key details: Rental status: Not for rent, lease or permanent occupancy. Utility meter: No separate utility meter allowed. Kitchen: Requires Article 7 approval. Covered uses: Guest House and Servants Quarters, Use C012. Maximum fine: $2,000 per day, Article 36.

Renting, leasing or separately metering a guest house or servant's quarters breaches its Article 35 use definition and triggers Article 36's Penalty for Violation: a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $2,000 per offense, and each day the unauthorized rental continues counts as a new, separate offense (Ord. No. 1977, 04/19/94; Ord. No. 2706, 07/16/02). Owners and anyone who assisted in the conversion can each be fined separately.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Carrollton actively enforces its adu rental restrictions requirements.

ADU Rules

Carrollton's zoning ordinance defines a 'garage apartment' as a dwelling unit attached to or built above a private garage, but the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance caps every (SF) Single-Family lot at one dwelling unit. That leaves only the Guest House or Servant's Quarters accessory-use category, permitted by right in single-family districts under the Article 5 Use Table, as the zoning-recognized backyard living space.

Key details: Dwelling unit cap: One dwelling unit per (SF) lot of record. Garage apartment definition: Dwelling unit attached to or above a garage. Permitted accessory use: Guest House/Servant's Quarters, Use C012. Kitchen restriction: No kitchen without Article 7 approval. Maximum fine: $2,000 per day, Article 36.

Article 36, Penalty for Violation, makes any breach of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, including building or occupying an unauthorized second dwelling unit on a single-family lot, a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,000, with each day the violation continues charged as a separate offense (Ord. No. 1977, 04/19/94; Ord. No. 2706, 07/16/02). Owners, builders and contractors who assisted in creating the illegal unit can each be cited separately under the same article.

Compared to other cities, Carrollton takes a harder line on adu rules. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

The Bottom Line

Carrollton is tougher than many cities when it comes to accessory structures. Out of the 4 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Carrollton, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Carrollton can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.