Accessory Structures in Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado Springs maintains 144 local ordinances across all categories, and 7 of those deal specifically with accessory structures. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Colorado Springs falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Shed & Carport Rules

Front-yard carports are allowed in Colorado Springs only with a Front Yard Carport Permit: City Code § 7.3.304C caps them at 500 square feet, sets a 5-foot setback from the sidewalk and 10 feet from the curb, and lets them reach 12 feet in height even though standard accessory structures in a setback max out at 8 feet.

Key details: Max area: 500 sq ft. Sidewalk setback: 5 feet. Curb/roadway setback: 10 feet. Max height: 12 feet at highest point. Permit review time: 10 business days after complete application.

Erecting a carport in the front yard setback without an approved Front Yard Carport Permit is unlawful under § 7.5.505.B. A permit that is issued but not acted on lapses automatically if construction has not commenced within one year, and use rights end the moment the carport is removed or destroyed, requiring a new permit application to rebuild.

ADU Owner Occupancy

Before the City will accept an application to build or convert an Accessory Dwelling Unit, UDC Subsection 7.3.304E requires the property owner to demonstrate they reside on the property: a requirement waived only when the ADU is built at the same time as the main home.

Key details: Governing section: UDC Subsection 7.3.304E. Core rule: Owner must reside on property to apply. Exception: Waived when ADU built with the primary home. Recorded restriction: Filed with El Paso County Clerk before permit. WUI-O limit: Detached/attached ADUs barred; integrated ADUs allowed.

Submitting an ADU application without demonstrating owner-occupancy, or later selling the ADU separately from the principal dwelling in violation of the recorded declaration of restrictions, is enforceable under City Code Section 1.1.201's general penalty, a fine up to $2,500, up to 189 days in jail, or both, in addition to permit denial or revocation by the Manager.

ADU Impact Fees

Colorado Springs charges ADU applicants a fee set by City Council rather than a fixed amount in the Code itself, but UDC Subsection 7.3.304E.3 lets the Manager waive or reduce it for low-to-moderate-income households, deed-restricted affordable ADUs, accessible units, or units serving community housing needs.

Key details: Governing section: UDC Subsection 7.3.304E.3. Fee amount: Set by City Council, not fixed in Code. Where posted: Planning Department / City website. Waiver ground 1: Low-to-moderate income household. Waiver ground 2: ADU deed-restricted as affordable.

Submitting an ADU building permit application without paying the Council-established fee (or without a Manager-approved waiver) will stall permit issuance under Subsection 7.3.304E.1.i; misrepresenting eligibility for a fee waiver, for example, false income or deed-restriction claims, is enforceable as a Code violation under the general penalty in Section 1.1.201, up to $2,500 and up to 189 days in jail.

The rules around adu impact fees in Colorado Springs lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Tiny Homes

Colorado Springs does not let a freestanding tiny home sit on an ordinary residential lot as an accessory structure. Instead, UDC § 7.3.301D creates a dedicated Tiny House Community land use, sized 20,000 square feet to two acres, capped at 25 units per acre, with each home limited to 20 feet in height and a permanent foundation.

Key details: Project size: 20,000 sq ft minimum, 2 acres maximum. Max density: 25 tiny houses per acre. Max height: 20 feet per unit. Min site per unit: 1,000 sq ft or 1.5x floor area. Setback from residential zone: 10 feet.

Because Tiny House Community approval runs through a development agreement and site standards rather than a simple building permit, a project that doesn't meet the size, density, setback, or utility-connection standards in § 7.3.301D won't clear Development Plan review or receive occupancy approval. Placing an unpermitted freestanding tiny home outside an approved community is treated as an unlawful use under the UDC and is subject to standard code enforcement.

ADU Rental Restrictions

Colorado Springs bars any property with an Accessory Dwelling Unit from also operating as a short-term rental. Under UDC Subsection 7.3.304A.4.d, once an ADU is built, the principal dwelling, the ADU, and every other structure on the lot lose STR eligibility, with a narrow grandfather clause for properties that held both a legal ADU and a legal STR permit before June 30, 2025.

Key details: Governing section: UDC Subsection 7.3.304A.4.d. Rule: No STR use on any lot with an ADU. Grandfather cutoff: Legal ADU + legal STR before June 30, 2025. Nonconforming authority: Section 7.5.804 (nonconforming uses). Max fine: $2,500 plus up to 189 days jail (Sec. 1.1.201).

Operating an unpermitted short-term rental on a property with an ADU violates UDC Subsection 7.3.304A.4.d and City Code Section 1.1.201's general penalty: conviction carries a fine up to $2,500, up to 189 days in jail, probation, or a combination, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense. The City may also deny or revoke the associated STR or building permit pending compliance.

Compared to other cities, Colorado Springs takes a harder line on adu rental restrictions. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

ADU Rules

Colorado Springs allows one accessory dwelling unit (ADU), plus up to two detached ADUs per lot, wherever single-family detached dwellings are permitted, with administrative approval and no required parking, under UDC Subsection 7.3.304E as amended to align with Colorado House Bill 24-1152 (C.R.S. 29-35-103).

Key details: Code Section: UDC Subsection 7.3.304E (Dwelling, Accessory). State Law: HB 24-1152 / C.R.S. 29-35-103. Where allowed: Anywhere single-family detached dwellings are allowed. Detached ADU max size: 50% of principal habitable area or 1,250 sq ft (750 sq ft if principal under 1,500 sq ft). Detached ADU max height: 25 ft (flat / <6:12) or 28 ft (>=6:12 pitch).

Building an ADU without a building permit and site-plan approval, or operating one as a short-term rental, can trigger zoning enforcement under UDC Part 7.5.9 (General Enforcement). In the R-E, R-1 9, and R-1 6 zone districts a recorded declaration of owner-occupancy restriction is required before a building permit issues, though no enforcement action may be brought against a tenant for an owner's failure to meet that requirement.

Colorado Springs is more permissive than most cities when it comes to adu rules. That said, there are still limits.

Garage Conversions

Colorado Springs expressly allows an existing detached garage to be converted into an accessory dwelling unit; the converted garage must meet the ADU setbacks of UDC Subsection 7.3.304E, and under Colorado HB 24-1152 (C.R.S. 29-35-103) the City may not require a new off-street parking space for a garage-to-ADU conversion.

Key details: Code Section: UDC Subsection 7.3.304E.2 (Standards for Detached ADUs). State Law: HB 24-1152 / C.R.S. 29-35-103 (no new parking required). Garage conversion setbacks: Must meet ADU setbacks (5 ft rear; 10 ft if alley-facing). Mobile home / RV as ADU: Prohibited. Prefab / tiny homes: Allowed on permanent foundation with metered utilities.

Converting a garage to a dwelling unit without a building permit and ADU site-plan approval, or in a way that fails the ADU setbacks of UDC Subsection 7.3.304E, is subject to zoning enforcement under UDC Part 7.5.9, including correction or removal. A converted-garage ADU also may not be used as a short-term rental or sold separately from the principal dwelling.

Colorado Springs is more permissive than most cities when it comes to garage conversions. That said, there are still limits.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Colorado Springs gives residents more room on accessory structures. 3 of the 7 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

Keep in mind that Colorado Springs 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.