Accessory Structures in Chicago, IL (2026)
6 verified accessory structures rules for Chicago, Illinois, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
Chicago's Zoning Ordinance caps coach houses, the classic garage-apartment ADU, at 22 feet in building height, including rooftop features, and limits each one to a single dwelling unit. Section 17-9-0201-F also requires 3 feet of open side yard, a 15-foot rear separation from the principal house, and rear-30-foot placement in B or C districts.
Chicago Coach House Height & Setback Rules
Some RestrictionsChicago Zoning Ordinance § 17-9-0201-F(2), (5)-(9)
17-9-0201-F Coach Houses. ... 2. In B or C zoning districts, a coach house may only be established in the rear 30 feet of the lot depth. ... 5. Coach houses may not exceed 22 feet in building height. 6. Rooftop features may not exceed 22 feet in overall height above grade. 7. At least three feet of open space that is unobstructed and unoccupied from its lowest level to the sky must be provided ...
ADU Impact Fees
Chicago charges a $500 Affordable ADU Initial Registration Fee for each coach house or conversion unit an owner must keep affordable when a building adds two or more ADUs.
Chicago ADU Affordability Fee: $500 Per Unit
Some RestrictionsMunicipal Code of Chicago § 2-44-106(d), (e); § 2-44-065(a)(10)
two or more ADUs are added, either separately or in any combination, at any time after May 1, 2021, to a residential building other than to a residential building owned, operated or maintained by the Chicago Housing Authority, the owner of such building shall maintain 50% of those newly added ADUs as affordable housing units for the duration of the affordability requirement as set forth in subs...
ADU Owner Occupancy
In Chicago's designated Additional Dwelling Unit-Allowed RS Areas, a single-family lot can only add a coach house or conversion unit if the existing detached house is owner-occupied at the time of pre-certification. Section 17-7-0573(2) locks eligibility to the owner living on site, so absentee-owned rental properties in RS1, RS2, and RS3 zones don't qualify.
Chicago ADU Owner-Occupancy Rule
Significant RestrictionsMunicipal Code of Chicago § 17-7-0573(1)-(3)
17-7-0573 Limitations. ... each Additional Dwelling Unit-Allowed RS Area may limit the development of new conversion units and coach houses in one or more of the following manners... (1) Annual limits. In the zoning districts specified in the table below, no more than the specified number of conversion units and coach houses, combined, may be pre-certified on the same block face and opposite bl...
ADU Rental Restrictions
Chicago bans short-term rental of new coach house ADUs; only long-term household occupants may use them.
Chicago Coach House Rental Restrictions
Significant RestrictionsMunicipal Code of Chicago § 17-9-0201-F(17)
Dwelling units contained within coach houses lawfully established after May 1, 2021 may not be rented, leased, or otherwise made available for compensation of any type for transient occupancy, as defined in Section 4-6-290, by persons other than members of the unit owner's or tenant's household. In addition to any other penalty provided by law, any person who violates this Section 17-9-0201-F(1...
Shed & Carport Rules
Chicago zoning treats a carport as an unenclosed parking space: it can't sit in the required front setback, and side-yard placement only works on RS lots with street access and no alley.
Chicago Carport Setback and Encroachment Rules
Some RestrictionsMCC § 17-17-0309
Parking spaces, unenclosed in RS districts No Yes [2] Yes ... Parking spaces, unenclosed in RT and RM districts No No Yes ... [2] Permitted only when the parking is accessed from a public street where no alley exists.
Garage Conversions
Chicago authorizes garage conversions to coach houses (detached ADUs) and conversion units (attic/basement ADUs) under the Additional Dwelling Unit Ordinance. The pilot ordinance (effective May 2021) was made permanent and city-wide by Ordinance SO2024-0008918, which the City Council passed 46-0 on September 25, 2025, with permits accepted starting April 1, 2026. ADUs are now allowed in single-family zones within the original pilot areas plus all multifamily zones citywide (except downtown).
Chicago Garage Conversion to Coach House / ADU
Some RestrictionsChicago Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance, expanded September 2025
The Additional Dwelling Units (ADU) Ordinance was first approved by Chicago City Council in 2020, resulting in the creation of five ADU Pilot Areas. In September 2025, City Council voted to expand the ADU ordinance beyond the pilot program allowing for ADU access more broadly across Chicago. The City of Chicago Municipal Code distinguishes ADUs between "conversion" and "coach house" units. A co...
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County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Chicago city rules.
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