Accessory Structures in Colorado Springs, CO (2026)
7 verified accessory structures rules for Colorado Springs, Colorado, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
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).
Colorado Springs ADU Rules (UDC 7.3.304E)
Few RestrictionsColorado Springs UDC Subsection 7.3.304E.2 (Standards for Detached ADUs), Ordinance amending Chapter 7 (2024)
Maximum Floor Area: The habitable area of a detached ADU shall not exceed fifty (50) percent of the habitable area of the principal structure or one thousand, two hundred and fifty (1,250) square feet, whichever is less; except that where the habitable area of the principal structure is less than one thousand, five hundred (1,500) square feet, the maximum size of the accessory dwelling unit sha...
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.
Colorado Springs ADU Fees: Waivers for Affordable Units
Light RestrictionsColorado Springs City Code (UDC) Subsection 7.3.304E.3
3. Accessory Dwelling Unit Fees: Reasonable and necessary fees are to be established by the City Council and will be available from the Planning Department or on the City's website. The Manager may waive or modify fees if the applicant demonstrates the applicant's household is low-to-moderate income, the ADU will be deed restricted as an affordable dwelling, the ADU will be accessible and visit...
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.
Colorado Springs ADU Applicant Must Live On-Site
Some RestrictionsColorado Springs City Code (UDC) Subsection 7.3.304E
E. Dwelling, Accessory: Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) are only allowed as an accessory use to a single-family detached dwelling in any zone district, overlay district, or other location where single-family detached dwellings are allowed. The property owner must demonstrate that said property owner resides on the property when submitting an application to construct or convert an ADU, except tha...
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.
Colorado Springs ADUs Cannot Be Used as a Short-Term Rental
Heavy RestrictionsColorado Springs City Code (UDC) Subsection 7.3.304A.4.d
d. Where an ADU is constructed on a property, the principal structure, ADU, and any other building or structure on that property shall not be used as a short term rental. Notwithstanding the foregoing, should a property have both a legally permitted ADU and a legally permitted short term rental on or before June 30, 2025, said ADU and short term rental may continue as nonconforming uses in acco...
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.
Colorado Springs Front-Yard Carport Rules and Permit
Some RestrictionsColorado Springs City Code § 7.3.304C
a. General Standard: Carports are allowed in the front yard setback as an accessory use to a single-family detached or two-family dwellings in the A, R-E, R-1 9, R-1 6, R-2, R-4, and single-family PDZ districts only after issuance of a permit in accord with Section 7.5.505 (Front Yard Carport Permit)... (1) The front yard carport shall not exceed five hundred (500) square feet... (2) The front ...
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.
Colorado Springs Garage Conversion to ADU (7.3.304E)
Few RestrictionsColorado Springs UDC Subsection 7.3.304E.2.e-f (Conversion of Existing Detached Garages; Prefabricated Homes)
Conversion of Existing Detached Garages: The detached garage shall meet the minimum setbacks for an accessory dwelling unit as required in this Section. Prefabricated Homes: Prefabricated homes, such as manufactured homes or tiny homes, are permitted for use as an ADU if placed on a permanent foundation and connected to metered utility services. A mobile home or recreational vehicle may not be ...
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.
Colorado Springs Tiny House Community Standards
Some RestrictionsColorado Springs City Code § 7.3.301D
D. Tiny House Community: 1. Project Size: a. The minimum size of a Tiny House Community is twenty thousand (20,000) square feet and the maximum size is two (2) acres... 2. Density and Green Space: a. Maximum residential density is twenty-five (25) Tiny Houses per acre... 3. Setbacks and Separation: a. No designated area for a Tiny House shall be located within ten (10) feet of an adjacent Resid...
Looking for El Paso County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Colorado Springs city rules.
Accessory Structures in El Paso County →