Accessory Structures in Fishers, IN (2026)
5 verified accessory structures rules for Fishers, Indiana, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
Fishers' Unified Development Ordinance does not list an accessory dwelling unit as a permitted accessory use in residential districts. The only accessory residence allowed (a caretaker's residence) is permitted in nonresidential districts only, so a second living unit in a residential yard typically requires a variance.
Fishers Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Rules
Heavy RestrictionsShed Rules
Under UDO Sec. 6.2.2, a detached shed in a residential district must meet the front setback for the zone and a side/rear setback equal to the primary-structure setback or 10 feet (whichever is less). Combined accessory floor area is capped at 1,000 sq ft on lots under one acre, and most R-district structures may not exceed 18 feet tall.
Fishers Shed Rules
Some RestrictionsGarage Conversions
Converting a garage to living space is a Structural Alteration requiring a building permit and compliance with the Indiana One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code. Because the UDO permits no separate accessory dwelling unit in residential districts, a garage cannot become an independent rental by right, though conversion into the same household's living space is treated as remodeling.
Fishers Garage Conversion Rules
Some RestrictionsCarport Rules
Carports are expressly listed as residential accessory structures in UDO Sec. 6.2.2 and follow the same standards as detached garages: side/rear setback equal to the primary-structure setback or 10 feet (whichever is less), the combined accessory floor-area cap (1,000 sq ft under one acre), and an 18-foot height limit in most residential districts.
Fishers Carport Rules
Some RestrictionsTiny Homes
Fishers' UDO does not define or separately permit 'tiny homes.' A tiny house used as a residence must meet the UDO's Dwelling Unit definition and the Indiana One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code, and it must occupy a lawfully zoned residential lot - the UDO does not allow a second small dwelling as an accessory use in residential districts.
Fishers Tiny Home Rules
Heavy RestrictionsLooking for Hamilton County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Fishers city rules.
Accessory Structures in Hamilton County →