Accessory Structures in Sandy, UT (2026)
5 verified accessory structures rules for Sandy, Utah, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
Sandy allows only one accessory apartment or extended living area per single-family home, requires an administrative special use permit and business license, and mandates that the unit share a common wall with the main house rather than sit in a detached building.
Sandy Accessory Apartment Zoning Standards
Significant RestrictionsSandy City Code § 21-11-1
Number Permitted. Only one accessory apartment or extended living area shall be created within a single-family dwelling structure. The accessory apartment or extended living area shall not occupy any accessory buildings. No lot or parcel shall contain more than one guesthouse... An accessory apartment may be allowed by an administrative special use permit from the Community Development Departme...
ADU Owner Occupancy
Sandy requires the property owner to reside in the primary dwelling as their actual primary residence before an accessory apartment permit is granted, and owners must prove it with tax returns, government ID, and a notarized affidavit.
Sandy Requires Owner to Live On-Site for ADU
Significant RestrictionsSandy City Code § 21-11-1
Owner Occupancy. The owner of the subject property shall live in the primary dwelling unit and must reside therein as their primary residence. An individual shall prove ownership of the property as evidenced by a copy of a transfer deed listing the applicant as the fee title owner. Fee title owner may be an individual or trustor of a family trust that possesses 50 percent or more ownership of t...
ADU Rental Restrictions
Sandy City prohibits renting an accessory apartment, extended living area, or guesthouse for less than 30 consecutive days unless the property has separate short-term rental approval, and bars mixing short-term and long-term rentals on the same property at once.
Sandy Bans Short-Term Rental of Accessory Units
Heavy RestrictionsSandy City Code § 21-11-1
Short Term Rental (STR). It is prohibited to rent or offer the rental of an accessory apartment, extended living area, or guesthouse for a period of less than 30 consecutive days unless the property has obtained approvals for such use as found in the Land Development Code and all other Sandy City Code. In no event, shall any portion of the property be rented out for both short and long-term ren...
Shed & Carport Rules
Sandy caps most residential accessory buildings at 25 percent of the rear yard or a set square-footage ceiling based on lot size, holds side and rear setbacks to as little as two feet, and limits height to 15 or 20 feet depending on the zone.
Sandy Accessory Building Size and Setback Limits
Some RestrictionsSandy City Code § 21-11-2
From side property line in rear yard 2* / From rear property line 2* / From front property line 30 / From main dwelling 6 / From dwelling on adjacent property 10... No single accessory building shall exceed 1,500 square feet, unless the Planning Commission approves a larger size through the conditional use permit process. Number of Accessory Buildings. A maximum of two accessory buildings are p...
Garage Conversions
Sandy allows an existing garage, shed, or workshop to be converted into a guesthouse if it meets all guesthouse standards and the Building Code, but the conversion cannot eliminate the home's required off-street parking stalls.
Sandy Rules for Converting a Garage to a Guesthouse
Significant RestrictionsSandy City Code § 21-11-1
Conversion. Existing accessory structures (shed, garage, workshop, etc.) may be converted to a guest house, provided that the proposed guesthouse complies with all title standards and the adopted Building Code. The number of required off-street parking stalls shall not be eliminated with the conversion of an accessory garage.
Looking for Salt Lake County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Sandy city rules.
Accessory Structures in Salt Lake County →