Accessory Structures in Upper Darby, PA (2026)
3 verified accessory structures rules for Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
ADU Rules
Upper Darby allows accessory dwelling units only by special exception in single-family detached or semidetached homes, and only if the unit is physically connected to the main house or is a converted detached building keeping the same footprint. The ADU must share the principal home's sewage and water systems and is capped at two occupants.
Upper Darby accessory dwelling unit zoning rules
Significant RestrictionsUpper Darby Code § 550-17B
B. Accessory dwellings. (1) The accessory dwelling unit shall be physically connected to the principal dwelling unit or shall be a converted existing detached building which maintains the same footprint. ... (3) The accessory dwelling unit may be located in a single-family detached dwelling or a single-family semidetached dwelling only. (4) The accessory dwelling unit shall share the same sewag...
ADU Rental Restrictions
Upper Darby bars renting an accessory dwelling unit on the open market: § 550-17B(2) limits occupancy to people related to the principal dwelling's occupants by blood, adoption or marriage. An unrelated tenant occupying an ADU is a zoning violation, not just a lease dispute.
Upper Darby ADU occupancy restricted to family
Heavy RestrictionsUpper Darby Code § 550-17B(2)
(2) The occupancy of the accessory dwelling unit shall be limited to persons who are related by blood, adoption or marriage to the occupants of the principal dwelling unit.
Shed & Carport Rules
Upper Darby caps accessory buildings, including sheds, at 15 feet in height and bars them from required front yards or within three feet of the main house. Placement can't block sight lines for traffic.
Upper Darby Accessory Building Height & Setback
Some RestrictionsUpper Darby Code § 550-40A, B(1), B(2)
No accessory building shall exceed 15 feet in height. ... Accessory structures shall not be constructed in the required front yard or closer to any side or rear lot line than permitted by the Building Code... No accessory building shall be constructed within three feet of the main or primary building.
Looking for Delaware County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Upper Darby city rules.
Accessory Structures in Delaware County →