Accessory Structures in Deschutes County, OR (2026)

ADU Rules

Unincorporated Deschutes County allows one rural accessory dwelling unit (ADU) per qualifying lot under DCC 18.116.355 and DCC 19.92.160, adopted in 2023 to implement Oregon SB 391 (2021) and codified in ORS 215.495. ADUs are permitted only in designated rural residential exception areas zoned RR-10, MUA-10, UAR-10, SR-2.5, or WTZ; properties on resource land (EFU farm zones, F-1/F-2 forest zones) are not eligible. The ADU is capped at 900 square feet of usable floor area, must be located within 100 feet of the primary single-family dwelling, and cannot be used as a vacation rental (defined as occupancy of 45 days or fewer for non-principal-residence purposes). Minimum lot size is 2 acres in most of the county and 5 acres in South Deschutes County (the La Pine groundwater protection area). Inside city limits, the City of Bend Development Code (BDC 3.6.200) applies instead, allowing up to two ADUs of 800 square feet each per single-unit lot with no owner-occupancy or short-term-rental ban; and the unincorporated communities of Tumalo, Terrebonne, and Sunriver are excluded from the rural ADU program because they are not rural residential exception areas.