Accessory Structures in Spotsylvania County, VA (2026)

2 rules for unincorporated Spotsylvania County, Virginia.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Spotsylvania County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

ADU Rules

Spotsylvania County's zoning ordinance allows an accessory apartment, a small second dwelling on the same lot as a detached house, attached house, or townhouse, only within the Mixed Use (MU) zoning district's five sub-districts. The county caps it at two dwelling units per lot, requires a 200-square-foot minimum building footprint, and sets specific setbacks and a ten-foot minimum building separation under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 23-6.28.4.

Spotsylvania MU District Accessory Apartments

Some Restrictions

Spotsylvania County Code § 23-6.28.4

(8) Accessory Apartment ... A small dwelling located on the same lot as a detached house, attached house, or townhouse. An accessory apartment may be located above a garage. ... (l)Accessory apartment. ... (1) Lot Standards Lot Dimensions A Dwelling units per lot (max) 2 B Building footprint (min) 200 sf Building Setbacks C Primary street (min) 50' D Side street (min) 10' E Side, common lot lin...

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Shed & Carport Rules

Backyard sheds and other accessory structures in Spotsylvania County cannot cover more than thirty percent of the required rear yard when attached to a single-family home, and Sec. 23-5.2.3 keeps most sheds out of the front yard entirely. Detached structures must sit at least ten feet from rear and side lot lines, or five feet in cluster subdivisions, unless they qualify as an exempt statue, flagpole or basketball standard.

Spotsylvania County Shed & Accessory Building Rules

Some Restrictions

Spotsylvania County Code § 23-5.2.2(2); § 23-5.2.3(7)(A)-(B)

(2)All structures accessory to single-family detached dwellings, to include such extensions permitted by section 23-5.1.2, shall cover no more than thirty (30) percent of the area within the minimum required rear yard. ... (A)No accessory structure, except a statue, basketball standard or flagpole, shall be located (a) in any minimum required front yard on any lot or (b) in any front yard on an...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

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