Permit requirements
ADU permit requirements by state & city
ArchPermit has grounded, source-cited ADU (accessory dwelling unit) requirements for all 50 states and DC — plus deeper, city-specific checklists for select cities. Pick your location to see what a permit package needs.
New: ADU Permit Complexity Index (2026)An original ranking of U.S. jurisdictions by how hard their ADU permitting is — the 10 hardest and easiest, with our method.See the ranking →City-specific checklists
Anchorage
Alaska · 13 cited requirements
Birmingham
Alabama · 14 cited requirements
Little Rock
Arkansas · 12 cited requirements
Phoenix
Arizona · 18 cited requirements
San Francisco
California · 17 cited requirements
Los Angeles
California · 19 cited requirements
Oakland
California · 16 cited requirements
Sacramento
California · 15 cited requirements
San Diego
California · 20 cited requirements
San José
California · 17 cited requirements
Denver
Colorado · 18 cited requirements
New Haven
Connecticut · 14 cited requirements
Washington
District of Columbia · 13 cited requirements
Wilmington
Delaware · 12 cited requirements
Miami
Florida · 15 cited requirements
Atlanta
Georgia · 17 cited requirements
Honolulu
Hawaii · 12 cited requirements
Des Moines
Iowa · 14 cited requirements
Boise
Idaho · 15 cited requirements
Chicago
Illinois · 14 cited requirements
Indianapolis
Indiana · 15 cited requirements
Wichita
Kansas · 12 cited requirements
Louisville
Kentucky · 15 cited requirements
New Orleans
Louisiana · 13 cited requirements
Boston
Massachusetts · 15 cited requirements
Baltimore
Maryland · 14 cited requirements
Portland
Maine · 14 cited requirements
Detroit
Michigan · 16 cited requirements
Minneapolis
Minnesota · 18 cited requirements
Kansas City
Missouri · 14 cited requirements
Jackson
Mississippi · 12 cited requirements
Billings
Montana · 13 cited requirements
Charlotte
North Carolina · 13 cited requirements
Fargo
North Dakota · 12 cited requirements
Omaha
Nebraska · 13 cited requirements
Manchester
New Hampshire · 12 cited requirements
Jersey City
New Jersey · 13 cited requirements
Albuquerque
New Mexico · 15 cited requirements
Las Vegas
Nevada · 12 cited requirements
New York City
New York · 13 cited requirements
Columbus
Ohio · 16 cited requirements
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma · 14 cited requirements
Portland
Oregon · 16 cited requirements
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania · 13 cited requirements
Providence
Rhode Island · 15 cited requirements
Columbia
South Carolina · 14 cited requirements
Sioux Falls
South Dakota · 13 cited requirements
Nashville
Tennessee · 12 cited requirements
Austin
Texas · 13 cited requirements
Houston
Texas · 16 cited requirements
Salt Lake City
Utah · 16 cited requirements
Richmond
Virginia · 15 cited requirements
Burlington
Vermont · 12 cited requirements
Seattle
Washington · 14 cited requirements
Milwaukee
Wisconsin · 11 cited requirements
Charleston
West Virginia · 14 cited requirements
Cheyenne
Wyoming · 11 cited requirements
By state
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaADU lawArkansasCaliforniaADU lawColoradoADU lawConnecticutADU lawDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiADU lawIdahoADU lawIllinoisIndianaIowaADU lawKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineADU lawMarylandADU lawMassachusettsADU lawMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaADU lawNebraskaNevadaADU lawNew HampshireADU lawNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonADU lawPennsylvaniaRhode IslandADU lawSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahADU lawVermontADU lawVirginiaADU lawWashingtonADU lawWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming