Building an ADU in Asheville
City code and North Carolina law · Last reviewed October 9, 2026
Asheville allows one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on a lot with no more than two homes. The ADU can be up to 1,000 square feet but no larger than the main house, and you don't need to add parking for it. You can convert an existing accessory building, and an ADU doesn't count toward minimum lot size or density limits. You apply for a residential building permit from the city's Development Services Department. [1][2]
| Where ADUs are allowed | On a lot with no more than two homes; the city says a single-family lot in a residential zone can usually have one [1][2] |
|---|---|
| How many | One ADU per lot or parcel [1] |
| Types | A separate building or part of the main house (for example a basement or attic apartment) [2] |
| Max size | 1,000 sq ft, and not larger than the main house; covered decks, patios, porches and garages don't count [1] |
| Parking | No off-street parking required [1] |
| Setbacks for accessory structures | Not in the front setback; may go in side and rear setbacks but no closer than 6 ft to the property line [1] |
| Density | An ADU doesn't count as an extra unit for minimum lot size or maximum density [1] |
| Historic districts | Need a Major Work Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Resources Commission [2] |
| Homestays | Not allowed in a detached accessory building (except homestays permitted before December 14, 2021) [7] |
| Private covenants | A city permit does not override deed restrictions that ban ADUs [2] |
On this page
What you can build here
The city says "Asheville has always allowed ADUs." An ADU needs its own kitchen, bathroom and living area. It can be a separate cottage or "backyard suite," or a space inside or attached to the main house, such as a basement or attic apartment.
Under the city's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), an ADU can only go on a lot with no more than two residential units, and only one ADU is allowed per lot or parcel. ADUs are allowed as shown in the UDO's table of permitted uses. The city's ADU page says a lot in a residential zone with a single-family house can usually have one ADU.
An ADU doesn't count as an extra dwelling unit when the city figures minimum lot size or maximum density.
Check your deed for "private restrictive covenants." The city says its permit does not override private rules that ban ADUs. [1][2]
Size and setbacks
Size. The maximum size is 1,000 square feet, "but not larger than the primary structure." Covered decks, patios, porches and garages don't count toward the floor area. The size limit doesn't apply when you convert a legally established nonconforming building, as long as you don't add floor area and you meet the UDO's nonconformities rules.
Setbacks. Accessory structures can't sit in a front setback. They may go into a side or rear setback but "may not be located closer than six feet to the side or rear property line." Unlike most other accessory buildings, ADUs and detached garages are not limited to side or rear yards by the UDO's location rule. The footprint of the part of a building used as an ADU doesn't count toward the cap on accessory building footprints.
Your exact limits depend on your zoning district and lot, so confirm them with the Planner of the Day. [1][2]
Parking
The UDO says: "Off-street parking for the accessory dwelling unit shall not be required." North Carolina's new ADU law also bars covered cities from setting minimum parking requirements for ADUs from January 15, 2027. [1][3]
What changes with the 2027 state law
Session Law 2026-59 adds G.S. 160D-917, which covers cities of 50,000 or more outside the coastal area. The state demographer estimated Asheville's population at 97,700 on July 1, 2025, and Buncombe County is not on the state's list of coastal counties.
For ADU permit applications filed on or after January 15, 2027, a covered city must allow at least one ADU with each single-family detached home in residential areas that allow those homes. It can't set a maximum ADU size below 800 or above 1,000 square feet, can't set minimum parking requirements and can't charge more than for a similar single-family home permit. Asheville's 1,000-square-foot limit and its no-parking rule already fit those limits.
The state law says it does not apply to properties in a local historic preservation district. Asheville requires historic review for ADUs in its historic districts. See our North Carolina ADU law page. [1][2][3][4][5]
Converting an existing building
An ADU may go in a conforming or lawfully created nonconforming accessory building, such as an older garage, or in a lawfully created nonconforming main house. The size limit doesn't apply to converting a legal nonconforming building if you don't increase its floor area. The city amended Sec. 7-14-1 in January and August 2026, so check the current text with the Planner of the Day. See our garage conversion guide. [1]
Fees and timeline
The city's ADU page doesn't list fees or review times. City staff review your plans and may ask for changes before a final check. State law requires a local government's first review of residential building plans within 15 business days, with partial fee refunds if it takes more than 20.
Since August 11, 2026, state law also requires local governments to post their fee schedules online and give you a fee estimate within 10 business days after you submit a complete application. See our ADU cost guide and ADU permit process guide. [2][3][6]
Renting it out and short-term rentals
The city notes that ADUs can help homeowners "earn extra money from rent." North Carolina's new ADU law bars covered cities from banning long-term rentals of the house and the ADU to separate households.
Short-term rentals are tightly limited. A homestay needs a permit and annual review and inspection, and the operator must live there full time as their primary home and be present while guests stay. Homestays "may not be located within a detached accessory structure," except for those permitted before December 14, 2021. Short-term vacation rentals (stays of less than one month) are allowed only in the districts shown in the UDO's table of permitted uses and are reviewed and inspected each year under an annual zoning permit. Ask the Planner of the Day before you plan to rent short term. [2][3][7]
Permit steps in Asheville
Research the rules
Read the ADU rules in the Unified Development Ordinance, Sec. 7-14-1 and check your deed for private restrictive covenants. [1][2]
Talk to the Planner of the Day
Discuss your project with a city planner: call (828) 259-5450 or email POD@ashevillenc.gov, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit 161 S. Charlotte St. (in person until 4 p.m.). The city suggests hiring a professional surveyor to place the building correctly. [2]
Get historic approval first, if it applies
In a historic district, you need a Major Work Certificate of Appropriateness, and the Historic Resources Commission must review your plans. Call (828) 259-5638. [2]
Apply for a residential building permit
Submit your application and building plans to the Development Services Department online through the Development Portal or in person at the Permit Center, 161 S. Charlotte St., Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. [2]
Respond to plan review
City staff review your plans and may ask for changes. Send revised plans back for a final check. [2]
Build and schedule inspections
Start building once your plans are approved and you have the permit. City inspectors must visit at several stages of construction. [2]
Who to call
-
Zoning and ADU rule questions before you apply; email POD@ashevillenc.gov
161 S. Charlotte St., Asheville, NC
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Development Services Permit Center
Residential building permit applications, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
161 S. Charlotte St., Asheville, NC
-
Certificates of Appropriateness for ADUs in historic districts
Questions people ask
How big can an ADU be in Asheville?
Up to 1,000 square feet, but not larger than the main house. Covered decks, patios, porches and garages don't count toward the floor area. [1]
Do I need a parking space for an ADU in Asheville?
No. The UDO says off-street parking for an ADU is not required. [1]
Can I use my ADU as an Airbnb in Asheville?
Only in limited cases. Homestays can't be in a detached accessory building, except those permitted before December 14, 2021, and short-term vacation rentals are allowed only in the districts listed in the UDO's table of permitted uses. Ask the Planner of the Day. [7]
Can I build an ADU in an Asheville historic district?
Yes, but you need a Major Work Certificate of Appropriateness, and the Historic Resources Commission must review your plans. Call (828) 259-5638. [2]
Who do I talk to before applying for an ADU in Asheville?
The Planner of the Day at (828) 259-5450 or POD@ashevillenc.gov, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or in person at 161 S. Charlotte St. until 4 p.m. [2]
Sources (7)
- Code of Ordinances, Chapter 7, Article XIV, Sec. 7-14-1. Accessory uses and structures, City of Asheville (American Legal Publishing). Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Accessory Dwelling Units, City of Asheville Development Services Department. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Session Law 2026-59 (Senate Bill 445), Regulatory Reform Act of 2026, North Carolina General Assembly. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Aspects of Municipal Population Change (Vintage 2025 estimates), North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- G.S. 113A-103, Definitions (Coastal Area Management Act), North Carolina General Assembly. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- G.S. 160D-1110, Building permits, North Carolina General Assembly. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Code of Ordinances, Sec. 7-16-1. Uses by right, subject to special requirements, City of Asheville (American Legal Publishing). Accessed October 9, 2026.