Salt Lake County · 50,731 residents
Draper ADU rules
Draper: internal ADUs allowed (lot 6,000+ sq ft); detached ADUs allowed (lot 12,000+ sq ft). Owner occupancy applies.
Internal ADU (inside the home)
Detached ADU (backyard building)
Not yet fully verified · last reviewed September 7, 2026 See sources
Draper ADU rules at a glance
| Rule | Internal ADU (basement, attic, inside the home) | Detached ADU (backyard building) |
|---|---|---|
| Allowed? | Allowed | Allowed |
| Minimum lot | 6,000 sq ft. Generally >6,000 sq ft and fronting a public street meeting minimum width; some properties prohibited via adopted map. | 12,000 sq ft. ≥12,000 sq ft residentially zoned. |
| Owner occupancy | Primary dwelling must be owner-occupied. | Primary dwelling owner-occupied for D-ADUs established on/after 2021-10-01. |
| Parking | ≥1 extra on-site space; may not be tandem / directly behind another space. | ≥1 extra on-site space; not tandem. |
| Zones | Residentially zoned single-family properties (not multi-family). | Residentially zoned properties. |
| Permit process | ADU Permit required before rent/lease; rental ≥30 consecutive days; building permit for construction. | ADU Permit before rental; only one ADU per property (I or D); rental ≥30 days. |
What the Draper council decided
Recorded votes and actions on ADU rules, linked to the public meeting record on OpenUtah.
· Planning Commission · Approved (5-0)
Planning Commission approved an I-ADU geographic-restriction deviation for Geri and Frank Zwicky (application 2025-0162-VAR).
Read the meeting record· Planning Commission · Approved (5-0)
Planning Commission approved an I-ADU geographic-restriction deviation for Mallory White (application 2025-0087-VAR).
Read the meeting record· Planning Commission · Approved (5-0)
Planning Commission approved an I-ADU geographic-restriction deviation for Zach Gordon (for Sean Baumann and Jacob Taylor) (application 2025-0030-VAR).
Read the meeting record· Planning Commission · Approved (5-0)
Planning Commission approved an I-ADU geographic-restriction deviation for Ashok Tamang (application 2025-0034-VAR).
Read the meeting record· Planning Commission · Approved (4-0)
Planning Commission approved an I-ADU geographic-restriction deviation for Jayme Kogel and Jean Weatherwax (application 2024-0427-VAR).
Read the meeting record· Planning Commission · Approved (5-0)
Planning Commission approved an I-ADU geographic-restriction deviation for Karen Danner (Draper Danner Family Trust) (application 2024-0419-VAR).
Read the meeting record
State law: detached ADUs from October 1, 2026
Draper is a “specified municipality” under Utah S.B. 284. Beginning October 1, 2026, it must permit one detached ADU as a permitted use on a lot of 11,000 sq ft or more that has a detached single-family home. The city can still apply setbacks, height, design, owner-occupancy and limited parking rules, and it may allow detached ADUs on smaller lots. How the state ADU laws work.
How our property map screens Draper lots
The map colors parcels using the rules on this page and the recorded lot size. A color is a planning screen, not a permit; Draper makes the decision.
- The statewide map screen starts a new external ADU at about 11,000 sq ft. Draper's researched external minimum is 12,000 sq ft. Lots below that city minimum stay highly unlikely on the map even when they clear 11,000 sq ft.
- "Likely" above 15,000 sq ft is this site's planning band for a large recorded lot. It is not a sentence in the Draper code. Owner occupancy, parking, setbacks, zones, and HOA rules below still have to be checked.
Planned communities, PRDs and PUDs
Draper City Code 9-31, as published through Ordinance 1626, allows a detached ADU in a master planned community zone on a lot of at least 12,000 square feet with no more than one single-family dwelling. A master-planned label does not by itself make the lot highly unlikely. SunCrest, Traverse Mountain, and South Mountain are named development-agreement projects, and Ordinance 1499 says those agreements still govern those projects, so the map does not mark a lot carrying one of those names as likely. Source: Draper code 9-31 as published on Zoneomics and Ordinance 1499, read September 22, 2026.
Planning notes for Draper
Draper expressly distinguishes an ADU planning permit from a business license: its published FAQ says ADUs need the planning permit but not a business license. The ADU checklist points to §9-5-210 and Chapter 9-31. This distinction helps avoid starting with the wrong application while building and site requirements are being reviewed.
Bring these to your review
- ADU planning checklist
- Proposed unit type, floor plan and site layout
- Current Chapter 9-31 standards for the parcel
The question to resolve first
What planning and building submissions are required together for this specific design?
Sources
We link only to government sources and public meeting records. Codes change; confirm the current version with Draper before you apply.
- Draper Business Licenses — ADU exception and planning permit
Published city guidance
- Draper ADU application checklist — §9-5-210 and Chapter 9-31
City application checklist; verify later amendments
- Utah S.B. 284 (2026), enrolled bill
Statewide detached-ADU requirements for specified municipalities, operative October 1, 2026.
- Official Draper website
Common Draper ADU questions
Can you build an ADU in Draper?
Draper: internal ADUs allowed (lot 6,000+ sq ft); detached ADUs allowed (lot 12,000+ sq ft). Owner occupancy applies. This is planning guidance, not a permit. Confirm the zone on your parcel with Draper.
What lot size does Draper require for an ADU?
Internal ADU: 6,000 sq ft minimum. Generally >6,000 sq ft and fronting a public street meeting minimum width; some properties prohibited via adopted map. Detached ADU: 12,000 sq ft minimum. ≥12,000 sq ft residentially zoned.
Does Draper require the owner to live on the property?
Internal ADU: Primary dwelling must be owner-occupied. Detached ADU: Primary dwelling owner-occupied for D-ADUs established on/after 2021-10-01.
How much parking does a Draper ADU need?
Internal ADU: ≥1 extra on-site space; may not be tandem / directly behind another space. Detached ADU: ≥1 extra on-site space; not tandem.
What does it cost to build an ADU in Draper?
Wasatch Front planning bands are often about $55,000–$145,000 for an internal suite, $70,000–$175,000 for a garage conversion, and $95,000–$250,000 or more for a new detached unit, before unusual site work. These are planning ranges, not bids.
Can an HOA block an ADU in Draper?
City approval does not override CC&Rs or plat notes. Read the HOA documents and your subdivision plat before you design. A private restriction can stop a unit the city would otherwise allow.
Before you design: general checks for any Utah ADU
General planning advice, not Draper code.
- Confirm the zoning district on the city zoning map. The county assessor’s “residential” class is not zoning.
- Read your HOA CC&Rs and subdivision plat notes; private restrictions can block a unit the city allows.
- Sketch existing and proposed parking. Driveway geometry and access often decide what fits.
- Ask early about sewer, water and electrical capacity; utilities can force a redesign.
- Expanding a building’s footprint usually triggers full setback and height rules.
Nearby city ADU rules
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Utah ADU Builder provides educational planning guidance. This page is not legal advice and not a permit. Population: UGRC POPLASTESTIMATE / Census-derived municipal estimates (manual fill where UGRC blank). Editorial standards.