Wasatch County · 19,651 residents
Heber City ADU rules
Heber City: internal ADUs allowed; detached ADUs allowed. Owner occupancy applies.
Internal ADU (inside the home)
Detached ADU (backyard building)
✓ Checked against city sources on September 24, 2026 See sources
Heber City ADU rules at a glance
| Rule | Internal ADU (basement, attic, inside the home) | Detached ADU (backyard building) |
|---|---|---|
| Allowed? | Allowed | Allowed |
| Minimum lot | Not yet verified — confirm with the city | Heber City's code sets no minimum lot size; state law effective Oct 1, 2026 also requires Heber to allow a detached ADU on single-family lots of 11,000 sq ft or more. |
| Owner occupancy | The property owner must live in either the main home or the accessory apartment (temporary bona fide absences excepted), and the apartment cannot be sold separately from the main home. | The property owner must live in either the main home or the ADU. |
| Parking | The code requires two additional hard-surfaced off-street spaces for the apartment on top of the two required for the home; garage or carport spaces count. | The code requires two additional hard-surfaced off-street spaces for the ADU on top of the two required for the home. |
| Size limits | Between 300 and 1,500 sq ft, and no more than 80% of the main home's footprint, whichever is smaller. Occupancy is limited to two adults (children allowed). | An ADU outside the main home must be less than 1,500 sq ft (code: maximum 1,500 sq ft or 80% of the main home's footprint, whichever is smaller). |
| Zones | Allowed in all residential zones. | Allowed in all residential zones. |
| Permit process | Requires an Owner Occupied Accessory Apartment permit from the Planning and Zoning Department (site plan, floor plans, inspection and certificate of occupancy), renewed yearly for a nominal fee; a recorded ADU notice and a business license if rented. | Same Owner Occupied Accessory Apartment permit as an internal unit (site plan, floor plans, inspection, yearly renewal), plus building permits and a recorded ADU notice. |
Proposed or pending changes
Not adopted as of September 24, 2026. They do not change the rules above until the city adopts them.
- Heber City has not adopted a detached-ADU amendment tied to S.B. 284 as of 2026-09-24 (none found in OpenCity decisions, agendas or minutes); the statewide rule for lots of 11,000 sq ft or more takes effect Oct 1, 2026.
- City Council began an affordable-housing discussion series on May 19, 2026 that included ADU options; no ADU code change has been adopted from it.
State law: detached ADUs from October 1, 2026
Heber City 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 Heber City 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; Heber City makes the decision.
- No numeric external minimum is recorded for Heber City. The map keeps the statewide 11,000 sq ft external screen and shows the researched status (generally allowed) on the property report.
- "Likely" above 15,000 sq ft is this site's planning band for a large recorded lot. It is not a sentence in the Heber City code. Owner occupancy, parking, setbacks, zones, and HOA rules below still have to be checked.
Planned communities, PRDs and PUDs
Reviewed on September 22, 2026 against this city's research file, its published ADU page where one was found, and Utah meeting packets. No adopted sentence was confirmed that allows or bans an ADU in every PUD, PRD, PRUD, or planned community. If the assessor class or subdivision name says PUD, PRD, PRUD, planned unit development, planned residential development, planned community, resort community, or master planned community, the map keeps that lot highly unlikely regardless of size. A plat, CC&Rs, or development agreement can still prohibit an ADU where the zone allows one.
Sources
We link only to government sources and public meeting records. Codes change; confirm the current version with Heber City before you apply.
- Heber City — Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Notice form
Owner occupancy, one ADU per property, parking (3 total spaces), external ADU under 1,500 sq ft, business license if rented
- Heber City — Planning FAQs (ADU information)
States ADU code is the same as the Accessory Apartments code and links to it
- Heber City Council, Apr 15, 2025 (OpenUtah) — moderate-income housing report
States accessory dwelling units are allowed in all residential zones
- U.S. Census Bureau — Utah subcounty population estimates, Vintage 2025 (sub-est2025_49.csv)
July 1, 2025 population estimates for Utah cities and counties
- Utah S.B. 284 (2026) enrolled — Local Land Use Modifications
Enacts Utah Code 10-21-304 (detached ADUs on lots of 11,000 sq ft or more in specified municipalities, effective Oct 1, 2026) and the 'specified municipality' definition
- Utah Code Title 17, Chapter 60 (county classification, 17-60-104/105)
Current county class population thresholds: 3rd class 40,000-259,999; 4th class 12,000-39,999
- Official Heber City website
Common Heber City ADU questions
Can you build an ADU in Heber City?
Heber City: internal ADUs allowed; detached ADUs allowed. Owner occupancy applies. This is planning guidance, not a permit. Confirm the zone on your parcel with Heber City.
What lot size does Heber City require for an ADU?
Internal ADU: Not yet verified — confirm with the city. Detached ADU: Heber City's code sets no minimum lot size; state law effective Oct 1, 2026 also requires Heber to allow a detached ADU on single-family lots of 11,000 sq ft or more.
Does Heber City require the owner to live on the property?
Internal ADU: The property owner must live in either the main home or the accessory apartment (temporary bona fide absences excepted), and the apartment cannot be sold separately from the main home. Detached ADU: The property owner must live in either the main home or the ADU.
How much parking does a Heber City ADU need?
Internal ADU: The code requires two additional hard-surfaced off-street spaces for the apartment on top of the two required for the home; garage or carport spaces count. Detached ADU: The code requires two additional hard-surfaced off-street spaces for the ADU on top of the two required for the home.
What does it cost to build an ADU in Heber City?
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 Heber City?
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 Heber City 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
Want to know what fits on your Heber City lot?
Free, no obligation. We review your parcel against these rules and, if you want, introduce independent design and construction partners. Partners may pay us for referrals.
Utah ADU Builder provides educational planning guidance. This page is not legal advice and not a permit. Population: U.S. Census Bureau population estimate (2025). Editorial standards.