Cache County · 9,447 residents
Providence ADU rules
Providence: 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
Providence 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 | Providence does not set a separate minimum lot size for detached ADUs; they are permitted in the AGR and R-1 zones, whose minimum lot sizes range from 6,000 sq ft to 5 acres. |
| Owner occupancy | The owner (or a relative by blood, marriage or adoption, or a family-trust trustor) must live full-time in the home or the ADU, and must record a deed restriction within 30 days of approval. Temporary absences of up to three years (military service, job assignment, sabbatical, volunteer service) are allowed. | The owner (or a relative, or a family-trust trustor) must live full-time in the main home or the ADU and record a deed restriction within 30 days of getting the building permit. Temporary absences of up to three years are allowed. The ADU cannot be sold separately. |
| Parking | Off-street parking is required under the city's parking regulations; check with the city for the number of spaces. | Off-street parking is required under the city's parking regulations; check with the city for the number of spaces. |
| Size limits | Not yet verified — confirm with the city | Less than 50% of the main home's square footage and no more than 1,200 sq ft (including an attached garage); an ADU can be part of a larger accessory building if the ADU portion is 1,200 sq ft or less. All accessory buildings together may cover no more than 25% of the lot area not covered by the house. |
| Height | Not yet verified — confirm with the city | Up to two stories, and no taller than the zone's height limit or the main house, whichever is lower. |
| Setbacks | Not yet verified — confirm with the city | Same setbacks as the main house under the zone's area chart (generally 20 ft front, 10 ft interior side, 20 ft street side and 15 ft rear), with 15 ft between homes on the same lot in most zones. Existing structures from before Feb 23, 2022 that don't meet setbacks may be approved after a public hearing. |
| Zones | Allowed in all single-family residential zones. Only one internal or detached ADU per property. | Permitted in the AGR, R-1-1, R-1-20, R-1-12, R-1-10, R-1-8 and R-1-6 zones. Only one internal or detached ADU per property; mobile homes are not allowed, and the ADU must be on a raised or slab-on-grade foundation. |
| Permit process | Get a zoning permit from the city and a building permit before construction, and a certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in. The city pays owners $100 when they show proof the deed restriction was recorded (through May 15, 2028). | Requires building and other required permits and a recorded deed restriction before the occupancy permit. The ADU may share the main home's city water and sewer; separate hookups pay metering and connection fees. The city pays owners $100 for recording the deed restriction (through May 15, 2028). |
What the Providence council decided
Recorded votes and actions on ADU rules, linked to the public meeting record on OpenUtah.
· City Council
Adopted Ordinance 10-2026, IADU/ADU incentive extension amendment (city ordinance page lists adoption 06/17/2026; codifier history shows 6/29/2026). Vote tally not published in text form.
Read the meeting record
State law: detached ADUs from October 1, 2026
Providence 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 Providence 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; Providence makes the decision.
- No numeric external minimum is recorded for Providence. 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 Providence 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 Providence before you apply.
- U.S. Census Bureau — Vintage 2024 population estimates, Utah incorporated places
July 1, 2024 population estimates for the city and Cache County (145,487).
- Utah Code 17-60-104 — Classification of counties
A county with 40,000 to 259,999 people is a county of the third class; Cache County (145,487) is third class.
- Utah Code 10-2-301 — Classification of municipalities
City class population thresholds.
- Utah S.B. 284 (2026) enrolled — Utah Code 10-21-304 detached ADUs
Specified municipalities must permit a detached ADU on lots of 11,000 sq ft or more with a single-family home, effective Oct 1, 2026; caps detached-ADU parking at 1 space (<650 sq ft) or 2 spaces (650+ sq ft).
- Providence City — Moderate Income Housing, ADU and IADU information
City overview of IADUs and detached ADUs; owner occupancy required. This page is older than the current code (it says ADUs are allowed in all residential zones and links the former Chapter 10-13).
- Providence City — Ordinance 10-2026 IADU/ADU Incentive Extension Amendment
Adopted 06/17/2026; extends the $100 deed-restriction incentive.
- Official Providence website
Common Providence ADU questions
Can you build an ADU in Providence?
Providence: internal ADUs allowed; detached ADUs allowed. Owner occupancy applies. This is planning guidance, not a permit. Confirm the zone on your parcel with Providence.
What lot size does Providence require for an ADU?
Internal ADU: Not yet verified — confirm with the city. Detached ADU: Providence does not set a separate minimum lot size for detached ADUs; they are permitted in the AGR and R-1 zones, whose minimum lot sizes range from 6,000 sq ft to 5 acres.
Does Providence require the owner to live on the property?
Internal ADU: The owner (or a relative by blood, marriage or adoption, or a family-trust trustor) must live full-time in the home or the ADU, and must record a deed restriction within 30 days of approval. Temporary absences of up to three years (military service, job assignment, sabbatical, volunteer service) are allowed. Detached ADU: The owner (or a relative, or a family-trust trustor) must live full-time in the main home or the ADU and record a deed restriction within 30 days of getting the building permit. Temporary absences of up to three years are allowed. The ADU cannot be sold separately.
How much parking does a Providence ADU need?
Internal ADU: Off-street parking is required under the city's parking regulations; check with the city for the number of spaces. Detached ADU: Off-street parking is required under the city's parking regulations; check with the city for the number of spaces.
What does it cost to build an ADU in Providence?
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 Providence?
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 Providence 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 Providence lot?
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Utah ADU Builder provides educational planning guidance. This page is not legal advice and not a permit. Population: U.S. Census Bureau population estimate (2024). Editorial standards.