Utah County · 57,411 residents
Saratoga Springs ADU rules
Saratoga Springs: internal ADUs allowed only in limited cases (lot 6,000+ sq ft); detached ADUs allowed (lot 11,000+ sq ft). Owner occupancy applies.
Internal ADU (inside the home)
Detached ADU (backyard building)
✓ Checked against city sources on September 24, 2026 See sources
Saratoga Springs ADU rules at a glance
| Rule | Internal ADU (basement, attic, inside the home) | Detached ADU (backyard building) |
|---|---|---|
| Allowed? | Allowed only in limited cases | Allowed |
| Minimum lot | 6,000 sq ft. The lot must be larger than 6,000 sq ft, and the property must be in an area where the city's IADU map allows internal ADUs. | 11,000 sq ft. Detached ADUs are allowed on lots of 11,000 sq ft or more, matching the statewide floor. |
| Owner occupancy | The owner must live in either the main home or the ADU; temporary absences of up to three years (job assignment, sabbatical, military or volunteer service) have limited exceptions. | The owner must live in either the main home or the ADU. |
| Parking | At least one paved off-street stall (at least 9 x 18 ft) for the ADU in addition to the home's required parking, located behind the front property line; on-street parking doesn't count. | One additional paved off-street stall for a unit under 650 sq ft, or two for 650 sq ft or more; garage stalls lost to a conversion must be replaced. |
| Size limits | Not yet verified — confirm with the city | Cannot be larger than the existing home and counts toward the lot's maximum coverage. |
| Height | Not yet verified — confirm with the city | No taller than the main home. |
| Setbacks | An internal ADU needs its own exterior entrance, and all entrances (including below-grade stairwells) must meet the zone's setbacks. | Not allowed in the front yard or in a public utility easement. A unit taller than one story must be set back from side and rear lot lines by at least its height. Second-story windows may not face a neighbor's window directly. |
| Zones | Allowed as a registered, permitted use in the A, RR, RA-5, R1-40, R1-20, R1-10, R1-9, R2-8, R3-6, MF-10, MF-14, MF-18, MR and PC zones, but only where the city's IADU map does not prohibit them (many plats recorded before Oct 1, 2021 are not eligible); one ADU per lot. | Allowed with a single-family home in the A, RR, RA-5, R1-40, R1-20, R1-10, R1-9, R2-8, R3-6, MF-10, MF-14, MF-18, MR and PC zones on lots of 11,000 sq ft or more; one ADU per lot. |
| Short-term rentals | Not yet verified — confirm with the city | A detached ADU cannot be rented for less than 90 consecutive days. |
| Permit process | Register the ADU with Community Development (fee per the city fee schedule, site plan and floor plans), plus a building permit for any work and an occupancy permit. | Register with Community Development (fee per schedule) and get a building permit and an occupancy permit. Applications need a utility access and capacity analysis, impact fees apply, and the design must be consistent with the home. Existing legal accessory buildings can be converted once approved by the city. |
What the Saratoga Springs council decided
Recorded votes and actions on ADU rules, linked to the public meeting record on OpenUtah.
· City Council · Approved (4-0)
City Council approved Ordinance 26-42 amending Chapter 19.20 to add detached ADU rules (11,000 sq ft min lot) to comply with state law; vote from transcript.
Read the meeting record· City Council · Approved (5-0)
City Council approved Ordinance 25-10 amending Chapter 19.20 (Internal ADUs) for the Sierra Estates Plat E subdivision.
Read the meeting record· Planning Commission · Approved (7-0)
Planning Commission recommended approval of the IADU map amendment for Sierra Estates Plat E.
Read the meeting record
Proposed or pending changes
Not adopted as of September 24, 2026. They do not change the rules above until the city adopts them.
- On Sept 15, 2026 the council approved Ord. 26-42 as a first step and directed staff to hold a follow-up work session. Topics include DADU height (currently no taller than the house), a possible maximum DADU size, ADU licensing, separate utility meters, and utility capacity by neighborhood. No further amendments have been adopted as of Sept 24, 2026.
State law: detached ADUs from October 1, 2026
Saratoga Springs 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 Saratoga Springs 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; Saratoga Springs makes the decision.
- "Likely" above 15,000 sq ft is this site's planning band for a large recorded lot. It is not a sentence in the Saratoga Springs 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 Saratoga Springs before you apply.
- Saratoga Springs City Council, Sept 15, 2026 agenda packet — Ord. 26-42 (Chapter 19.20 ADUs)
Staff report and redlined Chapter 19.20 with new general, IADU and DADU provisions (lot size, parking, size, setbacks, height, 90-day rental minimum, utility analysis, impact fees).
- Saratoga Springs City Council, Sept 15, 2026 — Ord. 26-42 adoption (OpenCity)
Transcript: approved as presented, 4-0 roll call, with staff directed to bring DADU topics back to a work session.
- Saratoga Springs — FAQs for Accessory Units & Renting
City IADU FAQ and IADU map (dated 1/18/2023; its statement that detached units are not allowed is now out of date).
- Utah S.B. 284 (2026), enrolled copy
Enacts Utah Code 10-21-304 (effective Oct 1, 2026): specified municipalities must permit a detached ADU on single-family lots of 11,000 sq ft or more; defines 'specified municipality'.
- Utah Code 10-2-301 — Classification of municipalities
City class population thresholds.
- Utah Code 17-60-104 — Classification of counties
County class population thresholds.
- U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
July 1, 2024 population estimates for Utah places and counties.
- Official Saratoga Springs website
Common Saratoga Springs ADU questions
Can you build an ADU in Saratoga Springs?
Saratoga Springs: internal ADUs allowed only in limited cases (lot 6,000+ sq ft); detached ADUs allowed (lot 11,000+ sq ft). Owner occupancy applies. This is planning guidance, not a permit. Confirm the zone on your parcel with Saratoga Springs.
What lot size does Saratoga Springs require for an ADU?
Internal ADU: 6,000 sq ft minimum. The lot must be larger than 6,000 sq ft, and the property must be in an area where the city's IADU map allows internal ADUs. Detached ADU: 11,000 sq ft minimum. Detached ADUs are allowed on lots of 11,000 sq ft or more, matching the statewide floor.
Does Saratoga Springs require the owner to live on the property?
Internal ADU: The owner must live in either the main home or the ADU; temporary absences of up to three years (job assignment, sabbatical, military or volunteer service) have limited exceptions. Detached ADU: The owner must live in either the main home or the ADU.
How much parking does a Saratoga Springs ADU need?
Internal ADU: At least one paved off-street stall (at least 9 x 18 ft) for the ADU in addition to the home's required parking, located behind the front property line; on-street parking doesn't count. Detached ADU: One additional paved off-street stall for a unit under 650 sq ft, or two for 650 sq ft or more; garage stalls lost to a conversion must be replaced.
Can an ADU in Saratoga Springs be a short-term rental?
Internal ADU: Not yet verified — confirm with the city. Detached ADU: A detached ADU cannot be rented for less than 90 consecutive days.
What does it cost to build an ADU in Saratoga Springs?
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 Saratoga Springs?
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 Saratoga Springs 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 Saratoga Springs 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.