Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Permit in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Colorado Springs requires an accessory dwelling unit (adu) permit for: One ADU per lot developed with a single-family residence; detached, integrated, and attached ADUs permitted in all zone districts EXCEPT the Wildland Urban Interface Overlay (WUI-O) district, where only integrated ADUs are allowed (detached/attached are prohibited); Size: limited to 50% of the primary structure's floor area or 1,250 sq ft, whichever is less; if the primary structure is under 1,500 sq ft, the ADU may be up to 750 sq ft; Height: detached ADUs (or other accessory structures containing an ADU) may not exceed 16 feet; garages converted to a detached ADU may not exceed 25 feet; attached/integrated ADUs must match the principal building's maximum height; Setbacks: front and side setbacks match the principal building; minimum 5-foot rear setback for detached ADUs; ADUs prohibited in front yards (permitted in corner, side, and rear yards); Parking: one off-street parking space required for the ADU, in addition to parking required for other uses on the site; Access: for integrated/attached ADUs, exterior access may not be from the front; a 36-inch-wide access path from the front property line is required where possible; Architectural compatibility with the principal residential structure required (design, color, materials); ADUs may NOT be subdivided or sold separately from the principal residential structure, and may NOT be used as a short-term rental; City requires, in addition to standard PPRBD submittal: ADU Application Instruction, Owner Residency Determination Affidavit, Subdivision and Separate Sale Covenant, and a Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) Ability to Service Determination (obtained during the PPRBD building permit review process); a Report of Acceptability is required only if the property is in a Historic Preservation Overlay district; Public notice is required prior to building permit issuance — City Planning staff issues a notice poster that must be displayed along the property's street frontage for 14 days; Tiny homes, prefabricated, or manufactured homes MAY be used as a detached ADU (contact PPRBD for applicable code requirements) but must be placed on a permanent foundation to connect to City utilities; mobile homes and RVs may NOT be used as an ADU. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Pikes Peak Regional Building Department at (719) 327-2880 before starting work.

In Colorado Springs, the published Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (Table A, same tiers as new construction) is: Varies by valuation — see Residential Building Permit fee tiers. Additional published fees: DRE (Development Review Enterprise) Plan Review Fee — Assessed based on the type of permit sought from PPRBD; Development Impact Fees (Park Land Dedication, School Land Dedication, Citywide Development Impact Fee) — Varies — see City of Colorado Springs Current Fee Schedules page. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review for an accessory dwelling unit (adu) permit in Colorado Springs typically runs 0–0 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with Pikes Peak Regional Building Department at (719) 327-2880.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (PPRBD web account); Owner Residency Determination Affidavit and Subdivision and Separate Sale Covenant; Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) Ability to Service Determination. Depending on your project, Colorado Springs may also ask for: Report of Acceptability. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Apply through Pikes Peak Regional Building Department at 2880 International Circle, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 (Main Office); North Office: 3939 Cordera Crest Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80924. Phone: (719) 327-2880, email: Contact via Email Specific Departments form at pprbd.org/Information/Email. Office hours: Permits & Contractor Licensing: 7:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m.; Plan Review, Floodplain, and Enumeration: by appointment only; Inspectors office hours: 7:30–8:30 a.m.. Official information: https://www.pprbd.org/.

An ADU is limited to 50% of the primary structure's floor area or 1,250 sq ft, whichever is less. If the primary structure is under 1,500 sq ft, the ADU may be up to 750 sq ft. ADU floor area does not count against the lot's maximum total gross floor area of accessory structures.

No. Colorado Springs Ordinance 25-45 explicitly prohibits using an ADU as a Short Term Rental (STR) — a structure cannot be dually used as both an ADU and an STR.

The City of Colorado Springs sets ADU zoning/land-use standards (Ordinance 25-45), but the building permit itself is issued and administered by the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD), with additional City-required documentation (owner residency affidavit, utility service determination, public notice) folded into that PPRBD permit process.