Everything homeowners ask about building an ADU in Albuquerque — answered with 2026 data.
Yes, ADUs are allowed in Permissive accessory use in R-A, R-1, R-T and R-ML (IDO Table 4-2-1, 2025 Update effective 4/20/2026); not allowed in R-MC or R-MH. Also allowed as a caretaker unit in MX-T, MX-L, MX-M and most NR zones. Casitas with kitchens have been by right in R-1 and R-A citywide since Housing Forward ABQ (O-22-54, effective 7/27/2023). in Albuquerque, NM. The maximum size for a detached ADU is 750 sq ft of gross floor area (IDO 14-16-4-3(F)(6)(a)); an attached garage does not count toward the cap. All accessory buildings together may also cover no more than 25% of the combined side and rear yards (14-16-5-11(C)(4)(a)). Downtown Neighborhood Area CPO-3: 650 sq ft (4-3(F)(6)(g)1). Attached ADUs can be up to No attached-casita option on a house lot: the ADU must be a detached accessory building. Albuquerque has an ADU-friendliness score of 7/10. Check our full Albuquerque ADU rules page for complete zoning details.
ADU construction in Albuquerque typically costs $120,000-$240,000. The cost per square foot averages $160-$320. Garage conversions are more affordable at $60,000-$130,000, while prefab ADUs cost $80,000-$170,000. Permit fees add Valuation-based (Plan Review and Building Permit Fees table, rev. April 2010, still posted): a $150,000-$250,000 casita pays about $640-$920 permit plus $415-$600 plan review (65%), $25 zoning, $50 hydrology and trade permits. Site Plan - Administrative fee: see the Planning General Fee Schedule. to your budget. See our detailed Albuquerque ADU cost guide.
Detached ADUs in Albuquerque can be up to 750 sq ft of gross floor area. Attached ADUs are limited to No attached-casita option on a house lot: the ADU must be a detached accessory building. Junior ADUs (JADUs) have a cap of No junior-ADU category in the IDO. A second kitchen inside the house is a separate accessory use (14-16-4-3(F)(16)); an interior unit with its own entrance and kitchen is a duplex, not an ADU. Maximum height is No taller than the primary house on the lot (14-16-4-3(F)(6)(c)). In Downtown CPO-3 the limit is the house height or 18 ft, whichever is less (14-16-4-3(F)(6)(g)1.b; 14-16-3-4(D)(4)(a)). You are allowed up to 1 accessory dwelling unit per lot wherever the use is allowed on a qualifying lot.
Rear setback: 5 ft minimum from either the rear or one side lot line (14-16-4-3(F)(6)(b)); other accessory-building lot lines carry no zoning setback (14-16-5-11(C)(4)(d)). Separately, the building code needs 5 ft between buildings unless the casita is fire-rated. Side setback: 5 ft minimum side or rear (one of the two, 14-16-4-3(F)(6)(b)). Corner lots: same street-side setback as the main house (14-16-4-3(F)(6)(f)). A 5-ft-wide passage must be kept somewhere along the yard if the casita spans its full width (14-16-5-11(C)(4)(e)). Front setback: Not allowed in the required front setback (14-16-5-11(C)(4)(a)); a detached casita must be located behind the rear wall of the primary building in any residential or mixed-use zone (14-16-4-3(F)(6)(f)). Note that garage conversions may be exempt from setback requirements if the existing structure is already within the setback area.
1 off-street space per ADU (IDO Table 5-5-1). O-24-69 (effective 1/28/2025) cut minimums 50% in Urban Center/Activity Center/Employment Center/Main Street areas and 60% within Premium Transit areas (14-16-5-5(C)(5)); confirm with Planning how a reduced single space is counted. Many cities and states have been relaxing ADU parking requirements in recent years. In California, no additional parking is required for ADUs near transit.
Not required. The IDO 2025 Update text (effective 4/20/2026) contains no owner-occupancy clause for accessory dwelling units, and none was added by O-22-54 (2023) or O-24-69 (2025). Note that owner-occupancy rules vary by state law — California and several other states have eliminated this requirement for standard ADUs.
The ADU permit review timeline in Albuquerque is typically Building Safety publishes about 2.5 weeks for residential plan review per cycle; the optional FasTrax service (3x the plan-review fee, $1,000 minimum) targets about 10 days for the first cycle. Site Plan - Administrative review time is not published. Plan check: About 2.5 weeks per residential review cycle (Building Safety FAQ); corrections go back through the standard cycle even for FasTrax jobs. Pre-approved plans availability: Yes: the Planning Department publishes four free casita construction plan sets (450, 550, 650 and 750 sq ft), each in flat-roof, pitched-roof and 3D-printable versions (12 files), drawn to the adopted building codes; still offered as of September 2026. Pitched-roof versions need truss drawings sealed by a New Mexico-licensed structural engineer.
Average ADU rental income in Albuquerque: 1-bedroom units rent for $1,100-$1,400/month, 2-bedroom units for $1,350-$1,700/month. Short-term rentals: Yes, with a City STR Permit ($120 first year, $90 annual renewal) and a City business license; the Planning Department's STR FAQ lists casitas as eligible where zoning allows. Expected ROI: Gross yield roughly 7-12% a year on a $150,000-$240,000 build at HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rents ($1,185 1-BR, $1,464 2-BR), before vacancy, taxes and upkeep.
The minimum lot size for an ADU in Albuquerque is None citywide. Exception: in the Sawmill/Wells Park CPO-12 area, R-1 lots need at least 7,000 sq ft (14-16-4-3(F)(6)(g)2). This applies to detached ADUs — garage conversions and JADUs may have different or no lot size requirements.
Garage conversions are one of the most popular and affordable ADU options. In Albuquerque, a garage conversion typically costs $60,000-$130,000. The key advantages are lower cost (no foundation work), potential setback exemptions, and faster permitting. Read our complete garage conversion guide.
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