Colorado Springs allows one ADU (attached, detached or integrated) on any lot with a single-family detached home, in every zone district, under UDC 7.3.304.E (Ord. 25-45, adopted April 8, 2025, implementing Colorado HB 24-1152). Size is capped at 50% of the house or 1,250 sq ft, whichever is less (750 sq ft allowed if the house is under 1,500 sq ft); a detached unit is limited to 16 ft in height, a 5 ft rear setback and one added off-street parking space. There is no minimum lot size and no owner-occupancy covenant, but you must live on the property when you apply and record a no-separate-sale covenant. Approval is administrative through a Pikes Peak Regional Building Department permit; in 2026 budget roughly $3,500-$5,000 in City, PPRBD and park fees before utility charges, and short-term rental of any building on a lot with an ADU is prohibited.
Zoning & Size Requirements [1][2][3][4]
Yes — Colorado Springs allows ADUs. A detached ADU can typically be up to 1,250 sq ft under current Colorado and Colorado Springs zoning rules.
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| Allowed Zones | Any zone district or overlay where a single-family detached dwelling is allowed, as an accessory use to that dwelling (UDC 7.3.304.E, current through Ord. 26-23, June 9, 2026). Exception: in the Wildland Urban Interface Overlay (WUI-O) only an integrated ADU inside the house is allowed; detached and attached ADUs may not be built there. |
| Max Size (Detached) | 50% of the principal dwelling's floor area or 1,250 sq ft, whichever is less; if the principal dwelling is under 1,500 sq ft the ADU may be 750 sq ft. ADU floor area does not count toward the lot's accessory-structure floor-area cap (7.3.304.E.2.a). |
| Max Size (Attached) | Same rule as detached: 50% of the principal dwelling's floor area or 1,250 sq ft, whichever is less; 750 sq ft allowed if the house is under 1,500 sq ft (7.3.304.E.2.a). Integrated (inside-the-house) ADUs use the same cap. |
| Max Size (JADU) | No separate junior-ADU category. An ADU inside the existing house is an 'integrated ADU' under the same 50% / 1,250 sq ft cap (750 sq ft if the house is under 1,500 sq ft). |
| Max Height | Detached ADU: 16 ft regardless of roof type or pitch. A detached garage converted to an ADU: 25 ft. Attached or integrated ADU: the zone district's height limit for the principal building (7.3.304.E.2.b). |
| Max Units | 1 ADU per lot (7.3.304.E.1.e). The ADU cannot be sold separately from the house; a declaration of restrictions is recorded with the El Paso County Clerk before the building permit issues, and the lot can only be split if a full subdivision under Part 7.4.3 is possible. |
Setback Requirements [1][2][3][4]
Colorado Springs requires a rear setback of about 5 ft for a detached ADU, and one off-street parking space is required. Owner-occupancy is not required — you can rent it out without living on the property.
| Rear Setback | 5 ft for a detached ADU. The code caps the rear setback at the lesser of the district's accessory-building rear setback or 5 ft, so the City cannot require more (7.3.304.E.2.c(2)). |
| Side Setback | Same as the principal dwelling in that zone district; the ADU cannot be held to a larger side setback than the house (7.3.304.E.2.c(1); C.R.S. 29-35-102(18)(c)). |
| Front Setback | Same as the principal dwelling in that zone district. Detached ADUs are not permitted in the front yard; attached and integrated ADUs are (7.3.304.E.2.d). Detached units go in the side, rear or corner yard. |
| Parking Required | One off-street space in addition to the house's required parking (UDC 7.3.304.E.1.b). Under C.R.S. 29-35-103(3) this is met by designating an existing driveway, garage or tandem space; a newly built space can only be required on a lot with no existing off-street space on a block where on-street parking is prohibited. |
| Owner Occupancy | Not required to rent out the ADU and no covenant is recorded. The owner must show they live on the property when the permit application is filed (notarized Owner Residency Affidavit), except when the ADU is built together with a new house (7.3.304.E; C.R.S. 29-35-103(2)(b)). |
| Min Lot Size | None. Ord. 25-45 (adopted April 8, 2025) removed the former ADU lot minimums; C.R.S. 29-35-102(18)(e) bars any ADU lot-size rule stricter than the one for a single-family home in the same district. |
Permit Process & Fees [5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
An ADU permit in Colorado Springs goes through a standard permit review. No published review time. Approval is administrative (no hearing) but the permit cannot issue until the 14-day posted notice runs (7.3.304.E.1.j); ask the Development Review Enterprise (719-385-5982) for current plan-review turnaround. Permit fees: PPRBD permit is valuation-based ($45.65 per sq ft in 2025-26): about $345 for a 750 sq ft unit or $505 for 1,250 sq ft, plus a 28% plan-examination fee. City DRE plan review $180 (new structure) or $130 (addition) plus $25 IT fee (Res. 191-25, eff. Jan 1, 2026). No separate land-use application fee.
| Approval Process | Administrative review: submit a site plan and building permit to the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD); the Planning Manager approves on objective UDC standards (7.3.304.E.1.i). City attachments: notarized Owner Residency Affidavit, recorded no-separate-sale covenant, Colorado Springs Utilities Ability to Serve determination (Historic Preservation Overlay lots also need a Report of Acceptability). A City notice poster must stay up on the street frontage for 14 days before the permit issues. |
| Review Timeline | No published review time. Approval is administrative (no hearing) but the permit cannot issue until the 14-day posted notice runs (7.3.304.E.1.j); ask the Development Review Enterprise (719-385-5982) for current plan-review turnaround. |
| Permit Fees | PPRBD permit is valuation-based ($45.65 per sq ft in 2025-26): about $345 for a 750 sq ft unit or $505 for 1,250 sq ft, plus a 28% plan-examination fee. City DRE plan review $180 (new structure) or $130 (addition) plus $25 IT fee (Res. 191-25, eff. Jan 1, 2026). No separate land-use application fee. |
| Impact Fees | Citywide Development Impact (police/fire) fee $624-$766 per unit (AR 2025-08, 2026 schedule); park fee-in-lieu $1,748-$2,155 per unit (Res. 09-25, eff. July 1, 2025; UDC 7.4.307.D.3 makes ADUs pay at building permit); school-site fee-in-lieu (UDC 7.4.308); plus Colorado Springs Utilities development charges. All due at building-permit issuance. The Planning Manager may waive or reduce ADU fees for low-to-moderate-income owners or deed-restricted affordable units (7.3.304.E.3). |
| Plan Check | City DRE planning review plus PPRBD building review; no published turnaround. PPRBD charges $50/hour for re-examination after a second disapproval. |
| Pre-Approved Plans | None. The City publishes no pre-approved ADU plan set (checked September 2026); it recommends a free Pre-Application Meeting (coloradosprings.gov/preapp) before design. |
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Construction Costs [12][13]
Building an ADU in Colorado Springs typically costs $185,000-$420,000 ($325-$650 per sq ft); a garage conversion runs $100,000-$200,000.
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| Average Build Cost | $185,000-$420,000 |
| Cost per Sq Ft | $325-$650 |
| Garage Conversion | $100,000-$200,000 |
| Prefab ADU (Installed) | $150,000-$340,000 |
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Rental Income Potential [14][15]
A 2-bedroom ADU in Colorado Springs rents for around $1,600-$2,150/mo, an estimated 5-8% gross rental yield (est.).
| Avg Rent (1 Bedroom) | $1,350-$1,800/mo |
| Avg Rent (2 Bedroom) | $1,600-$2,150/mo |
| Short-Term Rental | No. |
| Est. Annual ROI | 5-8% gross rental yield (est.) |
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Recent Law Changes
What's Changed Recently
- 2026-09-20: Entry re-verified against UDC 7.3.304.E as codified through Ord. 26-23 (June 9, 2026): rear setback corrected to 5 ft (page said 12 ft), one added parking space is required (page said none), the unsupported 700 sq ft 'JADU' figure was removed, and fees were rebuilt from the 2026 City, PPRBD and park schedules.
- Jan 1, 2026: New City Development Review Enterprise fees (Res. 191-25, adopted Nov 25, 2025): $180 new residential / $130 addition plan review; 2026 Citywide Development Impact fee $766 per single-family unit, $624 per unit in 2-4 unit structures (AR 2025-08).
- July 1, 2025: Park fee-in-lieu rose to $2,155 per unit for single-unit structures and $1,748 for 2-4 unit structures (Ord. 25-04; Res. 09-25).
- June 30, 2025: Colorado HB 24-1152 duties took effect for subject jurisdictions, including Colorado Springs; the UDC's ban on short-term rentals on ADU lots grandfathers only lots that held both permits by this date (7.3.304.A.4.d).
- April 8, 2025: City Council adopted Ord. 25-45, repealing the old ADU and Accessory Family Suite rules and enacting UDC 7.3.304.E: ADUs allowed wherever single-family homes are, no minimum lot size, no owner-occupancy covenant, administrative approval.
Tips for Building an ADU in Colorado Springs
- Cost basis: two 2026 Colorado Springs builder guides (industry sources) — stick-built ADUs $325-$650 per sq ft with a 600 sq ft detached unit at $240,000-$320,000; a 490 sq ft modular unit about $336,000 all-in and a 245 sq ft studio $150,000-$190,000; permits and City fees $2,000-$11,000 depending on size. Rents are the FY2026 HUD Small Area Fair Market Rent range for Colorado Springs ZIP codes.
- Check the Wildland Urban Interface Overlay first: on WUI-O lots (mostly the west-side foothills) only an integrated ADU inside the existing house is allowed. Use the Colorado Springs Fire Department wildfire risk map or SpringsView before you design a detached unit.
- Worked fee example for a 750 sq ft detached ADU in 2026: PPRBD valuation about $34,240 gives a permit of roughly $345 plus $97 plan examination; City DRE $180 plus $25 IT and $10 admin; Citywide Development Impact fee $624-$766; park fee-in-lieu $2,155; plus the school-site fee and Colorado Springs Utilities charges. Budget about $3,500-$5,000 before utility taps.
- The parking space usually costs nothing: designating an existing driveway, garage or tandem space satisfies the one-space rule, and state law (C.R.S. 29-35-103(3)) only lets the City demand a newly built space on a lot with no off-street space at all on a block where street parking is banned.
- HOA covenants: C.R.S. 38-33.3-106.5(4) voids association rules (adopted before or after May 13, 2024) that restrict ADUs in ways the state law forbids, but 'reasonable restrictions' survive and the City does not enforce covenants, so read your declaration and get legal advice before you build.
- Manufactured, modular and tiny homes qualify as detached ADUs if set on a permanent foundation with metered utilities (7.3.304.E.2.e); RVs and mobile homes do not. A converted detached garage must meet the ADU setbacks and can be up to 25 ft tall.
- Cost basis (2026-09-20 re-verification): short term allowed: No. On a lot with an ADU neither the house, the ADU nor any other building may be used as a short-term rental (UDC 7.3.304.A.4.d); only lots holding both a permitted ADU and an STR permit on or before June 30, 2025 are grandfathered.
ADU Builders in Colorado Springs
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Sources & References
All data on this page is sourced from official government records and verified market data. View our full methodology.
- Colorado Springs City Code, UDC 7.3.304 Accessory Uses (E. Dwelling, Accessory) — American Legal, code current through Ord. 26-23 Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Accessory Dwelling Units — City of Colorado Springs Planning Department Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- HB 24-1152 Accessory Dwelling Units — Signed Act (C.R.S. 29-35-101 to 29-35-104; 38-33.3-106.5(4)) Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- ADU Ordinance Update project page — City of Colorado Springs Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- ADU Application Instruction, Owner Residency Determination Affidavit and Subdivision/Separate Sale Covenant (rev. 7/7/2025) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- 2026 Development Review Enterprise Fee Schedule for Planning (Resolution 191-25, adopted Nov 25, 2025) fee_schedule — Accessed 2026-09-20
- 2026 Citywide Development Impact Fees (Administrative Regulation 2025-08, Exhibit A) fee_schedule — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Park Acreage & Fee Schedule effective 7/1/2025 (Resolution 09-25, Exhibit A) fee_schedule — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Pikes Peak Regional Building Department — Fee Schedule (2025 ICC valuation data effective June 30, 2025) fee_schedule — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Current Fee Schedules — City of Colorado Springs Planning Department Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- UDC 7.4.307 Park Land Dedications (ADUs pay fee-in-lieu at building permit) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Southern Mesa LLC — 2026 ADU Costs & Timeline in Colorado Springs industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Olerra — ADU Construction Cost in Colorado Springs: 2026 Guide industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- HUD FY 2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents — Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Accessory Dwelling Units — City of Colorado Springs (short-term rental FAQ) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- ADU Ordinance Update — City of Colorado Springs Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- HB24-1152 Accessory Dwelling Units — Colorado General Assembly bill page Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
Frequently Asked Questions
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