Glendale adopted its ADU rules on December 10, 2024 (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A), three weeks ahead of the state deadline in Arizona's casita law. ADUs are a by-right permitted use wherever the zoning allows a single-family home and one already stands on the lot: one attached plus one detached per lot, 5-foot rear and side setbacks, no extra parking, and a 1,000 sq ft cap — and Glendale lets the casita match the house's floor area up to that cap, which is more than the state's 75% floor. Three things set Glendale apart, and each costs money or flexibility: every ADU needs its own city water meter (a new tap in the street), the kitchen may be a kitchenette only with no 220-volt range outlet, and if either unit is rented the owner must live in one of them.
In Glendale you will also hear an ADU called a casita — Arizona's ADU statute (A.R.S. §9-461.18) and most local codes use it. The rules on this page apply either way.
Zoning & Size Requirements [1][2][3]
Yes — Glendale allows ADUs. A detached ADU can typically be up to 1,000 sq ft under current Arizona and Glendale zoning rules.
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| Allowed Zones | Any lot or parcel where the zoning allows a single-family dwelling, provided the lot already contains a primary dwelling (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.3). Not permitted on a lot with a duplex or other multiple-family development, whatever the zoning (A.4), and never before the main house is built (A.5) |
| Max Size (Detached) | Up to the floor area of the existing single-family dwelling, but never more than 1,000 sq ft (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.16). That is more generous than the state floor, which only guarantees the lesser of 1,000 sq ft or 75% of the house (A.R.S. §9-461.18(A)(3)) |
| Max Size (Attached) | Same cap — up to the house's floor area, never more than 1,000 sq ft (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.16) |
| Max Size (JADU) | Not a category in Arizona — Glendale's ordinance has no junior ADU designation |
| Max Height | The maximum height of the underlying zoning district — the ADU follows the district's building frontage, lot coverage and height limits (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.12), and state law bars the city from holding an ADU to a stricter height than a house in the same zone (A.R.S. §9-461.18(B)(5)) |
| Max Units | 2 per lot — one attached plus one detached ADU (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.9). On a lot of 1 acre or more: one attached plus two detached, but only if at least one is recorded as a restricted-affordable unit — rent capped at 80% of area median income under a 30-year recorded deed restriction, with an annual report to the city (A.10 and the restricted-affordable ADU regulations) |
Setback Requirements [1][2][3]
Glendale requires a rear setback of about 5 ft for a detached ADU, and no additional parking is required. Owner-occupancy is required.
| Rear Setback | 5 feet from the property line (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.11(I)); state law caps what the city may require at 5 feet (A.R.S. §9-461.18(B)(6)) |
| Side Setback | 5 feet from the property line (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.11(II)) — the state-law ceiling |
| Front Setback | The front yard setback of the zoning district for the lot (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.11(III)) — check your district in the Glendale Unified Development Code, or ask the planner assigned at zoning clearance |
| Parking Required | None — no additional parking space or in-lieu parking fee may be required (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.20; A.R.S. §9-461.18(B)(3)). But the ADU may not have its own driveway or parking area separate from the main house (35.4.006) |
| Owner Occupancy | Required if either unit is rented: the owner (title holder or contract purchaser) must occupy the main house or the ADU as their principal residence, after which the other unit may be rented long- or short-term (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.25). If neither is owner-occupied, the ADU may not be rented separately at all (A.26). Note the tension with state law, which bars a city from prohibiting separately leased long-term rental of either unit (A.R.S. §9-461.18(B)(1)) — the ordinance text is the city's own, no source we found resolves the conflict, so confirm with Glendale Planning before building an ADU to rent. Owners who had a legal right to build an ADU on or before September 14, 2024 are exempt from the residency requirement (A.26) |
| Min Lot Size | No ADU-specific minimum lot size — an ADU is allowed wherever a single-family dwelling is, and the district's lot coverage limit is the practical constraint. A lot of 1 acre or more unlocks a third unit (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.10) |
Permit Process & Fees [4]
An ADU permit in Glendale goes through a ministerial, by-right review. Confirm with Glendale Planning — no published ADU review timeline found in a city source. Permit fees: The city's own worked estimate for a 1,000 sq ft ADU (ADU handout, revised March 6, 2025): review fees of $1,370 (zoning clearance $144, building plan review $1,052.90, planning review $122.88, right-of-way review $35.88, record retention $14.04) plus permit fees of $2,034 (building permit $1,403.86, right-of-way permit $443.60, ¾-inch water meter set $126.73, fitting fee $60.19). Based on a city construction valuation of $120,750 for 1,000 sq ft.
| Approval Process | Two steps, in order. First a Zoning Clearance Letter from Planning — start with a Planning Service Request to be assigned a planner; the ADU must clear zoning before building permits are submitted (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.2, 35.6.210). Then building permits through Development Services. By-right throughout — no hearing, variance or conditional use permit |
| Review Timeline | Confirm with Glendale Planning — no published ADU review timeline found in a city source |
| Permit Fees | The city's own worked estimate for a 1,000 sq ft ADU (ADU handout, revised March 6, 2025): review fees of $1,370 (zoning clearance $144, building plan review $1,052.90, planning review $122.88, right-of-way review $35.88, record retention $14.04) plus permit fees of $2,034 (building permit $1,403.86, right-of-way permit $443.60, ¾-inch water meter set $126.73, fitting fee $60.19). Based on a city construction valuation of $120,750 for 1,000 sq ft |
| Impact Fees | Yes, and they are most of the bill: $9,630 for a detached ADU (water $3,330, sewer $3,795, parks $936, police $719, fire $655, libraries $195), which pays the single-family schedule, and $8,780 for an attached ADU on the lower multifamily schedule. No streets impact fee — state law forbids it. All-in city estimate for 1,000 sq ft: $13,034 detached, $12,184 attached (City of Glendale ADU handout, revised 3/6/2025) |
| Plan Check | Full residential plan review under Glendale's building, fire and public-health codes (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.22–23). State law bars a commercial building code or a fire-sprinkler requirement for an ADU (A.R.S. §9-461.18(D)). Budget for the separate city water meter: it needs a new tap to the main in the street or right-of-way, a right-of-way permit and a specially licensed contractor (35.3.204.A.24 and the city handout) |
| Pre-Approved Plans | No city pre-approved ADU plan library found — confirm with Glendale Development Services |
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Construction Costs [5][6]
Building an ADU in Glendale typically costs $120,000-$245,000 ($145-$270 per sq ft); a garage conversion runs $55,000-$135,000.
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| Average Build Cost | $120,000-$245,000 |
| Cost per Sq Ft | $145-$270 |
| Garage Conversion | $55,000-$135,000 |
| Prefab ADU (Installed) | $85,000-$200,000 |
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Rental Income Potential [7][8]
A 2-bedroom ADU in Glendale rents for around $1,350-$1,700/mo, an estimated 5-8% annual return.
| Avg Rent (1 Bedroom) | $1,050-$1,350/mo |
| Avg Rent (2 Bedroom) | $1,350-$1,700/mo |
| Short-Term Rental | Yes, if you live on site: once the owner occupies either the main house or the ADU as their principal residence, the other unit may be rented for periods shorter than 30 days (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.25). Arizona TPT registration applies and Glendale may require a short-term rental licence — confirm with the city. If neither unit is owner-occupied, the ADU may not be rented separately at all, short- or long-term (A.26); see the owner-occupancy note for the state-law tension on the long-term side |
| Est. Annual ROI | 5-8% annual return |
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Recent Law Changes
What's Changed Recently
- Glendale City Council adopted new ADU zoning requirements on December 10, 2024 (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A), ahead of the January 1, 2025 deadline in A.R.S. §9-461.18 — a city that missed the deadline would have had to allow ADUs 'without limits'
- Arizona HB 2720, codified at A.R.S. §9-461.18, requires every municipality over 75,000 people to allow at least one attached and one detached ADU as a permitted use wherever single-family homes are allowed — Glendale's population of about 258,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 estimate) puts it squarely inside the mandate
- State law bars Glendale from requiring extra parking or in-lieu fees, exterior design matching, a city-imposed restrictive covenant, or rear/side setbacks over 5 feet (A.R.S. §9-461.18(B))
- The city's ADU handout was revised March 6, 2025 with a worked fee estimate — $13,034 detached, $12,184 attached, for 1,000 sq ft — and two rules that surprise people: a separate city water meter for every ADU, and no separate address (units are 'Unit 1' and 'Unit 2' of the house's address)
- Owners who had a legal right to build an ADU on or before September 14, 2024 are exempt from the owner-occupancy rule for rentals, unless the three-year limitation in A.R.S. §12-1134(G) has run (Glendale Code 35.3.204.A.26)
Tips for Building an ADU in Glendale
- Design the kitchen to the code's definition: a Glendale 'kitchenette' is a sink, a refrigerator and an outlet for a microwave — 'no 220v outlet for a range or oven may be provided' (35.8.004). If a full range matters to you or your tenant, ask Planning at zoning clearance whether a full kitchen is acceptable before you draw it
- Price the water meter first: every ADU needs its own city water meter, which means a new tap to the main in the street, a right-of-way permit ($443.60) and a specially licensed contractor for the trench work — none of which is in a typical builder's quote
- Impact fees are about three-quarters of the city's fee estimate. A detached ADU pays the single-family schedule ($9,630); an attached one pays the lower multifamily schedule ($8,780) — an $850 difference if you are on the fence
- Use the size rule: Glendale lets the ADU match the house's floor area up to 1,000 sq ft, so a 1,000 sq ft casita is legal behind a 1,000 sq ft house here — in Peoria or Phoenix the 75% rule would cap it at 750
- Get zoning clearance before you spend on construction drawings — Planning must approve a Zoning Clearance Letter ($144) before building permits are accepted, and a planner is assigned through a Planning Service Request
- Prefab is fine, wheels are not: a mobile home, RV or other movable unit cannot be an ADU, and an off-site-built unit must sit on an approved foundation (35.3.204.A.6, A.13)
- If you plan to rent, decide where you will live: the ordinance requires the owner to occupy the house or the ADU before the other can be rented — and state law says a city cannot prohibit separate long-term leasing, so ask Planning how they apply A.25–26 to a long-term tenant
- Check your plat for public utility easements early — an ADU may not encroach on an existing or planned easement without written consent from every easement holder and affected utility (35.3.204.A.19)
ADU Builders in Glendale
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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.
- City of Glendale — Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Requirements and Updates handout, revised 3/6/2025 (fee estimate + full text of UDC 35.3.204.A) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-06
- City of Glendale Planning & Zoning FAQ — Accessory Dwelling Unit section Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-02
- A.R.S. §9-461.18 — Accessory dwelling units; regulation; applicability; definitions state_statute — Accessed 2026-09-06
- City of Glendale — ADU Requirements and Updates handout, revised 3/6/2025: 'Rough Fee Estimate for 1,000 Square Foot Detached and Attached ADU' Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-06
- Angi — ADU Construction Cost Data (same source and access as the Peoria entry; West Valley ranges applied) Market Data — Accessed 2026-09-01
- City of Glendale ADU handout — construction valuation of $120,750 for a 1,000 sq ft R-3 V-B ADU (Table 3B), i.e. $120.75/sq ft for permit purposes Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-06
- RentCafe — Average Rent in Glendale, AZ (updated August 31, 2026: studio $952, 1BR $1,209, 2BR $1,513; city average $1,374) Market Data — Accessed 2026-09-06
- U.S. Census Bureau — Vintage 2024 Population Estimates, sub-est2024.csv (Glendale city, AZ: 258,143) Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-06
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