Plano allows ADUs — it calls them Backyard Cottages — by right in most of its residential districts, with no rezoning, hearing, or special exception needed (Plano Zoning Ordinance §15.1800). The catch is the eligibility gate rather than the approval: your lot must be at least 6,000 sq ft, the cottage must sit behind the main house, it can be no taller than the main house, and it must match the main house architecturally. The city's own 2024 diagnostic report notes the allowance has been used sparingly since 2019.
Zoning & Size Requirements [1][2]
Yes — Plano allows ADUs. A detached ADU can typically be up to 1,100 sq ft under current Texas and Plano zoning rules.
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| Allowed Zones | Permitted by right in most residential districts — SF-20, SF-9, SF-7, SF-6, UR, PH, SF-A, 2F, GR, MF-1, MF-2, MF-3, MH and RCD per the residential districts use table (Plano Zoning Ordinance §14.100, endnote 51 → §15.1800). Not permitted in the Agricultural (A) or Estate Development (ED) districts — confirm your parcel's district with Plano Planning |
| Max Size (Detached) | 1,100 sq ft, or 50% of the gross habitable floor area of the main dwelling unit, whichever is more restrictive — and not exceeding the maximum lot coverage of the governing zoning district; minimum 400 sq ft (Plano Zoning Ordinance §15.1800.2.D and §15.1800.2.E) |
| Max Size (Attached) | Not applicable — Plano's Backyard Cottage is defined as a detached dwelling unit (Plano Zoning Ordinance Art. 8). Plano has no attached-ADU category; an attached addition is treated as part of the main dwelling |
| Max Size (JADU) | Not a category in Texas — Plano's ordinance has no junior ADU designation |
| Max Height | Must not exceed the height of the main residential building (Plano Zoning Ordinance §15.1800.2.B). Note §13.900.1.B.viii separately caps detached accessory buildings located in a required rear or side yard at 10 feet — whether that applies to a Backyard Cottage placed in a required yard is not settled on the face of the code; confirm with Plano Planning |
| Max Units | 1 Backyard Cottage per lot (Plano Zoning Ordinance §15.1800.1.C) |
Setback Requirements [1][2]
Plano requires a rear setback of about 10 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 | §15.1800 sets no cottage-specific rear setback — the underlying district's rear yard applies (10 feet in SF-9, SF-7 and SF-6, Plano Zoning Ordinance §9.500-§9.700), and §13.900.1.B.iii allows detached accessory buildings other than garages as close as 3 feet to a rear lot line. Confirm which standard applies to your cottage with Plano Planning |
| Side Setback | §15.1800 sets no cottage-specific side setback — the underlying district's side yard applies (6.5 feet or 10% of lot width, whichever is greater, in SF-7, Plano Zoning Ordinance §9.600.3), and §13.900.1.B.iii allows detached accessory buildings other than garages as close as 3 feet to a side lot line. Confirm with Plano Planning |
| Front Setback | No cottage may stand in front of the main house — detached accessory buildings must be located behind the main building (Plano Zoning Ordinance §13.500.2.P, applied to cottages by §15.1800.3.A). A minimum 10-foot separation from the main dwelling unit is also required (§15.1800.2.F) |
| Parking Required | 1 additional off-street space for the cottage (Plano Zoning Ordinance Art. 16 parking schedule), and it may not be satisfied by tandem parking (§15.1800.6.B). Front-yard driveway access is allowed only where it matches the prevailing design on the block, must be shared with the main dwelling, and curb cuts may not exceed 24 feet (§15.1800.5) |
| Owner Occupancy | Not required — §15.1800 imposes no owner-occupancy condition, and the city's own fact sheet contemplates renting either the cottage or the main house. What is required instead is a recorded covenant putting future buyers on notice that the cottage cannot be sold separately (§15.1800.4.A) |
| Min Lot Size | 6,000 sq ft (Plano Zoning Ordinance §15.1800.2.A) |
Permit Process & Fees [3]
An ADU permit in Plano goes through a ministerial, by-right review. Confirm with Plano Building Inspections (972-941-7140) — no published review timeline for Backyard Cottages found in a city source. Permit fees: Building permit and plan review fees are valuation-based — Confirm current amounts with Plano Building Inspections.
| Approval Process | By-right building permit — no rezoning, public hearing, or special exception. Before the permit is issued you must record a covenant with Collin or Denton County stating the cottage cannot be sold separately from the main house, and provide proof of recording (Plano Zoning Ordinance §15.1800.4.A) |
| Review Timeline | Confirm with Plano Building Inspections (972-941-7140) — no published review timeline for Backyard Cottages found in a city source |
| Permit Fees | Building permit and plan review fees are valuation-based — Confirm current amounts with Plano Building Inspections |
| Impact Fees | Confirm with Plano Engineering — no ADU-specific impact fee schedule found in a city source |
| Plan Check | Standard residential plan review — Confirm timing with Plano Building Inspections |
| Pre-Approved Plans | No city pre-approved plan library found — Confirm with Plano Planning (972-941-7151) |
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Construction Costs [4]
Building an ADU in Plano typically costs $130,000-$260,000 ($150-$275 per sq ft); a garage conversion runs $60,000-$145,000.
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| Average Build Cost | $130,000-$260,000 |
| Cost per Sq Ft | $150-$275 |
| Garage Conversion | $60,000-$145,000 |
| Prefab ADU (Installed) | $90,000-$200,000 |
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Rental Income Potential [5][6]
A 2-bedroom ADU in Plano rents for around $1,650-$2,250/mo, an estimated 5-8% annual return.
| Avg Rent (1 Bedroom) | $1,250-$1,650/mo |
| Avg Rent (2 Bedroom) | $1,650-$2,250/mo |
| Short-Term Rental | Effectively no in single-family neighborhoods — Plano's short-term rental ordinance treats a Backyard Cottage and the main dwelling as a single residence, and the two cannot be rented as separate Off-site Management STRs (Plano Zoning Ordinance §15.2300.8; Ord. No. 2024-4-13). Off-site Management STRs are permitted only in nonresidential districts and multifamily. Confirm your address with Plano Planning |
| Est. Annual ROI | 5-8% annual return |
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Recent Law Changes
What's Changed Recently
- Texas has no statewide ADU preemption law — SB 673 (89th Legislature, Regular Session) reached the House General State Calendar on May 26, 2025 and died without final passage, so Plano's local rules fully control
- Ord. No. 2024-4-13 (ZC2024-008, adopted April 22, 2024) permanently regulated short-term rentals and added §15.2300.8, which bars renting a Backyard Cottage and the main house as two separate Off-site Management STRs
- Ord. No. 2023-8-15 (ZC2023-011) added the recorded-covenant permitting requirement in §15.1800.4
- Plano's November 2024 Zoning & Subdivision Ordinance Rewrite Diagnostic Report found Backyard Cottages have been 'used sparingly since adoption' and recommends revisiting minimum/maximum sizes, building placement and parking — rules could loosen during the ongoing code rewrite
- Backyard Cottages were first allowed in February 2019 (ZC2018-033; Ord. No. 2019-2-10), which set the 6,000 sq ft minimum lot size still in force
Tips for Building an ADU in Plano
- Check your lot size first — the 6,000 sq ft minimum in §15.1800.2.A is the single most common disqualifier in Plano's older, smaller-lot neighborhoods
- The 50%-of-main-house rule usually bites before the 1,100 sq ft cap does: a 1,800 sq ft house limits you to 900 sq ft, not 1,100
- Budget for the extra off-street parking space up front — it cannot be tandem, so a second car simply parked behind the first in the driveway will not satisfy §15.1800.6.B
- Architectural compatibility is judged on style, roof profile and pitch, and window/door proportions — a modern box behind a traditional brick ranch will not pass; see the city's Backyard Cottage fact sheet for the compatible/not-compatible examples
- The covenant barring separate sale must be recorded before the building permit issues, so start it early with your title company
ADU Builders in Plano
Looking for an ADU builder in Plano? ADU projects need a contractor experienced with local zoning, the permit process, and utility connections — not every general contractor has built one. We match Plano homeowners with experienced local ADU contractors who provide free, no-obligation quotes. Getting at least three bids typically saves 20-40% on the same scope.
Sources & References
All data on this page is sourced from official government records and verified market data. View our full methodology.
- Plano Zoning Ordinance — Sec. 15.1800 Backyard Cottages (Ord. No. 2015-5-2, as amended) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-01
- Plano Backyard Cottage (BYC) Fact Sheet — City of Plano Planning Department Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-01
- Plano Zoning Ordinance §15.1800.4 — Backyard Cottage Permitting Requirements (ZC2023-011; Ord. No. 2023-8-15) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-01
- Angi — ADU Construction Cost Data Market Data — Accessed 2026-09-01
- Zillow Rental Manager — Market Rent Data Market Data — Accessed 2026-09-01
- HUD Fair Market Rents Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-01
- Zoning & Subdivision Ordinance Rewrite Diagnostic Report (Nov 20, 2024) — City of Plano Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-01
- Texas Legislature Online — SB 673, 89th Legislature Regular Session (bill history) Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-01
Frequently Asked Questions
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