Yes. Savannah allows one accessory dwelling unit per lot as an accessory use to a house (or a two- to four-family or townhouse building) in the A-1, RSF-, RTF-, RMF-1, RMF-2, TR-, TN-, TC-, D- and PD districts under Sec. 8.7.4 of the Zoning Ordinance (NewZO), last amended Nov 25, 2025. The unit's footprint is capped at 40% of the house's footprint up to 700 sq ft (1,000 sq ft in A-1, RSF-E, RSF-30 and RSF-20), one bedroom, and 25 ft or the house's height, whichever is less. Since the Nov 2025 amendment the lot only has to meet the district's ordinary minimum lot area (RSF-6: 6,000 sq ft), no parking space is required and there is no owner-occupancy rule. You need a building permit from Development Services (a 700 sq ft unit is about $230 under the 2026 fee formula), a Certificate of Appropriateness first if you are in a local historic district, and the city's development impact fee ($3,930.85 per single-family dwelling at the full rate since July 1, 2025, unless Development Services classifies the ADU otherwise).
Zoning & Size Requirements [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Yes — Savannah allows ADUs. A detached ADU can typically be up to 700 sq ft under current Georgia and Savannah zoning rules.
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| Allowed Zones | By right as an accessory use (Sec. 8.7.4) in A-1, every RSF-, RTF-, RMF-1, RMF-2, every TR-, TN-, TC-, D- and PD district, on a lot whose principal dwelling is single-family, two- to four-family or a townhouse. Not permitted in RMF-3, RMHP, OI, B- or industrial districts. Local historic overlays allow ADUs but require a Certificate of Appropriateness. Manufactured homes may serve as ADUs only in A-1 and the Manufactured Home Overlay; RVs, trailers and shipping containers may not. |
| Max Size (Detached) | Footprint capped at 40% of the principal dwelling's footprint, not to exceed 700 sq ft; in A-1, RSF-E, RSF-30 and RSF-20 the cap is 40% or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is less (Sec. 8.7.4.d). Footprint is measured at finished grade inside the exterior walls (Sec. 13.3), so second-storey floor area is not capped. No minimum floor area since May 2023: the unit must meet the building code (2018 IRC). Maximum one bedroom; variable through the Zoning Board of Appeals ($620). |
| Max Size (Attached) | Same 40%-of-footprint rule and 700 / 1,000 sq ft caps as a detached unit. An attached ADU must share a common wall with its own entrance on the side or rear facade, or be joined to the house by a covered walkway, and it meets the principal dwelling's setbacks rather than the accessory setbacks (Sec. 8.7.4.a.ii). In a two- to four-family or townhouse building the 40% is calculated from one dwelling unit's footprint. |
| Max Size (JADU) | Georgia and Savannah have no 'junior ADU' category. A unit carved out of the existing house is simply an attached ADU under Sec. 8.7.4 with the same 700 sq ft / one-bedroom caps; if it stays within the existing footprint the building permit is a flat $200 (2026 Revenue Ordinance, Art. P, Sec. 1). |
| Max Height | 25 ft or the height of the principal building, whichever is less, in every permitted district, including conservation overlays and National Register districts without a local overlay (Sec. 8.7.4.h). Any part of the ADU taller than 15 ft must sit at least 15 ft from a rear property line that does not abut a lane. |
| Max Units | One ADU per lot; a lot may not have both an ADU and a caretaker's dwelling unit (Sec. 8.7.4, 8.7.5.c). The ADU is not counted in the district's residential density. |
Setback Requirements [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Savannah requires a rear setback of about 5 ft for a detached ADU, and no additional parking is required. Owner-occupancy is not required — you can rent it out without living on the property.
| Rear Setback | Detached ADU: 5 ft; 3 ft where the lot abuts a lane; none where the district sets no rear setback for the principal building (Sec. 8.7.4.a.iii). Portions over 15 ft tall need 15 ft from a rear line without a lane. An attached ADU uses the principal dwelling's rear setback (RSF-6 and RSF-5: 20 ft). |
| Side Setback | Detached ADU: the same side-yard setback as the principal structure in its district (RSF-4/5/6: 5 ft; RSF-10: 7 ft; RSF-20/30: 10 ft; RSF-E: 20 ft; street side 10-15 ft), plus at least 10 ft of separation from the house. Converting an existing accessory building that is nonconforming only for these setbacks needs no variance if height and encroachment do not increase (Sec. 8.7.4.a.iv). |
| Front Setback | Sec. 8.7.4 sets no separate front setback for an ADU; the district's front yard for the principal building applies (RSF-6 and RSF-5: 20 ft; RSF-10: 25 ft; RSF-20 and RSF-30: 30 ft; RSF-E: 40 ft; 15 ft on lane-access lots in RSF-6/RSF-5, per Sec. 5.7.5). Confirm placement with Planning if the ADU would sit forward of the house. |
| Parking Required | None required. Sec. 8.7.4.f only says that if parking is provided it must be on the same lot and, where there is no lane, served by the house's driveway. |
| Owner Occupancy | Not required for the house or the ADU: Sec. 8.7.4 contains no owner-occupancy clause or deed restriction. Owner-occupancy matters only for short-term vacation rental certificates (see Rental). |
| Min Lot Size | The lot must meet 100% of the district's minimum lot area for the principal dwelling type (Sec. 8.7.4.b, cut from 125% on Nov 25, 2025 and from 200% in May 2023): RSF-4 4,000 sq ft; RSF-5 5,000; RSF-6 6,000; RSF-10 10,000; RSF-20 20,000; RSF-30 30,000; RSF-E 43,560; RTF 6,000 (4,500 with lane access). The standard is variable through the Zoning Board of Appeals ($620). No lot-area test in TN-, TC-, D- or PD districts. The ADU counts toward the district's maximum building coverage. |
Permit Process & Fees [8][9]
An ADU permit in Savannah goes through a standard permit review. Review time: not published. Neither the Revenue Ordinance nor the city's ADU page gives a review-time target; ask Planning and Urban Design (planning@savannahga.gov, 912-651-3108) before submitting. A historic-district Certificate of Appropriateness adds at least one monthly board cycle. Permit fees: 2026 Revenue Ordinance, Art. P: valuation = floor area x $80/sq ft; permit = $8 per $1,000 of the first $5,000, $4 per $1,000 to $10,000, $2 per $1,000 above, plus $75 plan review (valuation under $75,000). A new 700 sq ft ADU is about $230; a conversion within the existing footprint is a flat $200.
| Approval Process | Building permit from Development Services with zoning review by Planning and Urban Design (MPC); a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic District Board of Review or Historic Preservation Commission first if the lot is in a local historic overlay; a Zoning Board of Appeals variance ($620) if the lot is under the district minimum or the unit needs a second bedroom. |
| Review Timeline | Not published. Neither the Revenue Ordinance nor the city's ADU page gives a review-time target; ask Planning and Urban Design (planning@savannahga.gov, 912-651-3108) before submitting. A historic-district Certificate of Appropriateness adds at least one monthly board cycle. |
| Permit Fees | 2026 Revenue Ordinance, Art. P: valuation = floor area x $80/sq ft; permit = $8 per $1,000 of the first $5,000, $4 per $1,000 to $10,000, $2 per $1,000 above, plus $75 plan review (valuation under $75,000). A new 700 sq ft ADU is about $230; a conversion within the existing footprint is a flat $200. |
| Impact Fees | City development impact fee (Ch. 15, Ord. 2-23-2023(12), full rate since July 1, 2025): $3,930.85 per single-family dwelling, $3,888.53 per duplex or townhouse unit, for parks, trails, fire, police and roads. No ADU exemption is written; confirm the category Development Services applies to an ADU. |
| Plan Check | Plan review fee $75 for valuations under $75,000 or $150 for $75,000-$100,000, paid at submittal (2026 Revenue Ordinance, Art. P, Sec. 1(B)); review time not published. |
| Pre-Approved Plans | None. Savannah has no pre-approved ADU plan program and Georgia has no state program; the city's ADU page points only to the zoning standards. |
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Construction Costs [10][11][12]
Building an ADU in Savannah typically costs $130,000-$260,000 ($175-$345 per sq ft); a garage conversion runs $70,000-$160,000.
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| Average Build Cost | $130,000-$260,000 |
| Cost per Sq Ft | $175-$345 |
| Garage Conversion | $70,000-$160,000 |
| Prefab ADU (Installed) | $100,000-$220,000 |
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Rental Income Potential [13][14][15]
A 2-bedroom ADU in Savannah rents for around $1,700-$2,400/mo, an estimated 6-8% gross yield on a $130,000-$260,000 build at $1,300-$1,800/mo; both the house and the ADU may be long-term rentals with no owner-occupancy rule.
| Avg Rent (1 Bedroom) | $1,300-$1,800/mo |
| Avg Rent (2 Bedroom) | $1,700-$2,400/mo |
| Short-Term Rental | Only where zoning allows the use: short-term vacation rental is a limited use in A-1, TN-, TC-, D- and B- districts and is not permitted in RSF-, RTF, TR- or RMF- districts (Sec. 5.4, 8.4.37). |
| Est. Annual ROI | 6-8% gross yield on a $130,000-$260,000 build at $1,300-$1,800/mo; both the house and the ADU may be long-term rentals with no owner-occupancy rule |
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Recent Law Changes
What's Changed Recently
- Verified Sept 20, 2026 against the codified Zoning Ordinance (online.encodeplus.com, current through ordinances adopted July 9, 2026): Sec. 8.7.4 as amended by Ord. of 11-25-2025(14) governs; no ADU amendment has been adopted in 2026
- Nov 25, 2025 (Ord. 11-25-2025(14); MPC file 25-004594-ZA, recommended Oct 28, 2025): minimum lot area for an ADU cut from 125% to 100% of the district minimum; the one-bedroom cap made variable (MPC asked for variance criteria within 90 days); setback, 10 ft separation, height (15 ft/15 ft) and nonconforming-conversion language rewritten
- May 25, 2023 (Ord. 5-25-2023(10)): lot-area test cut from 200% to 125% and made variable, the 400 sq ft minimum floor area removed, ADU and building-footprint definitions added (Sec. 13.3)
- Impact fees: the Development Impact Fee Ordinance (Ch. 15, adopted Feb 23, 2023, effective July 1, 2023) phased in at 50%, 75% and 100% and has charged the full $3,930.85 single-family rate since July 1, 2025; it contains no ADU exemption
- 2026 Revenue Ordinance (adopted Dec 11, 2025, effective Jan 1, 2026): residential permit valuation $80 per sq ft; flat $200 permit for an ADU created within the existing footprint; ZBA residential variance $620; STVR certificate $400 plus $250 a year
- Corrections to earlier versions of this page: the code allows one bedroom in every district (no 2-bedroom allowance in A-1/RSF-E/RSF-20/RSF-30), requires no parking space, no longer uses a 150% lot rule, and permits ADUs in historic districts subject to design review
- Georgia: no statewide ADU law is in force; Savannah's local rules govern
Tips for Building an ADU in Savannah
- Size math first: the cap is 40% of the house's footprint. House footprint 1,500 sq ft: ADU up to 600 sq ft; 1,750 sq ft or more: the full 700 (2,500 sq ft or more gets the full 1,000 in A-1, RSF-E, RSF-30 and RSF-20). The cap is on footprint, not floor area, so a two-storey carriage house within 25 ft can hold more living space than its footprint
- Check lot area before paying for plans: RSF-6 needs 6,000 sq ft, RSF-5 5,000, RSF-10 10,000. A smaller lot needs a Zoning Board of Appeals variance ($620, monthly hearing); since Nov 2025 the standard is 100% of the district minimum, so most conforming lots now qualify
- Lane lots are the easiest: 3 ft rear setback, no parking requirement, and the 15 ft rule for anything over 15 ft tall does not apply to a rear line on a lane. On a street-only lot keep the tall part of the unit 15 ft from the rear line or hold it under 15 ft
- Local historic overlay (Savannah Landmark, Victorian, Mid-City, Cuyler-Brownville and others): a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic District Board of Review or Historic Preservation Commission comes before the building permit, and the overlay's design standards replace the 'similar architectural style' rule
- Worked permit fee (2026 Revenue Ordinance): a new 700 sq ft ADU is valued at 700 x $80 = $56,000, so the permit is $40 + $20 + $92 = $152 plus $75 plan review, about $230, with trade permits included; a 1,000 sq ft unit is about $350. The $3,930.85 impact fee, if assessed at the single-family rate, is the real fixed cost
- Converting an existing carriage house or garage: the permit is a flat $200, and an accessory building that only violates the ADU setbacks can be converted without a variance as long as it is not enlarged or raised; if the lot is under the minimum lot area, enlarging it does need a variance
- Renting: long-term rental of both units is allowed with no owner-occupancy rule. Short-term rental of the ADU is possible only in A-1, TN-, TC-, D- or B- zoning with a $400 certificate and is not allowed at all in RSF-, RTF, TR- or RMF- districts
- Utilities: the city may require the ADU to share the house's water and sewer connection and a single electric meter (Sec. 8.7.4.g), which affects how you bill a tenant
- Cost basis: the build-cost ranges are national industry figures (Angi, Feb 2026), not Savannah bids; a Savannah design-build vendor page (Sept 2026) quotes garage conversions at $100,000-$180,000 and detached units at $200,000-$400,000, so get three local bids
- HOA or subdivision covenants can still bar an ADU where the zoning allows one; check deed restrictions before paying for plans
- Cost basis (2026-09-20 re-verification): short term allowed: Only where zoning allows the use: short-term vacation rental is a limited use in A-1, TN-, TC-, D- and B- districts and is not permitted in RSF-, RTF, TR- or RMF- districts (Sec. 5.4, 8.4.37). In Historic and Victorian District wards, non-owner-occupied STVRs in residential districts are capped at 20% of parcels per ward; in TN-2 only one unit per parcel and only if the owner lives in the main house. Certificate required: $400 application, $250 annual renewal (Ch. 11).
ADU Builders in Savannah
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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.
- Savannah Zoning Ordinance (NewZO), Sec. 8.7.4 Accessory Dwelling Units, as amended by Ord. of 11-25-2025(14) — City of Savannah Code of Ordinances (enCodePlus) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Savannah Zoning Ordinance, Sec. 5.7.5 RSF district development standards and Sec. 5.4 Principal Use Table Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Savannah Zoning Ordinance, Article 13.0 Definitions (Accessory Dwelling Unit, Building Footprint) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Code of Ordinances Supplement History Table (Ord. 11-25-2025(14) amending Secs. 8.7.3 and 8.7.4; Ord. 5-25-2023(10)) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission minutes, Oct 28, 2025, item 12 Text Amendment for ADUs (25-004594-ZA) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- City of Savannah Zoning Board of Appeals minutes, Nov 20, 2025 (ADU lot-area standard 125% to 100%, Council hearing Nov 25, 2025) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) — City of Savannah Planning and Urban Design (Wayback capture, Mar 7, 2025; live page ID now serves 'Housing Information') Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- City of Savannah 2026 Revenue Ordinance (adopted Dec 11, 2025), Article P Inspection Fees and Article Q Development and Review Fees fee_schedule — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Savannah Code of Ordinances, Part 8 Chapter 15 Development Impact Fee Ordinance and Attachment A fee schedule Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Angi — ADU Construction Cost Data Market Data — Accessed 2026-02-24
- Angi — Local ADU Contractor Costs Market Data — Accessed 2026-02-24
- Savannah, GA ADU Regulations (vendor page; Savannah cost and rent figures only) industry — Accessed 2026-09-19
- Savannah Code of Ordinances, Part 8 Chapter 11 Short-term Vacation Rentals; Zoning Ordinance Sec. 8.4.37 Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Zillow Rental Manager — Market Rent Data Market Data — Accessed 2026-02-24
- HUD Fair Market Rents Government Data — Accessed 2026-02-24
Frequently Asked Questions
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