ADUs are allowed in Unincorporated New HanoverTypes:DetachedInternal
Types:DetachedInternal
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Rules for Unincorporated New Hanover, NC
Is your property eligible for an ADU?
# of Properties
38,057
Owner-occupied
80%
Zoning districts
54
Avg Home Value
$601,313
Median Lot Size
0.32 acres
Avg Income
$93,178
Residential Types:
38,057 housing units
Single Family
98%
Other
2%
Zoning Districts:
50,727 parcels · 54 districts
R-15
57%(29,079)
R-10
14%(7,351)
R-20
9%(4,774)
PD
4%(2,064)
Other
15%(7,459)
ADU Rules
What can you build in Unincorporated New Hanover, NC?
Unincorporated New Hanover, NC follows state and local rules for Accessory Dwelling Units. Here is a concise overview of the local rules.
Eligibility
- –Internal / Attached ADU: Conditional Use Permit
- –Detached ADU: By Right
Detached ADU Size Limits
- –Maximum detached ADU size of 1,200 sq ft of gross floor area
Max Units
- –1 ADU per single-family detached lot (detached only); 0 per lot for duplex or multifamily principal structures.
Owner Occupancy
- –Owner-occupancy not required.
Parking
- –1 space/ADU; no max; detached ADU must share the principal dwelling's driveway in all districts except RA (separate driveway not allowed).
ADU State Law
What can you build in North Carolina?
- –North Carolina does not have a statewide ADU mandate; ADU rules are set by individual municipalities.
- –Building/fire codes are set statewide, but whether an ADU is allowed is local zoning.
- –There is active proposed legislation (H627 / S495, "Regulation of Accessory Dwelling Units") that would create G.S. 160D-917 and require local governments to allow at least one ADU in certain single-family areas, but it is not enacted.
What's allowed on your lot?
These are the municipality-wide rules. What's allowed on a specific property also depends on state laws, setbacks, floor area ratio, lot coverage, environmental constraints, topography, and other property-specific factors. Search your address on FutureLot to see what's allowed on your property.
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ADU rules in other North Carolina municipalities
Rules change at the town line. Check the municipality your property is actually in.
New Hanover County