ADUs are allowed in CaryTypes:DetachedInternal
Types:DetachedInternal
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Rules for Cary, NC
Is your property eligible for an ADU?
# of Properties
52,696
Owner-occupied
85%
Zoning districts
56
Avg Home Value
$760,601
Median Lot Size
0.24 acres
Avg Income
$150,194
Residential Types:
52,696 housing units
Single Family
95%
2-3 Family
1%
Other
4%
Zoning Districts:
58,323 parcels · 56 districts
PDD-MAJOR
46%(27,037)
R12
16%(9,277)
R8-CU
6%(3,324)
R8
5%(2,877)
Other
27%(15,808)
ADU Rules
What can you build in Cary, NC?
Cary, NC follows state and local rules for Accessory Dwelling Units. Here is a concise overview of the local rules.
Eligibility
- –Internal / Attached ADU: By Right
- –Detached ADU: By Right
Interior / Attached ADU Size Limits
- –Maximum internal or attached ADU size is the lesser of 50% of the principal dwelling’s heated floor area or 800 sq ft (lot < 40,000 sq ft) / 1,000 sq ft (lot ≥ 40,000 sq ft).
Detached ADU Size Limits
- –Maximum size of 800 sq ft (1,000 sq ft if the lot is 40,000 sq ft or larger)
- –Maximum size of 50% of the principal dwelling’s heated floor area
Max Units
- –Single-family: 1 ADU per lot. Duplex/multifamily: none specified.
Owner Occupancy
- –No owner-occupancy requirement.
Parking
- –1 space/ADU; driveway parking allowed; spaces must be within 200 ft of the dwelling; on-street parking generally not allowed (townhouses exempt); reductions allowed case-by-case under Sec 7.8.2(H).
Rental Restrictions
- –Short-term rentals (<30 days) prohibited; tenancy must be month-to-month or longer.
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.
Wake County