

ADUs are allowed in WarrenTypes:DetachedInternal
Types:DetachedInternal
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Rules for Warren, RI
Is your property eligible for an ADU?
# of Properties
3,151
Owner-occupied
78%
Zoning districts
21
Avg Home Value
$588,328
Median Lot Size
0.23 acres
Avg Income
$103,426
Residential Types:
3,151 housing units
Single Family
85%
Apts (4+ units)
15%
Zoning Districts:
4,287 parcels · 21 districts
R-10
46%(1,980)
R-6
16%(697)
R-40
15%(649)
VB
8%(330)
Other
15%(631)
ADU Rules
What can you build in Warren, RI?
Warren, RI 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 size of 600 sq ft for in-home apartment; limited to one bedroom.
Max Units
- –1 ADU per lot for single-family dwellings.
- –1 ADU per single-family lot for in-law apartments (permitted by special use in single-family dwellings).
- –Detached accessory family dwelling unit in R-40: 1 per lot, only if it is a single existing accessory structure that existed with the principal structure as of January 1, 2000, on parcels ≥5 acres, with additional conditions.
Owner Occupancy
- –Owner must occupy either the principal or ADU
Rental Restrictions
- –Detached ADU: Renting to non-family prohibited; no subletting at any time. Attached/in-law ADU: Occupancy limited to family members only; cannot be rented to unrelated tenants.
ADU State Law
What can you build in Rhode Island?
- –On an owner-occupied property as a reasonable accommodation for family members with disabilities;
- –On a lot with a total lot area of twenty thousand square feet (20,000 sq. ft.) or more for which the primary use is residential;
- –Where the proposed ADU is located within the existing footprint of the primary structure or existing accessory attached or detached structure and does not expand the footprint of the structure.
- –Subject to applicable dimensional requirements of the municipality
- –As per §45-24-38 of the RI Zoning Enabling Act, if an existing lot is smaller than the minimum lot size required by zoning, its setback requirements are reduced in proportion to the lot's size, and its maximum lot coverage is increased by the inverse proportion.
- –One ADU per lot
- –No short term rentals
- –Studio or 1 bedroom ADU may be up to 900 sq ft or 60% of the Gross Floor Area of the principal dwelling, whichever is less
- –2 bedroom ADU may be up to 1200 sq ft or 60% of the Gross Floor Area of the principal dwelling, whichever is less
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 Rhode Island municipalities
Rules change at the town line. Check the municipality your property is actually in.
Bristol County