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ADUs are allowed in Washington
Types:DetachedInternal

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Rules for Washington, VA

Is your property eligible for an ADU?

# of Properties
89
Owner-occupied
30%
Zoning districts
5
Avg Home Value
$497,612
Median Lot Size
0.52 acres
Avg Income
$65,868
Residential Types:
89 housing units
Single Family
74%
Other
26%
Zoning Districts:
151 parcels · 5 districts
VR
54%(81)
VS
17%(25)
VMU
15%(22)
RR
14%(21)
Other
1%(2)

ADU Rules

What can you build in Washington, VA?

Washington, VA follows state and local rules for Accessory Dwelling Units. Here is a concise overview of the local rules.

Interior / Attached ADU Size Limits

  • –Maximum size of approximately 1,000 sq ft for an Internal Accessory Dwelling Unit (In-Home Apartment) located in the principal building.

Detached ADU Size Limits

  • –Maximum size of approximately 1000 sq ft for a detached accessory apartment (backyard cottage).

Owner Occupancy

  • –No owner-occupancy requirement.

Parking

  • –1 space per ADU; max not specified; reductions/modifications may be allowed by Special Use Permit; must provide adequate off-street parking and share the same vehicular access as the main structure

ADU State Law

What can you build in Virginia?

  • –Virginia 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.
  • –SB 304 would have mandated ADUs. It passed the Virginia Senate in 2024 but was continued/left in House committee (i.e., not enacted statewide)

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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Is your property eligible for an ADU?

ADU rules in other Virginia municipalities

Rules change at the town line. Check the municipality your property is actually in.

Rappahannock County

Unincorporated Rappahannock
See all municipalities in Rappahannock County →See all Virginia municipalities →
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