The City of Richmond allows one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on a lot with a single-family house in every residential zoning district, while Henrico County and Chesterfield County generally require a permit hearing first, and Henrico does not allow ADUs in several of its residential districts at all. The size limits, owner-occupancy rules and rental limits also differ, so a backyard cottage or basement apartment that is legal in one locality may not be legal a few miles away.
This guide summarizes what each locality’s own pages and ordinance say, side by side, and points out where those pages are silent. It is for buyers who want an in-law suite, a rental unit or space for a grown child, and for anyone looking at a listing that already has a second kitchen.
The size limits side by side
Each locality caps the size of an ADU differently. These figures come from each locality’s own source, read in November 2026, and are linked in the sections below.
| Locality and source | Maximum ADU size | ADUs per lot |
|---|---|---|
| City of Richmond, Planning and Development Review ADU page | One-third of the main house’s floor area or 500 square feet, whichever is greater | 1 |
| Henrico County, zoning ordinance Sec. 24-4406 | 800 square feet or 35 percent of the main house’s finished floor area, whichever is less | 1 |
| Chesterfield County, accessory dwelling conditional use worksheet | 600 square feet or 40 percent of the main house’s gross floor area, whichever is smaller | 1 |
Notice the direction of each rule. Richmond’s “whichever is greater” sets a floor of 500 square feet, so even a small house can have a 500-square-foot unit. Henrico and Chesterfield use “whichever is less,” so a small house means a smaller ADU. Each locality also defines floor area its own way, for example by leaving out garages, so measure against the right definition.
City of Richmond: one ADU allowed in all residential districts
According to the City’s accessory dwelling units page from Planning and Development Review, City Council adopted the ADU ordinance on September 25, 2023. The page says the ordinance permits one ADU in all residential zoning districts, subject to these conditions:
- The ADU must be on the same lot as a single-family dwelling, which can be existing or proposed.
- It cannot exceed one-third of the main house’s floor area or 500 square feet, whichever is greater. Garages, carports, unenclosed porches and similar spaces are excluded from floor area.
- It must meet the underlying district’s requirements, such as setbacks, lot coverage and height. A detached ADU is also subject to the accessory building rules in the zoning ordinance, and access must meet Public Works and Fire and Emergency Services requirements.
The page adds that building code rules apply on top of zoning, with a separate building permit process.
Where the City’s page is silent: it does not say whether the owner must live on the property, whether extra parking is required, or whether the ADU can be rented short term. If any of those matter to your plan, ask Planning and Development Review before you buy, and read our guide to Richmond-area short-term rental rules.
Because the rule covers every residential district, it applies in established neighborhoods such as the Museum District and Forest Hill, as well as newer subdivisions. It does not override private deed restrictions or homeowners association rules, which the City’s page does not address. Ask for those documents early.
Henrico County: a conditional use permit in most single-family districts
Henrico’s rules sit in Sec. 24-4406 of the county zoning ordinance. In the ordinance’s accessory use table, an ADU is marked as needing a conditional use permit in the A-1 agricultural district, the R-0 through R-4A one-family districts, and the CMU district. The ordinance’s use-table key says a conditional use permit is decided by the Board of Zoning Appeals. The same table marks ADUs as prohibited in the R-5A, R-5B, R-5, R-6 and RTH districts and in the office, business and industrial districts.
Henrico also uses a different tool, the provisional use permit, which goes to the Board of Supervisors. The accessory use table does not list ADUs under it, so for a house in a standard single-family district, the conditional use permit is the path to expect. Recent Board of Zoning Appeals agendas list ADU cases under Sec. 24-4406, including one inside an existing home and one detached unit in Varina.
Sec. 24-4406 then sets the standards. An ADU in Henrico:
- Is allowed only as accessory to a single-family detached house, and the lot and buildings must meet their district’s dimensional standards.
- Is limited to one per lot, and can be inside, attached to or detached from the main house. A detached unit must be at least ten feet from the main house.
- Must share the main house’s street address, mailbox, water, sewer, gas and electric utilities, and usually its driveway.
- Cannot be subdivided or owned separately from the main house.
- Cannot exceed 800 square feet or 35 percent of the main house’s finished floor area, whichever is less, not counting carports, garages and unfinished basements.
- Can have only one kitchen and needs at least one extra off-street parking space.
- Cannot be a manufactured home, RV, travel trailer or camper.
- Cannot be offered, leased or rented for stays of less than 30 days.
Where Henrico’s section is silent: Sec. 24-4406 does not mention owner occupancy. The Board of Zoning Appeals can attach its own conditions to a permit, so read the conditions on any approved permit for a house you are buying. Neighborhoods such as Lakeside, Tuckahoe and Varina contain several zoning districts, so look up the parcel’s district rather than assuming.
Chesterfield County: conditional use with owner occupancy and a deed restriction
Chesterfield’s accessory dwelling worksheet is the county’s initial application worksheet for a conditional use to permit an accessory dwelling. It lists the standards the county recommends. For every accessory dwelling:
- The property owner must live in either the main house or the accessory dwelling.
- A deed restriction setting out the limits must be recorded before any building permit is issued, and it cannot be changed without the Planning Director’s written consent.
- The accessory dwelling may only go with a detached single-family house, and only one is allowed per lot.
- Its design and exterior materials must be compatible with the main house.
- One on-site parking space is required on top of any other required parking.
Attached and detached units both face the 600-square-foot or 40 percent cap and a one-bedroom limit. An attached unit cannot add a new entrance on the same side of the house as the main front door. A detached unit cannot be taller than the main house and must meet the setbacks for a main building in its district. The worksheet notes that the application fee may be reduced to $100 if the proposal meets all of the recommended conditions when filed and does not change during the zoning process.
Where Chesterfield’s worksheet is silent: it does not list which zoning districts allow the request or address short-term rental of the unit. Ask the Planning Department about the specific parcel. That applies whether you are looking in Bon Air, Midlothian or elsewhere in the county.
A narrow state rule for family caregivers
One state law sits alongside these local rules. Code of Virginia Sec. 15.2-2292.1 requires localities to treat a temporary family health care structure as a permitted accessory use on single-family lots. It is narrow: the structure is limited to 300 gross square feet, must be transportable, and is for a person who needs help with daily living, as certified by a physician, cared for by a relative or legal guardian. Henrico’s ordinance points to its temporary-use rules for these structures. This is not a general path to a permanent ADU.
Send us the address before you offer
Planning an in-law suite, or looking at a listing that already has one? Send us the address. We will look up the parcel’s zoning district on the locality’s public map and tell you which rules above apply and which office to call before you write an offer.
If the listing already has a second unit
Some listings already have a finished basement with a kitchenette or a converted garage. Before you count on that space, confirm three things:
- Was it approved? Ask the seller for permits, and for any conditional use permit and its conditions in Henrico or Chesterfield. If there is no paper trail, read our guide to buying a Richmond home with unpermitted work.
- Do the conditions follow the house? In Chesterfield, the worksheet calls for a recorded deed restriction to give record notice of the limits, including owner occupancy. Have your attorney or title company pull the recorded restriction before you plan to rent both units.
- Does your plan fit the rules? Henrico bars rentals of less than 30 days for an ADU. A home office in the unit raises separate questions covered in our guide to home business zoning and home occupation licenses.
If you want multigenerational space but do not want to go through a permit, a house that already works for two households may be simpler. Our roundup of Richmond neighborhoods for multigenerational living and in-law suites is a starting point, and you can search homes across the region or look at homes with acreage if you want room for a detached unit.
Outside these three localities
This guide covers only the City of Richmond, Henrico and Chesterfield. Hanover, Goochland and Powhatan have their own ordinances, which we did not review for this article. Check with each county’s planning office before you assume anything carries over.
When you are ready to look at specific houses, here is how we work with buyers.
Frequently asked questions
Is an ADU the same thing as a duplex?
No. An ADU is a smaller, secondary unit that goes with a single-family house on the same lot. A duplex is two principal units. In Henrico, for example, an ADU must share the main house’s address, mailbox and utilities and cannot be owned separately, which a duplex does not require.
Can I add a second kitchen to a house without it counting as an ADU?
Ask the locality before you build. According to the minutes of a September 2023 Henrico Board of Zoning Appeals meeting, a county official said that apart from an accessory dwelling unit, there was no way to approve two kitchens in one dwelling. Other localities may treat it differently.
Does a conditional use permit guarantee approval if I meet every standard?
No. A conditional use is decided case by case, and the deciding body can approve, deny or add conditions. Meeting the published standards helps, and in Chesterfield it can lower the application fee, but it is not a promise of approval.
How long does an ADU approval take?
None of the pages we reviewed gives a timeline. Hearings run on a calendar, and a building permit comes after zoning approval, so ask the planning office for current timing before you set a closing date that depends on it.
Will an ADU raise my property assessment?
It may, because assessors value the improvements on a lot, but none of the sources we reviewed addresses ADUs and assessments directly. Ask the City or county assessor’s office how they would treat the added space.
Can I build an ADU in a neighborhood with an HOA?
Zoning approval and HOA approval are separate. Private covenants or HOA rules can be stricter than the zoning ordinance, and none of the locality pages we reviewed addresses them. Read the recorded covenants and the HOA documents before you buy.
Can I rent my ADU on a short-term rental platform?
In Henrico, no: Sec. 24-4406 bars renting an ADU for stays under 30 days. The City of Richmond’s ADU page and Chesterfield’s worksheet do not address it, so check each locality’s short-term rental rules separately.
Check the zoning before you fall for the cottage
Send us the address of the house you are considering. We will look up its zoning district on the locality’s public map and point you to the ADU rules and the planning office that apply, before you write an offer.
