Residential drafting in Arizona
We draft permit sets across Arizona, from Phoenix valley subdivisions to Flagstaff at 7,000 feet. Those are not the same job. A set drawn for a Chandler tract house does not transfer to a Prescott lot with snow load, freeze depth, and wildland urban interface requirements.
Every jurisdiction reviews a little differently. We draw to the one you are filing in.
What each Arizona city allows for casitas and ADUs
Size, setback, and unit rules for an accessory dwelling unit, city by city. Each city page carries the code section behind every number.
| City | Maximum size | Side and rear setback | How many units | Rented separately |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avondale | 75% of the house or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is less | 5 ft | 1 attached, 1 detached; 1 attached and 2 detached on lots of an acre or more with an affordable unit | Yes |
| Buckeye | 75% of the house, no cap | 5 ft | 1 attached, 1 detached | Yes |
| Chandler | 75% or 1,000 sq ft | 5 ft | 1 attached, 1 detached | Yes |
| Flagstaff | 75% or 1,000 sq ft, with an 800 sq ft floor | 5 ft | 1 detached, 1 attached or interior | Yes |
| Gilbert | 75% of the house or 1,000 sq ft by right; larger by permit | 5 ft at 10 ft of height, plus 1 ft per additional foot, for units under 1,000 sq ft | 1 attached, 1 detached; a third on lots of an acre or more with an affordable unit | Yes |
| Glendale | The house's square footage, capped at 1,000 sq ft | 5 ft | 1 attached, 1 detached | Yes |
| Goodyear | New ordinance effective August 2026; standards being verified | New ordinance effective August 2026; standards being verified | New ordinance effective August 2026; standards being verified | New ordinance effective August 2026; standards being verified |
| Mesa | 75% of the house or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is less | 5 ft | 1 attached, 1 detached; a third on lots of an acre or more with an affordable unit | Not specified |
| Paradise Valley | Half the main building's ground area | 20 ft | Not specified | No |
| Peoria | 75% or 1,000 sq ft | 5 ft | 1 attached, 1 detached | Yes |
| Phoenix | 75% of the house; 1,000 sq ft cap on lots up to 10,000 sq ft, up to 3,000 sq ft on larger lots | 3 ft side and rear; 5 ft street side; 0 ft on a dedicated alley | 2; a third on lots of an acre or more with an affordable unit | Not specified |
| Prescott | 600 sq ft or 50%, all accessory buildings combined | District standard, 7 to 35 ft | Not specified | No |
| Queen Creek | 75% of the house or 1,000 sq ft; larger by exception | 5 ft | 1, attached or detached | Not specified |
| Scottsdale | 75% of the house or 1,000 sq ft for one unit; 500 sq ft for any additional unit | 5 ft in the rear yard for a detached unit | 1 attached, 1 detached; a third on lots of an acre or more with an affordable unit | Yes |
| Sedona | 750 sq ft or 50%, whichever is greater | District standard, 5 to 25 ft | One habitable accessory building | Yes |
| Surprise | 75% of the house or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is less | 5 ft | 1 attached, 1 detached; 1 attached and 2 detached on lots of an acre or more with an affordable unit | Not specified |
| Tempe | 75% or 1,000 sq ft; 2,000 at 1 acre | 5 ft, or 3 to 4 ft if short | 1 attached, 1 detached | Yes |
Outside this list? Send the address. We take work in the surrounding counties case by case.
Two cities on this list do not allow the accessory unit to be rented separately from the main house. If rental income is the reason for the project, start there.
What the code allows for casitas and ADUs
Does Arizona law let me build a casita?
In most cities, yes. A 2024 state law requires cities over 75,000 people to allow at least one attached and one detached accessory dwelling unit on any lot where a house is allowed (A.R.S. 9-461.18). It also bars those cities from requiring extra parking, a family relationship between occupants, or an exterior that matches the main house.
Does that apply everywhere in Arizona?
No, and this is the part most people get wrong. The law only reaches cities above 75,000. Paradise Valley, Prescott, Sedona, and Queen Creek are all below it, so their own codes decide what they allow. Other state ADU law can still reach them: the preapproved plan requirement (A.R.S. 9-461.20) carries no population threshold. In Prescott and Paradise Valley the accessory unit may not be rented separately from the main house at all, which is the opposite of the rule in Peoria or Chandler.
How big can the unit be?
In a covered city, generally 75 percent of the house or 1,000 square feet, whichever is less. Cities may allow more and several do. Tempe allows up to 2,000 square feet on lots of an acre or more. Buckeye sets no square foot cap at all, just 75 percent. Flagstaff allows 800 square feet regardless of how small the house is.
Can I rent it out?
In a covered city, yes, long term. State law bars those cities from prohibiting a separate long term lease (A.R.S. 9-461.18). Short term rental is a separate question. A city may require the owner to live on the property when the unit received its certificate of occupancy or similar final approval on or after September 14, 2024 (A.R.S. 9-500.39(B)(9)).
Are there free city plans?
A 2025 law required cities to offer preapproved plans starting July 2026 (A.R.S. 9-461.20). Buckeye has three posted. Flagstaff has a library of twelve. Phoenix's are still in review. Goodyear lists three plan classes still seeking submittals. A preapproved plan is a head start on the building, not a permit, and your lot still needs its own site plan.
Sources: A.R.S. 9-461.18. A.R.S. 9-461.20. A.R.S. 9-500.39, short term rental owner occupancy. HB 2720, effective September 2024. HB 2928, effective September 2025. Last checked August 2026.
Have a project in mind?
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