From the Editor
Build an ADU in Central Florida — legally, no guessing.
Nine counties. Nine sets of rules. One legislature that spent the last eight months trying, and failing, to preempt them all. If you live anywhere between Volusia and Polk and you want to put a legal accessory dwelling unit in your backyard, the path you take depends almost entirely on which side of a county line your lot falls on.
This page is a plainspoken read on that patchwork. Size caps and setbacks. Impact fees and permit timelines. Who'll lend against an ADU, who won't, and which Central Florida builders have actually delivered one. Everything sourced to the ordinance or the dataset it came from.
- Counties monitored
- 9
- Cities in coverage area
- 55
- Statewide preemption laws
- 0
- Median permit fee
- $4,120
- Sources on file
- 412
The Nine Counties of Central Florida
Each county sets its own ADU rules. Click through for size caps, setback requirements, permit timelines, and fee schedules — sourced from the current ordinance on file.
Orange Orlando
- Max ADU
- 1,000 sq ft OR 45% of primary dwelling…
- Status
- Chapter 38 governs; no pending amendments
Seminole Sanford
- Max ADU
- 1,000 sq ft OR 35% of gross floor area…
- Status
- Existing LDC governs; no pending amendments
Osceola Kissimmee
- Max ADU
- 900 sq ft in rural residential; 750 sq…
- Status
- Existing LDC governs; Tourism Corridor…
Lake Tavares
- Max ADU
- 800 sq ft (current guest house rules;…
- Status
- Guest-house rules govern; no independent…
Polk Bartow
- Max ADU
- 1,000 sq ft heated floor space; if the…
- Status
- LDC already permits accessory living…
Volusia DeLand
- Max ADU
- 50% of principal residence, max 1,200 sq…
- Status
- Existing Code governs; coastal and historic…
Brevard Titusville
- Max ADU
- 800 sq ft OR 50% of primary dwelling
- Status
- Existing Code governs; local policy interest…
Marion Ocala
- Max ADU
- No explicit cap; must be 'smaller than…
- Status
- Guest cottage / accessory apartment…
Sumter Bushnell
- Max ADU
- 1,200 sq ft or 40% of primary dwelling…
- Status
- 'Family Accessory Cottage' only — must house…
Start to Finish, in Four Pieces
Four pillars most readers hit first — what an ADU actually costs, how Floridians finance one, who's qualified to build it, and the permit process end-to-end.
What an ADU costs
Real 2026 pricing by county — permit fees, impact fees, hurricane-code premiums, and the 10–15% “Florida tax” on every bid.
Read the cost breakdownHow to finance it
HELOC vs. construction-to-permanent loans, Florida lenders who'll actually underwrite an ADU, and the tax treatment you need to know before you break ground.
Compare financingVetted builders
A vendor-neutral directory of prefab, modular, and stick-built ADU builders serving the nine counties — with notes on turnaround and the permits each has pulled.
Browse the directoryThe permit process
From concept to certificate of occupancy — step by step, with realistic timelines, common denial reasons, and what to do when your plan hits the planning desk sideways.
Walk the full processRecursos en español — próximamente más contenido
Estamos publicando guías sobre ADUs en español para las comunidades hispanohablantes del Centro de Florida. El primer recurso ya está disponible; hay más en camino.
Guía disponible ahora
Cómo verificar si su lote puede tener una ADU
Consulte el registro de su parcela, lea los retiros de su plano y determine si una ADU cabe en su propiedad — sin gastar un centavo en diseño. Diez pasos usando herramientas públicas gratuitas, incluyendo una lista de verificación imprimible.
Leer la guía