ADU Rules in Colorado Springs: The Complete 2026 Homeowner’s Guide

At a Glance

A quick scan if you don’t have time for the full guide:

Colorado Springs is a Subject Jurisdiction under HB24-1152 (effective June 30, 2025). Local implementation through Ordinance #25-45, approved April 8, 2025, with STR provisions effective June 30, 2025.
ADUs are permitted in every Springs zone district that allows a single-family detached dwelling.
Owner-occupancy is not required for ADU operation. An Owner Residency Affidavit is still required at building permit submittal — a procedural carve-out, not an operational restriction.
Parking eliminated by Ord #25-45. No off-street space required for the ADU.
Size cap: 1,250 sq ft or 50% of the primary structure (whichever is less), with a 750 sq ft floor if the primary is under 1,500 sq ft. Largest ADU size envelope of the five Colorado cities we cover.
Max height varies by ADU type: detached single-story at 16 ft, garage conversion up to 25 ft, attached/integrated up to the zone’s primary structure max.
Short-term rental prohibited on properties with ADUs as of June 30, 2025. Grandfathered only if both ADU and STR license predated that date.
Wildland Urban Interface Overlay (WUI-O) zones prohibit detached and attached ADUs entirely. Only integrated/interior ADUs allowed in WUI-O. A meaningful portion of Springs sits in WUI-O.
Springs is the only major Colorado city that requires a 14-day public notice posting on the property before permit issuance — adds two weeks to every project regardless of complexity.
Realistic permit timeline: 6 to 12 weeks for the building permit plus the 14-day public notice posting.
Also in this series: Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and Broomfield ADU rules guides.

Why Colorado Springs’ ADU Rules Are Different

Three forces shape Colorado Springs’ regulatory framework, and reading them in order makes the rest of the rules easier to absorb.

First, the WUI-O overlay is the strictest in the state. Colorado Springs’ Wildland Urban Interface Overlay zone (UDC Sec. 7.2.604) covers a meaningful portion of the city, especially the western foothills and properties adjacent to open space. In WUI-O zones, detached and attached ADUs are categorically prohibited. Only integrated/interior ADUs are allowed. No other Colorado city we cover restricts ADU types this aggressively based on wildfire risk.

Second, the 14-day public notice posting adds calendar time to every project. Even though Ord #25-45 made ADU review administrative (no discretionary public hearing), the city still requires a 14-day property-posting notice before permit issuance. This is unique to Colorado Springs among the five Colorado cities we cover.

Third, Springs has the largest size envelope in Colorado. Up to 1,250 sq ft, or 50% of the primary structure (whichever is less), with a 750 sq ft floor if the primary is under 1,500 sq ft. For two-bedroom or family-use ADUs, no other Colorado city we cover offers as much room to design.

The trade-off worth absorbing: Colorado Springs is the most permissive Colorado market on size and the cheapest on fees, but carries two consequential lot-level constraints (WUI-O and the 14-day public notice) and a hard STR prohibition that doesn’t apply to Boulder, Fort Collins, or Broomfield in the same way.

Can You Build an ADU on Your Colorado Springs Lot?

Most Springs single-family lots qualify, but two lot-level filters can rule out the project entirely or force you to a specific ADU type.

Zone eligibility. Ord #25-45 confirmed ADUs as a permitted accessory use in every Springs zone district that allows a single-family detached dwelling. The map of where ADUs are now allowed is essentially the map of residential Colorado Springs.

No minimum lot size. Ord #25-45 eliminated minimum-lot-size requirements that previously applied to ADUs.

What governs whether your specific lot can support a given ADU type and size:

Zone district (and any overlay zones that apply)
WUI-O status — if your lot is in the Wildland Urban Interface Overlay, only integrated ADUs are allowed
Lot dimensions and setbacks (front and side match primary; rear is lesser of zone accessory rear setback or 5 ft)
Primary structure square footage (affects the 50% size cap calculation; 750 sq ft floor available if primary is under 1,500 sq ft)
Colorado Springs Utilities Ability-to-Service determination (case-by-case for new ADU water service)

The most consequential check is WUI-O status. Verify it before any design work — and certainly before any contract. The overlay map is the binding reference, available through Colorado Springs City Planning.

HB24-1152 + Ord #25-45: The Two Laws That Apply

Colorado Springs’ ADU framework rests on two layers of law working in concert.

HB24-1152 (state law, effective June 30, 2025). Colorado’s state ADU law applies to Subject Jurisdictions, which includes Colorado Springs (within the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments MPO). The law sets a floor for ADU permissiveness: every Subject Jurisdiction must allow at least one ADU on every lot that permits a single-unit detached dwelling, must process code-compliant ADU applications administratively, and cannot impose owner-occupancy mandates, ADU-specific minimum lot size restrictions, parking minimums (with narrow exceptions), or design standards more restrictive than those applied to the primary dwelling. HOAs lost the power to outright ban ADUs.

Ord #25-45 (Colorado Springs ordinance). Approved by City Council on April 8, 2025. The ordinance repealed prior ADU/AFS regulations and replaced them with streamlined standards aligned to HB24-1152. Key elements: ADUs permitted in every single-family detached zone district, owner-occupancy eliminated for operation (affidavit retained at permit), parking eliminated, administrative review as the default. STR-prohibition-on-ADU-properties provision became effective June 30, 2025.

Practical takeaway: HB24-1152 sets the floor. Ord #25-45 implemented the state baseline and layered three Springs-specific elements (WUI-O carve-out, 14-day public notice, STR prohibition). Both are enforceable, with Ord #25-45 controlling Springs-specific implementation. Our walks the state-law text.

Size, Setbacks, and Height

Size cap. 1,250 sq ft or 50% of the primary structure (whichever is less). If the primary structure is under 1,500 sq ft, the ADU may build up to 750 sq ft regardless of the 50% rule. ADUs don’t count against the accessory-structure max gross floor area of the zone.

Setbacks (detached ADU):

Front: same as primary structure setback for the zone (cannot exceed primary’s setback)
Side: same as primary structure setback for the zone (cannot exceed primary’s setback)
Rear: lesser of the zone’s accessory rear setback OR 5 ft

Max height by ADU type. Detached ADUs cap at 16 ft single-story (regardless of roof pitch or design). Garage-conversion ADUs may go up to 25 ft (because the existing garage structure already has volume to work with). Attached and integrated ADUs follow the zone’s primary structure max height.

Lot coverage. Per the zone district’s standard accessory-structure rules. The ADU footprint counts against the zone’s overall lot coverage cap.

The WUI-O Overlay: Where Detached and Attached Aren’t Allowed

Colorado Springs is unique among the five Colorado cities we cover in restricting ADU types based on wildfire risk. This is the most consequential lot-level rule for Springs ADU planning.

What WUI-O is. The Wildland Urban Interface Overlay (UDC Sec. 7.2.604) is a zoning overlay applied to Springs neighborhoods with elevated wildfire risk. It covers the western foothills, properties adjacent to Pike National Forest, North Cheyenne Cañon, Garden of the Gods, and substantial acreage west of I-25. It is not a small carve-out.

What WUI-O prohibits. In WUI-O zones, detached and attached ADUs are categorically prohibited. The only legal ADU type is integrated — that is, ADUs built inside the existing primary dwelling envelope (basement conversion, attic conversion, repurposed interior space) that do NOT add any new exterior square footage to the building footprint.

What WUI-O requires. All construction in WUI-O zones must comply with Appendix K (Wildland Fuels Management) of the Colorado Springs Fire Prevention Code. This applies regardless of ADU status and includes ignition-resistant construction, defensible space, and Class A roofing requirements.

How to check. Colorado Springs City Planning maintains the binding WUI-O map. Verify your lot’s overlay status before any design work and certainly before signing any contract. Most builders pull this status during a property check.

What this means for your project. If your lot falls under WUI-O, the only legal path is an interior conversion. Our walks the interior conversion specifics. Realistic interior conversion all-in: $100K to $200K depending on existing condition and code-required upgrades.

The 14-Day Public Notice Requirement

Colorado Springs is the only major Colorado city we cover that requires a public-posting period before permit issuance, even on a fully administrative process.

What gets posted. During plan review, City Planning prepares a public notice poster. The poster is then physically posted along the property frontage of the proposed ADU site.

How long. 14 days from the date of posting before the building permit may issue. The 14 days run concurrently with the tail end of plan review in many cases, so the calendar impact is often the trailing 1 to 2 weeks of the permit timeline rather than a full added 14-day block.

Why it exists. The notice gives neighbors awareness of the proposed ADU before construction begins. It does NOT create a discretionary review opportunity — the process is still administrative under Ord #25-45 and HB24-1152, with no formal way for a neighbor to block a code-compliant project. The posting is informational.

Practical implication for timelines. When budgeting calendar weeks, add 14 days of posting time on top of the building permit review. For most Springs ADU projects, this means a total of roughly 8 to 14 weeks from submittal to issued permit. The Springs administrative process is still faster than Denver’s CPD calendar — but it’s not the 2-to-4-week ministerial speed some out-of-state guides imply.

Owner-Occupancy and the Owner Residency Affidavit

Two parts to the Springs owner-occupancy picture. They sound the same but mean different things.

Owner-occupancy for ADU operation: NOT required. Ord #25-45 eliminated the previous owner-occupancy requirement that forced ADU owners to live in either the primary structure or the ADU. You can rent both your primary dwelling and your ADU to non-owners. The state HB24-1152 preemption also applies.

Owner Residency Affidavit at permit submittal: STILL required. Even though operational owner-occupancy is gone, Colorado Springs retained an Owner Residency Affidavit as part of the ADU building permit submittal package. This is a procedural form, not an operational restriction. You sign at the application stage; you can live anywhere after construction.

Why this distinction matters. A homeowner reading the city ADU page may see “Owner Residency Affidavit required” and assume the operational restriction still applies. It doesn’t. Investors who don’t live in Colorado Springs can still purchase, build, and rent ADUs in the city without any active residency requirement.

Short-Term Rental Rules

Colorado Springs has the second-strictest ADU STR regime in Colorado, after Fort Collins’ new-ADU prohibition. The structure is different, though.

Effective June 30, 2025: STR prohibited on properties with ADUs. Where an ADU exists on a property, the city prohibits STR licensing on the ADU, the primary structure, OR any other structure on that property. The STR prohibition attaches to the property, not just the ADU.

Grandfathering for legacy properties. Properties that had BOTH a legally permitted ADU AND a legally permitted STR license on or before June 30, 2025 may continue to operate as legal non-conforming uses. The grandfathering covers continued operation until the STR permit expires, is withdrawn, terminated, or the use changes.

What this means for new buyers. If you’re buying a Colorado Springs single-family home with the intent to add an ADU for STR income, that path is closed for any new ADU. Long-term tenancy is the only legal rental use. For investors, Fort Collins and Boulder have similar restrictions; for STR-investment-friendly Colorado cities, no major market in our 5-city series allows it for new ADUs.

Design Standards and HOAs

Design standards. Colorado Springs applies an architectural compatibility standard between the ADU and the primary home — material, style, and dimensional consistency are expected. HB24-1152 prevents Springs from applying ADU design standards more restrictive than those applied to the primary dwelling. There is no strict “matching” mandate, but visual coherence is the test.

HOA carve-outs. HB24-1152 voided outright HOA bans on ADUs in Subject Jurisdictions including Colorado Springs. HOAs can still enforce aesthetic standards that apply to the primary residence. They cannot use those standards as a back-door ban.

The codified preemption is at CRS 38-33.3-106.5.

The Permit Process: Step-by-Step

Five steps from idea to issued permit. The Springs process is the cleanest of the four Front Range cities we cover, with one caveat: the 14-day public notice posting.

1. Pre-application zoning verification. Free, online. Confirms zone eligibility, WUI-O status, and primary structure square footage (which drives the 50% size cap calculation). Recommended before any design work.

2. Submittal to PPRBD (Pikes Peak Regional Building Department). Site plan, floor plans, elevations, structural drawings, IECC energy documentation, fire access plan, and the Owner Residency Affidavit. PPRBD handles building permit review; City Planning handles zoning compliance.

3. Concurrent review. Zoning, building, fire, utilities review in parallel. WUI-O lots add a fire-code compliance check tied to Appendix K. Historic district properties (Old North End, Old Colorado City) may add design review.

4. Public notice posting (14 days). City Planning issues the notice poster during plan review. It must be posted along the property frontage and remain visible for 14 days before permit issuance.

5. Permit issuance + inspections + Certificate of Occupancy. Construction proceeds with PPRBD inspections at each phase.

Realistic timeline. 6 to 12 weeks for the building permit, plus the mandatory 14-day public notice posting. Total often runs 8 to 14 weeks from submittal to issued permit. Faster than Denver’s CPD calendar; slower than the “ministerial speed” some out-of-state guides imply.

What You Submit and the Inspection Sequence

Application document checklist:

Site plan with existing and proposed structures plus all setback dimensions
Floor plans for the ADU
Elevations (all four sides) showing exterior materials and dimensions
Structural drawings (engineer-stamped where required)
Owner Residency Affidavit (required at permit submittal)
IECC energy code documentation
Fire access plan
Appendix K compliance documentation (WUI-O lots only)

Inspection sequence (standard PPRBD residential):

Foundation inspection
Framing inspection
Rough mechanical, electrical, plumbing (separate inspections)
Insulation inspection
Drywall inspection
Final building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical (separate)
Certificate of Occupancy

Appeals and Variances

If your code-compliant ADU application gets denied or if you need a variance, you have options.

Planning Commission decisions appealable to City Council. Within 10 days of the decision. A non-refundable fee of $175 applies.

District Court Rule 106 appeals. Final administrative or City Council decisions can be appealed through Colorado Rule of Civil Procedure 106(a)(4) for judicial review.

UDC procedural reference. Springs UDC Sec. 7.5.415, 7.5.705, and 7.5.906 govern the appeals process and timelines.

Most code-compliant ADU applications don’t trigger appeals. The structure exists primarily for lot-by-lot variance requests where strict compliance creates a hardship.

How Colorado Springs Compares to Other Colorado Cities

Same five Colorado cities side-by-side, with Colorado Springs in column 2.

Parameter	Colorado Springs (this guide)	Denver	Boulder	Fort Collins	Broomfield
Most recent local ordinance	Ord #25-45, Apr 8 / Jun 30, 2025	CB24-1303, Dec 16, 2024	Ord 8650, Mar 8, 2025	Ord 009, 2025, Feb 14, 2025	Ord 2265, Sept 16, 2025
Owner-occupancy	Not required for operation; affidavit at permit	Not required	Not required (Ord 8650)	Not required	Not required (Ord 2265)
Parking	Eliminated by Ord #25-45	None required for ADU	None required	None required	Conditional (3 spaces in narrow cases)
STR rules	Prohibited on ADU properties (post-Jun 30, 2025)	Primary residence required for STR license	Pre-Feb 1, 2019 STR license required	New ADUs (post-Jan 1, 2024) prohibited from STR	Principal residence required for STR
Size cap	1,250 sq ft or 50% of primary (whichever less); 750 floor if primary < 1,500	1,000 sq ft max detached (lot > 7,000); scales down	800 / 1,000 affordable detached	1,000 sq ft max	800 sq ft or 50% of footprint; 500 floor
Max ADU height	16 ft detached; 25 ft for garage conversion; zone max for attached	24 ft / 1.5 stories	20 ft (25 ft with 8:12+ roof)	24 ft, cannot exceed primary	Per zone (typically 25 ft)
WUI / wildfire restrictions	WUI-O: detached/attached prohibited; integrated only	None affecting ADUs	Ignition-resistant in foothills	Poudre Fire WUI in western foothills	None affecting ADUs
Public notice	Yes — 14-day property posting before permit issuance	No	No	No	No
Typical permit timeline	6 to 12 weeks + 14-day posting	4 to 7 months	2 to 3 months	3 to 6 months	6 to 12 weeks

What the table shows. Colorado Springs has the largest ADU size envelope (1,250 sq ft cap), the lowest typical building permit fees, the strictest wildfire-zone restriction (WUI-O integrated-only), the only 14-day public notice requirement, and a hard STR prohibition on ADU properties. The Springs-unique cost lever is the WUI-O compliance scope on foothills lots. The Springs-unique advantage is the size envelope: no other Colorado market we cover allows true two-bedroom or family-use ADUs at the 1,250 sq ft scale.

For the cost-focused view of the same data, see our . For the broader US framing including Los Angeles and Portland, the sets the national context. The earlier three-city framing for Denver, Springs, and Fort Collins lives in our .

FAQ

How much does it cost to permit an ADU in Colorado Springs?

Building permit and inspection fees through PPRBD are typically $1K to $5K, the lowest of the five major Colorado markets we cover. CSU evaluates tap fees case-by-case (no flat published ADU SDC). Total project cost for a typical 490 sq ft detached modular ADU in Springs runs $220K to $260K all-in.

Do I need owner-occupancy to rent out my Colorado Springs ADU?

Not for operation. Ord #25-45 eliminated the operational owner-occupancy requirement. However, an Owner Residency Affidavit is required at building permit submittal — a procedural form, not an operational restriction. After construction, you can rent both units to non-owners.

Can I Airbnb my Colorado Springs ADU?

No, for any new ADU. STR is prohibited on properties with ADUs as of June 30, 2025. The only exception is properties that had both a permitted ADU and a permitted STR license on or before that date — those continue to operate as legal non-conforming uses until the STR permit expires, is withdrawn, or use changes.

What is the Wildland Urban Interface Overlay (WUI-O)?

A zoning overlay (UDC Sec. 7.2.604) covering parts of Springs with elevated wildfire risk, especially the western foothills. In WUI-O zones, detached and attached ADUs are prohibited; only integrated/interior ADUs are allowed. Appendix K (Wildland Fuels Management) construction standards also apply. Confirm WUI-O status with City Planning or during a free property check before designing.

Did Springs eliminate parking requirements?

Yes. Ord #25-45 removed off-street parking mandates for ADUs, aligning with HB24-1152. Garage conversions don’t carry the parking compensation cost Denver still requires.

How long does a Colorado Springs ADU permit take?

Approximately 6 to 12 weeks for the building permit plus a mandatory 14-day public notice posting. Total: about 8 to 14 weeks from submittal to issued permit. The process is administrative — no public hearings — but the 14-day posting adds calendar time that doesn’t apply in other Colorado cities.

What’s the Colorado Springs ADU size limit?

1,250 sq ft or 50% of the primary structure, whichever is less. If the primary structure is under 1,500 sq ft, the ADU may build up to 750 sq ft regardless of the 50% rule. Colorado Springs has the largest ADU size cap in the state.

What changed with Ordinance #25-45?

Approved April 8, 2025 (STR provisions effective June 30, 2025), Ord #25-45 rewrote Springs’ ADU regulations. Owner-occupancy eliminated for operation, parking eliminated, administrative review default, size cap set to 1,250 sq ft (or 50% of primary), and STR prohibited on properties with ADUs.

Can my HOA block my Colorado Springs ADU?

No. HB24-1152 voided HOA outright bans on ADUs in Subject Jurisdictions including Colorado Springs. HOAs can still apply aesthetic standards if those standards apply to the primary residence. The codified preemption is at CRS 38-33.3-106.5.

How Olerra Builds in Colorado Springs

We build detached modular Flex Flat ADUs across the Front Range, Colorado Springs included, on a fixed-price contract. Once you sign, the unit price, foundation, site work, utility hookups, permits, and install are locked. No change orders unless excavation reveals something truly unforeseen, and even then we walk you through the change before it happens. For the full Springs cost stack with all line items, see our .

Our property check confirms what your specific Springs lot allows under WUI-O, Ord #25-45, setbacks, primary structure square footage (the 50% size cap calculation), and Colorado Springs Utilities Ability-to-Service. The WUI-O check is the most important because it determines whether a detached ADU is even possible on your lot. Our walks the full five-step sequence from property check to keys, typically 3 to 6 months from contract signing.

→

Notes from Colorado Springs projects

Practical things that save time and money on a Colorado Springs ADU project, learned from doing this on actual lots.

Check WUI-O status before anything else. If your lot falls under the Wildland Urban Interface Overlay, detached and attached ADUs are off the table — interior conversion is your only legal path. This filter alone can rule out 30 to 60% of your project budget assumptions. Pull the overlay status from City Planning at the very start.

The 14-day public notice runs concurrently with plan review tail. You don’t add a full 14 days to your calendar — the posting period overlaps with the trailing days of building permit review. Plan for an extra 1 to 2 weeks on the back end, not a full 14-day block.

Verify primary structure square footage before sizing your ADU. Springs uses 50% of primary as part of the size cap calculation. If your primary structure is 1,400 sq ft, your ADU caps at 750 sq ft (the floor rule). If your primary is 2,800 sq ft, you can go up to 1,250 sq ft. Get the primary’s GFA confirmed from county records before locking in your ADU design.

CSU tap fee verification is parcel-specific. Colorado Springs Utilities does not publish a flat ADU System Development Charge. CSU evaluates Ability-to-Service during plan review and quotes fees case-by-case. Get the CSU verification early so you can budget accurately — and to confirm whether your ADU can share the primary’s existing service or needs a new tap.

For WUI-O lots, Appendix K adds material cost. If your lot is in WUI-O and you’re proceeding with an interior conversion, plan for ignition-resistant construction requirements per the Colorado Springs Fire Prevention Code Appendix K. Class A roofing, ember-resistant venting, defensible space, fire-rated cladding — these add $5K to $20K depending on the scope of work and existing primary construction.

The Owner Residency Affidavit is procedural, not operational. A common misread: homeowners see “Owner Residency Affidavit required” on the city ADU page and assume operational owner-occupancy still applies. It doesn’t. The affidavit is a one-time form at permit submittal. You can move out after construction without affecting the ADU’s legal status.

Confirm grandfathered STR status BEFORE buying. If you’re buying a Springs property with the intent to STR an existing ADU, verify that BOTH the ADU and the STR license predated June 30, 2025. Buying a property assuming grandfathered STR rights without confirming both predate that cutoff has caused real losses for some buyers. Title and STR license history are both worth pulling at the inspection stage.

Garage conversion to ADU has favorable height rules. Detached ADUs are capped at 16 ft (single story). But garage-conversion ADUs may go up to 25 ft because the existing garage envelope already supports it. If your property has a tall detached garage, the garage-conversion path may be the only way to get a 1.5-story or two-story ADU in Springs.

Talk to a Builder Who Knows Colorado Springs Rules

The fastest way to move from rules-reading to a real build is a property check on your specific lot. WUI-O status, zone eligibility, primary structure square footage, CSU service availability, and Appendix K compliance scope all shape what’s actually buildable.

No spec house. No long sales call. A real number based on your real Colorado Springs lot.

→

Sources

1. City of Colorado Springs. .

2. City of Colorado Springs. .

3. American Legal Publishing. .

4. Colorado Public Radio. .

5. Pikes Peak Regional Building Department. .

6. Colorado General Assembly. .