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Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Permits in Miami-Dade and Broward 2026

Updated: Jun 13

Photo by Tama66 via Pixabay

INDEX

  1. Hire an ADU Contractor

  2. ADU Categories

  3. Miami-Dade ADU Framework

  4. Broward ADU Framework

  5. ADU Dimensional Standards

  6. Owner Occupancy Requirements

  7. ADU Construction Scope

  8. Utility Considerations

  9. Rental and Income Considerations

  10. Endless Life Design ADU Services

  11. Authoritative References & Code Resources

  12. Related Endless Life Design Resources





Hire an ADU Contractor

If you are searching for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) contractor in Miami-Dade or Broward County, hire a Florida-licensed general contractor with established ADU construction expertise. ADUs support residential expansion through secondary dwelling units on residential properties supporting extended family accommodation (multi-generational living), home office and work-from-home accommodation, rental income supporting residential investment, and ADU uses. ADU regulation varies across Miami-Dade and Broward municipalities supporting ADU regulatory frameworks.





ADU Categories

ADU categories supporting different residential applications include detached ADUs (freestanding accessory structure supporting dwelling, typical 600-1,200 square feet ADUs supporting dwelling functionality), attached ADUs (dwelling unit attached to primary residence sharing wall but independent dwelling functionality), internal ADUs (dwelling unit within primary residence such as converted basement, converted garage, converted attic with independent dwelling functionality), junior ADUs (JADUs) supporting smaller secondary dwelling typically 500 square feet or less, and ADU categories.





Miami-Dade ADU Framework

Miami-Dade ADU framework varies across Miami-Dade incorporated municipalities and unincorporated Miami-Dade. Unincorporated Miami-Dade addresses ADUs through Miami-Dade Code Chapter 33 (Zoning) with provisions for detached and attached ADUs in specific zoning districts supporting residential expansion. Municipal Miami-Dade ADU regulation varies with cities like Miami (City of Miami Zoning Code Miami 21), Coral Gables, Miami Beach, and municipalities maintaining different ADU regulation. Pre-design ADU verification supports accurate ADU planning.





Broward ADU Framework

Broward ADU framework varies across Broward incorporated municipalities and unincorporated Broward. Broward incorporated municipalities including Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Davie, Plantation, and municipalities maintain different ADU regulation supporting municipal residential development priorities. Unincorporated Broward addresses ADUs through Broward County Code with provisions for detached and attached ADUs in specific zoning districts. Pre-design ADU verification through applicable municipal Building Department supports accurate ADU planning.





ADU Dimensional Standards

ADU dimensional standards address ADU size, height, and setback provisions supporting compatible ADU integration with primary residence and neighborhood character. Common dimensional standards include maximum ADU size (typical 500-1,200 square feet depending on municipality), maximum ADU height (typical lower than primary residence supporting visual subordination), side and rear setbacks supporting ADU placement, separation from primary residence for detached ADUs, maximum lot coverage including ADU supporting open space, parking requirements supporting ADU occupancy, and dimensional standards.





Owner Occupancy Requirements

Owner occupancy requirements affect ADU regulation in municipalities supporting residential character protection. Common requirements include owner occupancy of either primary residence or ADU supporting residential character (owner occupancy prevents property conversion to rental investment), recorded affidavit of owner occupancy supporting enforcement, periodic verification supporting ongoing compliance, and owner occupancy provisions. Owner occupancy requirements vary across South Florida municipalities.





ADU Construction Scope

ADU construction scope addresses independent dwelling functionality supporting ADU use. Required scope includes kitchen supporting cooking and food preparation (full kitchen for ADUs, kitchenette for smaller ADUs), bathroom supporting bathing, sleeping area supporting sleeping, living area supporting living, separate entry supporting independent dwelling access, separate utility connections supporting utility independence, and ADU construction scope.





Utility Considerations

Utility considerations for ADU construction address utility service supporting ADU operation. Required scope includes electrical service supporting ADU electrical loads (subpanel from primary residence electrical service, separate electric meter where municipal utility supports ADU separate metering), water service supporting ADU water demand (separate water meter where applicable), sanitary sewer service supporting ADU wastewater, integration with primary residence utilities, and utility considerations.





Rental and Income Considerations

Rental and income considerations affect ADU investment outcome. Required scope includes municipal rental regulation verification supporting ADU rental permitted (municipalities vary on ADU rental including long-term rental and short-term rental where applicable), business tax receipt where required for rental operation, integration with Florida Department of Revenue sales tax registration where applicable for short-term rental, integration with HOA where applicable, insurance coordination supporting rental coverage, and rental scope.





Endless Life Design ADU Services

Endless Life Design manages the entire government permit process for construction projects across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Our Government Permit Processing Service handles your application, plan review, and final approval for a flat $4,500 — call (305) 680-3283 to get started.




Request your free consultation today. If you need a licensed general contractor in Miami-Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach County for detached ADU construction, attached ADU construction, internal ADU construction supporting converted garage/basement/attic, junior ADU (JADU) construction, integrated ADU design with primary residence, comprehensive municipal ADU framework coordination, or comprehensive ADU construction services, Endless Life Design delivers integrated licensed general contracting, design, engineering, and permit expediting services. Get a free quote, request a project assessment, or schedule a consultation by visiting endlesslifedesign.com, calling (305) 680-3283, or emailing endlesslifedesign@endlesslifedesign.com.





Authoritative References & Code Resources


For verification of the code requirements, permit standards, Florida Building Code sections, and regulatory citations referenced in this article, consult the following authoritative government and code sources:


Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023) on ICC Digital Codes: Building | Residential | Existing Building | Mechanical | Plumbing | Accessibility.








The State's Pro-ADU Tilt Meeting the Local Rules

The state tilts toward the cottage, with the legislation encouraging the accessory units the housing shortage demands, the local ordinances translating the policy into setbacks, sizes, and standards, and the backyard unit permitted at the intersection of two governments' intentions, the state's enthusiasm filtered through the city's specifics, the project lawful where the layers agree. The rules keep evolving session by session, and the application filed under this year's law moves faster than the assumptions formed under last year's.


The state's enthusiasm is filtered through the city's specifics. Endless Life Design files your ADU where the state policy and local ordinance actually agree. Call (305) 680-3283 for cottages permitted at the intersection.




The Separate Address and the Utility Question

The unit raises the utility question, with the water, power, and sewer either shared from the main house or separated for independence, the metering decision shaping the construction and the future leases, and the cottage's autonomy designed into its connections, the address assigned where the rules allow, the small building's infrastructure decided before its foundation.


The cottage's autonomy is designed into its connections. Endless Life Design structures the utility and addressing decisions your ADU's future depends on. Call (305) 680-3283 for units independent exactly as far as you intend.




The Parking Space the Backyard Must Find

The backyard must find the parking, with the unit's space requirements satisfied on a lot already serving the main house, the driveways reconfigured or the exemptions claimed where transit proximity allows, and the ADU's feasibility sometimes deciding itself in the parking analysis, the car answered before the cottage, the site plan solving for vehicles first.


The car must be answered before the cottage. Endless Life Design solves the parking analysis your ADU approval turns on. Call (305) 680-3283 for backyards that satisfy every requirement. The transit exemptions are claimed with the maps that prove them, and the space that the ordinance forgives never gets paved.




The Garage That Wants to Become a Cottage

The garage volunteers for conversion, with the existing structure offering its slab and walls to the dwelling it could become, the habitability upgrades adding insulation, egress, and conditioned air the storage never needed, and the conversion permitted as a change of use rather than a renovation, the cheapest ADU sometimes already standing, the transformation deeper than the square footage suggests.


The cheapest ADU is sometimes already standing. Endless Life Design permits the change of use and habitability upgrades your garage conversion requires. Call (305) 680-3283 for structures reborn lawfully. The slab is tested for the moisture and elevation the dwelling rules demand, the openings are recut for egress, and the conversion's certificate arrives only when the storage building has truly become a home.




Related Endless Life Design Resources


Browse our complete portfolio of licensed construction, engineering, architecture, 3D rendering, and permit expediting services across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties: Construction Services | Commercial Construction Projects | Residential Construction Projects | Royal Palace Projects.


Endless Life Design | Licensed General Contractor and Miami-Dade and Broward ADU Services | Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County | (305) 680-3283 | endlesslifedesign@endlesslifedesign.com | endlesslifedesign.com


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Endless Life Design is a Miami-based custom construction company providing complete residential and commercial building services across South Florida. Our trades include licensed plumbing services for new construction, remodels, and repairs throughout Miami-Dade and Broward. We offer professional electrical contractor services covering wiring, panel upgrades, lighting, and code compliance. Our HVAC services include installation, repair, and maintenance of heating, cooling, and ventilation systems. We provide roofing services for residential and commercial properties, including new roofs, repairs, and inspections. Additional trades include carpentry, drywall, painting, tile, flooring, kitchen and bath remodeling, and custom millwork. Whether you need a single-trade specialist or a turnkey general contractor managing your entire project, Endless Life Design delivers licensed, insured, full-service construction across Miami.

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