ADU Rules in Miami, Florida
Miami's ancillary dwelling unit rules changed materially in 2025. The old version of this page described an expansion proposal as still awaiting City Commission action; that is no longer current.
2025 ADU Legislation
The City of Miami's official Urban Design Legislation page lists Ordinance 14375 as the zoning-text amendment that updated:
- ADU definitions;
- allowable locations;
- general regulations;
- unit size;
- parking; and
- design standards.
The City also lists Ordinance 14377, which introduced ADU registration and compliance requirements and an associated amnesty program for existing ADUs.
City of Miami — Urban Design Legislation
The City's current Building Permit Fee Schedule also references the Ancillary Dwelling Unit (ADU) Amnesty Program.
City of Miami Building Permit Fee Schedule
Current Miami 21 Rules
Current ADU eligibility must be checked under the current Miami 21 Code, including the ADU standards in §3.18 and the Article 4 use tables.
This page intentionally does not repeat the former pre-2025 statement that ADUs were limited to T3-L while expansion to other T3 zones was merely pending. Ordinance 14375 changed the regulatory framework after that statement was written.
For a specific parcel:
- identify the current transect zone using the City's zoning GIS;
- check whether the current Article 4 use table permits an ADU in that zone;
- apply the current §3.18 standards and applicable Article 5/6 dimensional rules; and
- check the registration/compliance requirements adopted under Ordinance 14377.
City of Miami Zoning Department
Why This Page Does Not Reproduce Unverified Numbers
Current compiled versions of Miami 21 contain detailed ADU size, parking, placement, ownership, and design rules. However, the City's public legislation page does not expose the complete amended tables in a stable text page that can be reliably cited here.
Rather than copy exact values from a third-party code aggregator, this guide points to the controlling City sources for the current parcel-specific rules.
Florida State-Law Context
Florida Statutes §163.31771 says a local government may adopt an ADU ordinance; it does not itself make an ADU legal on every single-family lot.
Building and Flood Requirements
ADU zoning approval does not replace building-code review. Miami is in the Miami-Dade High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, and flood-zone requirements can also affect design and construction.
Disclaimer: Confirm the current Miami 21 text, zoning designation, and ADU registration requirements with the City of Miami before final design or permit submission.
More about Miami Zoning
Sources
- City of Miami — Urban Design Legislation, Ordinances 14375 and 14377·miami.gov·Accessed 2026-09-20·Direct link
- City of Miami — Miami 21 Zoning Code·miami.gov·Accessed 2026-09-20·Direct link
- City of Miami Zoning Department·miami.gov·Accessed 2026-09-20·Direct link
- City of Miami Building Permit Fee Schedule — ADU Amnesty Program·miami.gov·Accessed 2026-09-20·Direct link
- Florida Statutes §163.31771 — Accessory dwelling units·flsenate.gov·Accessed 2026-09-20·Direct link