Memphis Setbacks & Height Limits — Residential Zones

Fact-checked against the current Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code materials and 2026 zoning records on September 21, 2026.

Memphis and unincorporated Shelby County use the Unified Development Code (UDC). The current single-family districts include R-15, R-10, R-8, R-6, and R-3, but the applicable building envelope also depends on housing type, subdivision type, and any planned-development conditions.

Current Residential District Structure

The UDC currently identifies:

• R-15 — Residential Single-Family 15;
• R-10 — Residential Single-Family 10;
• R-8 — Residential Single-Family 8;
• R-6 — Residential Single-Family 6;
• R-3 — Residential Single-Family 3;
• RU-1 through RU-5 — Residential Urban districts.

The previous page showed only R-15, R-8, and R-6 and presented one simple setback table as if that were the complete current framework.

Building Envelope Depends on Development Type

The UDC contains separate building-envelope standards for:

• conventional residential development;
• side-yard housing;
• cottage housing;
• semi-attached and two-family forms where permitted;
• townhouses;
• open-space and sustainable subdivisions;
• planned developments.

As a result, one zoning label does not always yield one universal set of front/side/rear numbers.

Do Not Reuse the Old 30/10/25, 25/5/20, 20/5/15 Table Blindly

The previous page presented those values as definitive standards for R-15, R-8, and R-6.

Current UDC materials and recent development cases show that building-envelope standards can be modified by the applicable housing form, subdivision option, contextual rules, or approved planned-development conditions.

This page therefore no longer publishes those values as a universal table.

Planned Developments Matter

Memphis frequently uses Planned Developments (PDs). An approved PD can establish project-specific setbacks, height, lot width, and other standards.

A parcel inside a PD must be checked against the approved outline/final plan and conditions rather than only the underlying base district.

Height

The current UDC includes district- and housing-type-specific height standards. Some residential subdivision options use different maximum heights from the conventional base form.

Do not assume that every R-15/R-10/R-8/R-6/R-3 residential proposal is capped by the same 35-ft number without checking the applicable UDC table.

ADUs and Accessory Structures

Accessory uses and structures are regulated separately under the UDC. Tennessee does not provide a statewide ADU zoning override that replaces Memphis/Shelby County's local code.

See the Memphis ADU rules page for current accessory-dwelling guidance.

How to Check a Property

1. Confirm the exact zoning district in the current Zoning Atlas.
2. Check whether the parcel is subject to a Planned Development.
3. Identify the proposed housing type.
4. Identify whether conventional, open-space, sustainable, or another subdivision standard applies.
5. Use the corresponding Article 3 building-envelope table.
6. Check historic, airport, floodplain, and other overlays.
7. Confirm parcel-specific questions with Memphis & Shelby County Planning and Development.

Official Sources

• Shelby County — Land Use Control Board / Unified Development Code
• Memphis & Shelby County UDC — current annotated publication
• Shelby County — 2026 Land Use Control Board staff reports

This guide is informational only. The current UDC, approved PD conditions, subdivision type, housing type, and parcel-specific controls govern.