No limit on number of bedrooms
Can have separate utilities (meters) or can share meter with main house
Only ADUs over 800 square feet require a dedicated off-street parking space.
Complete an affidavit acknowledging the property owner must live on the property for the legal use and occupancy of the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). An affidavit is a written statement from a person that they sign and swear is correct. This affidavit must be recorded in Bexar County's public records.
An application for an ADU and sample affidavit and covenant are available online.
Affidavit and Covenant
Besides permit-ready plans, there are additional items to submit before getting a permit.
More information can be found in IB 101 - New Residential Permit Information (PDF)
Apply for your permit application through BuildSA.
Apply Now
The plan review fee is invoiced, and once paid, the application is automatically routed to a plan reviewer. This technical review can take up to three business days for the initial redline comments. Redline comments are comments from a reviewer saying what edits should be made to a document. Once approved, additional permit fees, which are separate from the plan review fee, are applied to the application. After you pay these additional fees, the permit is issued.
NOTE: Some fee waivers may apply.
Inspectors review construction for compliance with adopted building codes. Once all inspections pass, a Certificate of Occupancy is issued, and the ADU may be occupied.
Construction of an ADU may qualify for waiver of city development and permitting fees, and SAWS water and wastewater impact fees.
To qualify, either the main home or the ADU must be rented to a household earning at or below 80% AMI, and rent may not exceed 30% of the renter's monthly income. This restriction must remain in place for 5 years after issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. For more information, visit COSA Fee Waiver Program.
Contact Form
210-207-1111
Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center (One Stop) 1901 S. Alamo St. San Antonio, TX 78204 Directions
Information about visiting our office.
Monday - Friday: 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.