Charlotte’s ADU guide lists zoning districts where an accessory dwelling may be permitted and places an important condition on the primary dwelling: the unit must be accessory to a single-family home or to a duplex that is not located on a sublot. That sublot check can change the answer even before site design is considered.
Match the property to the City’s screen
The City lists ADUs in N1-A through N1-F, N2-A through N2-C, MHP, CG, CR, IC-1, IC-2, OFC, OG, IMU, NC, CAC-1, CAC-2, RA, UC, UE, TOD-UC, TOD-NC, TOD-CC, and TOD-TR districts. Its guide describes an ADU as a separate dwelling with cooking and sanitary facilities, attached to or within the main home or in a detached accessory structure. The City provides a MyADU Eligibility Tool as an initial property screen.
The same guide says the primary property must be a single-family dwelling, or a duplex not located on a sublot. It also says only one ADU is allowed per lot and the ADU must remain under the same ownership as the main home. Do not treat the zone list by itself as a final result: confirm the property’s exact district, lot relationship, primary dwelling, and current Unified Development Ordinance.
Treat the result as preliminary
The City cautions that its eligibility tool does not guarantee that an ADU can be built. Its current UDO development standards cover detached ADUs (DADUs); if you are considering an attached ADU, Charlotte directs you to contact its ADU Customer Support team for the appropriate path. That form-specific direction does not itself determine zoning eligibility. Lot size, setbacks, trees, stormwater, grading, utilities, easements, driveway access, and other requirements may affect feasibility. HOA restrictions can also apply separately from zoning. The City directs owners to its customer support team for questions about a tool report.
Use the City tool and official parcel information, then confirm any uncertain sublot or zoning status with Charlotte Planning. Building, utility, permit, and private-document reviews remain separate. A citywide list or a neighbor’s approval does not establish eligibility for a particular property.