You apply to the Dallas Board of Adjustment for a special exception to add a dwelling unit. As of October 2026, the filing fee is $600, the request goes to a public hearing, and you carry the burden of showing the ADU will not adversely affect neighboring property. The Board can approve, approve with conditions or deny.
What does the Board look at?
The standard is whether the additional dwelling will adversely affect neighboring property. In practice that means how the unit looks from the street and from next door: height, windows, parking and how it fits the block. Neighbors receive notice and can speak at the hearing.
What should the application include?
- A site plan showing the ADU, setbacks, parking and the main house.
- Elevations showing height and window placement.
- A floor plan with the unit's size.
- A clear statement of how the unit will be used and who will live where.
- Any letters of support from neighbors.
What conditions come with approval?
Under the 2018 rules, an approved ADU comes with a recorded deed restriction requiring the owner to live in either the main house or the ADU. The Board can also attach conditions specific to the case.
Do requests get denied?
Yes. Local reporting has covered Dallas ADU requests that were approved and others that were denied after neighborhood objections. There is no guaranteed outcome, which is why we design for the hearing, not just the building code.
What happens after approval?
You still need a building permit. We submit the full plan set, answer review comments and schedule inspections once construction begins.
Sources, as of October 2026:
- City of Dallas Planning and Development, Accessory Dwelling Units page.
- D Magazine, reporting on the Dallas ADU ordinance (2018).
- Local reporting on Dallas Board of Adjustment ADU cases, including a denial on North Haven Road after neighborhood objections.