Fort Worth | ADUs and Duplexes
Fort Worth ADUs and Duplexes: Guest Quarters, Accessory Buildings and the B Two-Family District
An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a second, smaller home on the same lot as a house. Fort Worth has no ADU district or ADU permit. On a one-family lot the City allows accessory buildings and living space with no kitchen, and a full second home needs two-family zoning or a Planned Development. A duplex, one building with two homes, is allowed in the B district and in R1 and UR. This page sets out each rule with the City document behind it. The Fort Worth overview gives the short version.
Fort Worth ADUs and duplexes in six facts
- City staff wrote in 2022 that accessory dwellings are allowed in A-10 "if they do not contain a kitchen or 220 v plug"; a guest house with a kitchen there needed a Planned Development. Source: Zoning staff report ZC-22-088
- A non-habitable accessory building may cover 200 sq ft on a lot of 5,001 to 9,999 sq ft and 400 sq ft on a lot of 10,000 to 43,559 sq ft. Source: Residential Accessory Buildings packet
- A habitable accessory building may not be taller than the main house, by Sec. 5.301(c) as the Board of Adjustment quotes it. Source: Board of Adjustment agenda, September 17, 2025
- The B Two-Family district allows two attached homes on 5,000 sq ft or two detached homes on 7,500 sq ft. Source: Fort Worth zoning district summary
- A B district duplex with three bedrooms in each unit needs 4 parking spaces behind the front building wall, and one with four bedrooms in each needs 6. Source: Board of Adjustment agenda, July 15, 2026
- In 2025 Fort Worth issued permits for 59 two-unit buildings holding 118 homes, against 5,887 one-unit buildings. Source: Census Bureau Building Permits Survey 2025
Why a Second Kitchen Matters
The seven one-family districts allow "One-family detached dwellings," one home on a lot. The clearest City statement of where an ADU fits is a 2022 zoning staff report for 2201 Watson Street, a lot of 4.86 acres. The owners wanted a guest house for their parents. Staff wrote: "Rezoning is required due to the configuration of the property and because the guest house would be considered a second unit. Accessory dwellings are allowed in “A-10” if they do not contain a kitchen or 220 v plug." A 220-volt plug is the heavy outlet an electric stove or dryer uses.
The owners asked for a Planned Development (PD), a custom zoning district written for one site, and the Council record titles the case "PD/A-43" for A-43 uses "plus Accessory Dwelling Unit with kitchen." The staff report itself names the requested base district three ways: "PD/A-43" in the request box, "PD/A-10" in the background and "A-5" in the analysis. The Council's ordinance decides which base district applies; VanPlex did not read it. The applicant also stated the guest house "Will not be used as a short-term rental."
Board of Adjustment agendas show habitable accessory buildings, such as pool houses and garages with living space, on A-5 and A-21 lots. In the A-10 case, staff named the kitchen as the test. VanPlex found no Fort Worth document that states the kitchen rule for A-5, A-7.5 or the other one-family districts in its own words. Ask Development Services before you plan plumbing for a range.
Accessory Buildings on a House Lot
The City's Residential Accessory Buildings packet defines a non-habitable accessory building as "A subordinate building on the same premises with a principal building for exclusive use for accessory uses," such as a workshop or shed. Habitable means a building with heated or cooled living space. The packet sets the size of non-habitable buildings by lot size:
| Lot size | Most floor area for non-habitable accessory buildings |
|---|---|
| 5,000 sq ft or less | 120 sq ft |
| 5,001 to 9,999 sq ft | 200 sq ft |
| 10,000 to 21,779 sq ft | 400 sq ft |
| 21,780 to 43,559 sq ft | 400 sq ft |
| 43,560 sq ft (one acre) and up | 2 percent of the lot area |
Source: Residential Accessory Buildings packet. Board of Adjustment agendas cite the same limits as Sec. 5.301(b)(1)(a)(1) and call the 200 sq ft figure the "maximum allowed cumulative square feet," so it counts all such buildings together.
| Height of a non-habitable accessory building | Distance from side and rear lot lines |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 ft | 5 ft from rear and side lot lines |
| 11 ft | 7 ft from rear and side lot lines |
| 12 ft, the most without a variance | 9 ft from rear and side lot lines |
Source: Residential Accessory Buildings packet; height is measured "from the ground to the highest point of the building," Sec. 5.301.B.4.
- One story. Non-habitable buildings "shall be limited to one story, but may have an attic or loft, provided the attic or loft does not contain heated or air conditioned floor space."
- Location. Except for private garages, carports and porte-cocheres, they "must be located behind the rear wall of the primary residential structure that is furthest from the street or at least 75 feet from the front property line, whichever is the least restrictive," and not in any easement. "Accessory structures are not permitted in front yards."
- Garages. Board agendas quote the rule that "no more than one garage per residential unit on a single residential lot shall be permitted on lots less than one-half acre."
- Habitable buildings. A habitable accessory building may not exceed the height of the main house. In September 2025 an owner asked the Board for a "28-foot tall two-story habitable accessory structure" next to a 21-foot house. Habitable buildings must also meet the district side and rear yards; in July 2025 the Board heard requests under the A-5 rules to place habitable accessory buildings, one of them two stories, inside the 5-foot side and rear yards.
- Meters. The Board agenda of October 15, 2025 quotes the rule that "accessory structures that connect to utilities such as water, electric, and gas must receive service from meters serving the primary structure."
A permit is needed before work starts. The packet warns that building first "could result in your permit(s) being assessed a double fee," and an accessory building with habitable space needs mechanical, electrical and plumbing plans.
Duplexes in the B District
The B Two-Family district allows "One-family and two-family detached and attached" homes. The table joins the district summary with the standards that Board of Adjustment agendas quote from Sec. 4.707.
| B district rule | Standard |
|---|---|
| Lot area | 5,000 sq ft for two attached homes; 7,500 sq ft for two detached homes on one lot |
| Lot width | 50 ft |
| Side yard | 5 ft; 10 ft on the street side of a corner lot |
| Lot coverage | 50 percent maximum |
| Parking, 2-bedroom home | 2 spaces behind the front building wall |
| Parking, duplex of two 3-bedroom units | 4 spaces behind the front building wall |
| Parking, duplex of two 4-bedroom units | 6 spaces behind the front building wall |
Source: zoning district summary; Board of Adjustment agendas of April 15, June 17, July 15 and September 16, 2026. Front and rear yards and the height limit for B were not in any City document VanPlex could open.
Parking behind the front wall. The parking rule shapes most duplex designs. A 2025 staff report states it: "current development standards require two parking spaces behind the front building wall for dwelling units with three or fewer bedrooms and one space for each additional bedroom." Board agendas apply it to B duplexes as "the required 4 parking spaces for a duplex with 3 bedrooms in each unit" and "the required 6 parking spaces for a duplex with 4 bedrooms in each unit." Owners on narrow lots often ask the Board to let some spaces sit in front of the building; those requests came up at the Board in October 2025 and in March, April, July and September 2026.
Twin homes. A twin home is two attached homes, each on its own lot, split by the shared wall. The Board agenda of July 15, 2026 lists a variance for "the construction of a one-family zero lot line attached (twin home) dwelling" in a B district, so B allows that form. R1 also allows "two-family attached zero lot line" homes on 2,500 square foot lots.
Permits. The City's residential permit form lists "New Construction (Construction of an entirely new home or duplex from the ground up)" as a residential permit, while three or more homes on a lot are "Considered Commercial Construction." So a duplex stays in the residential permit process. In 2025 the Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey counted 59 two-unit buildings with 118 homes in Fort Worth.
Getting B Zoning on an A-5 Lot
Most older Fort Worth blocks are zoned A-5, so a duplex usually starts with a rezoning. The Council approved these A-5 to B requests by 11 to 0 votes:
- 1224 Meriwether Avenue, 0.17 acres in the case title and 0.18 acres in the staff report, approved August 12, 2025. Staff wrote that "Surrounding properties are predominantly zoned “B” Two-Family."
- 320 W. Gambrell Street, 0.20 acres, approved October 21, 2025. The applicant planned two units with "3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and 4 total parking spaces."
- 4609 McCart Avenue, approved December 9, 2025, although the Zoning Commission recommended denial. Staff noted that the lot had been part of "a large Council-initiated rezoning project that removed “B” Two-Family zoning from the neighborhood."
- 1727 Belzise Terrace, three platted lots given as 9,626 square feet in total in the staff report, approved May 12, 2026.
The pattern in these cases is a lot next to B zoning or existing duplexes. Where the block is single-family, the result changes. At 621 South Retta Street a garage had been turned into a second home, which staff called "only allowed in “B” zoning district." An earlier request there for "PD/A-5" plus a duplex was "denied with prejudice," and the owner returned with a PD/B district, which the Council approved on May 13, 2025. Case ZC-22-194, from "A-7.5" to a PD "plus triplex," was denied. The rezoning fee for less than one acre is $1,418 from October 1, 2026. The zoning districts page covers notice, protests and votes.
Duplexes and Manor Houses in UR
The UR Urban Residential text of November 2021 lists a "Two-Family Attached (Duplex)," "A building with two dwelling units on an individual lot separated by a shared common wall," and a "Manor House," "A building that has the appearance of a conventional single-family dwelling with three to five attached dwelling units." Its parking table requires "2 spaces per dwelling unit; Plus, 1 space per bedroom over three (3) bedrooms per dwelling unit" for duplexes and manor houses, cut to "1 space per dwelling unit" when "the development is within 1,320 feet of a rail transit station." For one-family and two-family homes in UR, "All parking shall be located behind the front building line." In August 2025 the Council rezoned 900 and 1001 E. Felix Street from B to UR for five to seven townhomes, as the townhouse page describes.
Best For
- ✓ A family suite, studio or pool house with no kitchen, within the size, height and yard limits for accessory buildings.
- ✓ A duplex on a B lot of 5,000 sq ft or more with room for four spaces behind the front wall.
- ✓ An A-5 lot next to B zoning or existing duplexes, where staff have supported rezoning to B.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ The accessory building has a kitchen, a 220-volt range outlet or its own meter on a one-family lot.
- ✕ The duplex site cannot fit the required spaces behind the front building wall and the Board will not vary it.
- ✕ The A-5 block is single-family and the Future Land Use Map calls for single-family homes.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → Zoning and any PD ordinance for the lot on the City zoning map.
- → Front and rear yards and height for your district with Development Services, since VanPlex could not read them.
- → Deed restrictions recorded on the lot, which can bar a second home whatever the zoning allows.
Where to Go Next
Related on VanPlex: the Fort Worth overview and ADUs in Texas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build an ADU with a kitchen in Fort Worth?
How big can a shed or garage be on a Fort Worth house lot?
How tall can an accessory building be in Fort Worth?
Where can a detached building go on a Fort Worth lot?
Can a Fort Worth guest house have its own electric meter?
What lot size does a duplex need in Fort Worth?
How many parking spaces does a Fort Worth duplex need?
Can I turn my garage into a second home in Fort Worth?
Will Fort Worth rezone my A-5 lot to B for a duplex?
Does the Fort Worth UR district allow duplexes and small apartment houses?
Official sources (checked October 2026)
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