Everything homeowners need to know about building an accessory dwelling unit in Lakewood, including why the city's own ADU standards are unusually unsettled right now after voters repealed the 2025 zoning overhaul.
Last verified: August 2026
5/10 · By-right under state law, city code in flux
500-750 sq ft†
Max ADU size
Varies†
Max height
Not required
Owner-occupancy
By-right (state law)
Permit type
Lakewood's local ADU code is genuinely in flux as of this writing: voters repealed the city's 2025 zoning overhaul in an April 2026 special election, and city officials have publicly said they don't yet know what replacement rules will look like. This page explains the state-law floor that still applies and what's known about the city's next steps. It is not legal advice - confirm current status with Lakewood's Planning Division before designing or applying for permits. See sources below.
Zoning & size requirements
What you're allowed to build right now
ADU type
Max size
Max height
Notes
Detached or attached (state-law floor)
At least 500-750 sq ft, the minimum Colorado's HB 24-1152 requires every subject jurisdiction to allow
Not specified by the state law itself
This is a statutory floor, not a Lakewood-specific number; the city's own current local standard is unsettled
Under Lakewood's briefly-adopted 2025 standard
Up to 1,400 sq ft
20 ft detached; up to 30 ft for an ADU above a garage
Adopted effective January 1, 2026, then repealed by voters on April 7, 2026 - no longer in force
Allowed zoning districts
Lakewood has allowed ADUs in single-family residential zones for years under its older, pre-2025 code. In 2025 the city passed a much larger zoning overhaul (Ordinances 2025-27 through 2025-30) that updated ADU standards and legalized duplexes and triplexes citywide; voters repealed all four ordinances in an April 2026 special election by roughly a 2-to-1 margin. The city has confirmed it is now out of compliance with several state housing laws, ADUs among them, and has not announced a timeline for replacement standards. Colorado's HB 24-1152 is a state law that applies regardless of what Lakewood's own code currently says, so homeowners likely still have a right to build at least one modest ADU by right - confirm your specific situation with Lakewood's Planning Division.
Additional standards
Setbacks, parking & other rules
Setbacks
Follow the underlying zone district's accessory-structure setbacks; confirm current figures with Lakewood's Planning Division, since the applicable code is being reworked
Parking
Colorado's HB 24-1152 bars most local parking mandates for ADUs statewide, regardless of Lakewood's own code status
Units per lot
At least 1 ADU per single-family lot is guaranteed by state law; the repealed 2025 update would have allowed up to 2
Owner-occupancy
Not required. HB 24-1152 bars owner-occupancy mandates statewide, independent of Lakewood's local code
Building code
Must meet Lakewood's adopted building code dwelling-unit standards
Approval process
HB 24-1152 requires administrative-only approval for compliant ADU applications statewide, with no public hearing
Ordinance history
How Lakewood's ADU rules got here
2024Colorado passes HB 24-1152. The state legislature approved a statewide ADU law requiring subject jurisdictions, including Lakewood, to allow at least one ADU by right per single-family lot, with no owner-occupancy or blanket parking mandates, by June 30, 2025.
2025City Council passes a major zoning overhaul. Between August and October 2025, Council approved four ordinances (2025-27 through 2025-30) rewriting the city's residential zoning, including ADU standards aligned with HB 24-1152 and broader "missing middle" housing changes like duplexes and triplexes on former single-family lots.
2026New code takes effect. The rewritten zoning code, including the updated ADU standards, took effect January 1, 2026.
2026Voters repeal the overhaul. A citizen-initiated referendum campaign qualified all four ordinances for a special election. On April 7, 2026, Lakewood voters repealed all four by roughly a 2-to-1 margin.
2026City acknowledges a compliance gap. Mayor Wendi Strom and city officials publicly confirmed the repeal put Lakewood out of compliance with several state housing laws, ADU standards among them, and said they did not yet have a timeline for replacement rules.
Lakewood is an unusual case: the city briefly had ADU rules that fully matched state law, then lost them to a citizen referendum aimed at the broader duplex-and-triplex changes bundled into the same ordinances. Because HB 24-1152 is a state law, its core ADU protections likely survive locally even while Lakewood works out what its own code will say next.
Permit process
How to approach ADU permitting in Lakewood right now
1
Start with Lakewood's Planning Division
Because the local code is being reworked after the April 2026 repeal, get a direct, current read on what standards apply to your lot before you design anything.
2
Confirm your zone district
Ask which pre-2025 base zoning now applies to your property following the repeal, and whether any transitional guidance is in place.
3
Ask about the state-law floor
Confirm how the city is currently processing HB 24-1152 requests for a by-right ADU (at least 500-750 sq ft) while its own ordinance is unsettled.
4
Prepare your plan set
Site plan, floor plans, and elevations for the ADU, sized to whatever standard the Planning Division confirms applies to your project.
5
Submit for zoning and building review
Apply through Lakewood's standard permit process once you have written confirmation of the applicable size, height, and setback standards.
6
Inspections
Schedule the standard framing, plumbing, electrical, and final inspections through construction.
Given how recently the code changed, get any zoning determination in writing from the Planning Division before you commit to a design or a contractor.
Budgeting
What it costs to build an ADU in Lakewood
Garage conversion
Roughly $65,000-$155,000, the least expensive path since the shell already exists
Basement conversion
Roughly $95,000-$200,000, depending on existing ceiling height and utility access
New detached ADU
Roughly $140,000-$290,000 for a code-compliant, fully insulated freestanding unit
Building permit fees
Set by Lakewood's standard permit fee schedule based on project valuation; confirm current figures with the Planning Division
These are general ranges from local contractor estimates and regional reporting, not quotes - actual cost depends heavily on lot conditions, utility access, and finishes. Lakewood construction costs generally track close to the broader Denver metro.
Before you apply
Tips for a smooth approval
Don't trust an older article's specific numbers, including this one's size figures. Lakewood's ADU standards changed twice in under a year; get a current, written answer from the Planning Division before you design.
Lead with the state-law floor. HB 24-1152 guarantees at least a modest by-right ADU regardless of the city's own code status, which gives you a baseline to work from even amid the local uncertainty.
Watch for a replacement ordinance. City officials have said they intend to bring Lakewood back into compliance, but hadn't set a timeline as of publication - a future update could expand what's allowed.
Get your zoning determination in writing. With standards actively changing, a written answer protects you if the rules shift again mid-project.
Budget conservatively on size until you have confirmation. Designing to the state-law floor first, then expanding if the city confirms a larger local allowance, is safer than designing to a number that may no longer apply.
FAQ
Common questions
Why are Lakewood's ADU rules unclear right now?
In 2025, Lakewood City Council passed a major zoning overhaul that, among other things, updated ADU standards to align with Colorado's HB 24-1152. Voters repealed that entire package in an April 2026 special election, largely over the broader duplex-and-triplex changes bundled into the same ordinances. The city has confirmed it's now out of compliance with several state housing laws and hasn't announced replacement rules yet.
Can I still build an ADU in Lakewood today?
Likely yes, at least at the level Colorado's HB 24-1152 guarantees statewide (a modest ADU, roughly 500-750 sq ft, allowed by right with no owner-occupancy or blanket parking requirement). The exact local specifics - setbacks, precise size, process - are unsettled, so confirm your options directly with Lakewood's Planning Division.
Do I need to live on the property to build an ADU in Lakewood?
No. Colorado's HB 24-1152 bars owner-occupancy requirements for ADUs statewide, independent of Lakewood's local code status.
Do I need extra parking for an ADU?
State law bars most local parking mandates for ADUs, so no dedicated off-street space should be required in most cases - confirm your specific situation with the Planning Division.
What happened to the 1,400 sq ft ADU size limit I've seen mentioned?
That figure came from Lakewood's 2025 zoning overhaul, which took effect January 1, 2026 and was then repealed by voters on April 7, 2026. It's no longer in force. The size standard that currently applies is unsettled locally, though state law guarantees at least 500-750 sq ft.
How long does the permit process take?
This depends heavily on how Lakewood is currently handling ADU applications during the code transition. Ask the Planning Division for current timelines before budgeting your schedule.
How much does an ADU cost to build in Lakewood?
Garage conversions run roughly $65,000-$155,000, basement conversions roughly $95,000-$200,000, and new detached units roughly $140,000-$290,000, based on local contractor estimates and regional reporting - not counting permit fees.
Will Lakewood pass new ADU rules?
City officials, including Mayor Wendi Strom, have said publicly that Lakewood needs to come back into compliance with state law, but as of this writing had not set a timeline or specified what a replacement ordinance would look like.
Can I rent my ADU out on Airbnb or a short-term rental platform?
Short-term rentals are regulated separately from standard ADU permitting in Lakewood. If that's the plan, confirm current short-term rental licensing requirements with the city before finalizing your design.
