Whether you can add an accessory dwelling unit in the Kansas City metro depends entirely on which side of a city line your house sits. Some cities allow one by right with a building permit; some allow one only in a single district; several have no ordinance at all. Here is every city we serve, sorted by how easy it is, verified in September 2026.
Clear yes: an ordinance with published rules
| City | Size limit | Key conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO | 800 sq ft floor area, or 90% of the house; footprint 60% of the house or 25% of the rear yard | By right citywide since 2022. Detached in the rear yard, 5-foot setbacks, no extra parking, owner-occupancy deed restriction. Free pre-approved plans. |
| Olathe, KS | 1,000 sq ft or 50% of the house, whichever is less; two bedrooms max | All residential districts, building permit only. 6 feet behind the house front, 10 feet off the rear line, must match the house, one parking space, separate address. |
| Lee’s Summit, MO | Must be compatible with the size and placement of the house | Detached unit at least 6 feet behind the house front and 20 feet from the rear lot line, one added parking space, $250 park impact fee per bedroom, match the neighborhood’s style. |
| Raymore, MO | 60% of the house, never more than 1,000 sq ft | One per lot. Follows the accessory-structure placement rules: behind the house, off easements, no taller than the home. |
| Belton, MO | Not larger than the house | Ordinance 2021-4672. Same setbacks and coverage as other accessory buildings, permanent foundation, compatible materials, separate address. |
Yes, with rules that depend on your lot
| City | What we know |
|---|---|
| Overland Park, KS | Attached and detached allowed on qualifying lots, one per lot, owner-occupancy required. The size cap varies by zoning district; one district text caps at 50% of the house. We confirm your parcel’s district first. |
| Liberty, MO | An ADU provision is in the city code and on the regional council’s list. Size and placement confirmed per lot. |
| Raytown, MO | Listed under permitted accessory uses in the zoning code (Section 50-14) and on the regional council’s list. Size and placement confirmed per lot. |
Only in one district
| City | Where | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Independence, MO | West Central Independence Overlay District only | Detached only, 300 to 1,000 sq ft. Not citywide. |
| Grandview, MO | Town of Grandview Overlay District (the original platted town) | 60% of the house or 720 sq ft, whichever is smaller; 10 feet behind the house front; above or beside a garage allowed; one per R-1 lot; one added parking space. |
| Pleasant Hill, MO | AG (agricultural) zoning only | Not allowed in the residential districts. |
No ordinance on file
As of September 2026, these cities have no accessory dwelling unit ordinance on file with the Mid-America Regional Council, which collects them for the region: Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Greenwood, Leawood, and Lenexa. Lenexa goes further and says accessory structures should not be built as habitable space. Lone Jack is not on the list either, though unincorporated Jackson County parcels around it fall under the county’s own ADU ordinance. Lake Lotawana runs its own permit desk and is not on the list.
A separate rental unit is not the right plan in those cities today. What is allowed nearly everywhere is an accessory structure that is not a dwelling: a backyard office, a studio, a pool house with a bathroom, a guest space without a kitchen. We build those in every city on this page.
The three questions to ask before you draw anything
- Which city, and which district? Independence and Grandview are yes in one neighborhood and no across the street. Overland Park’s cap changes by district.
- Who has to live there? Kansas City and Overland Park require the owner on site. That shapes financing and resale.
- What does the HOA say? City approval never overrides covenants, and Raymore’s master-planned communities and most of Johnson County have them.
What we do
KC Structure Co builds detached ADUs, garage-with-unit-above buildings, and the non-dwelling alternatives across the metro from our Lee’s Summit shop. Send us the address and we tell you which column your property falls in before anyone spends money on plans. The ADU catalog has models and ballpark pricing; the deep dive on the biggest market is Kansas City, MO ADU rules in 2026.
Sources: the Mid-America Regional Council’s ADU ordinance collection and each city’s own code or permit page, linked from its service area page. Verified September 2026.