Salt Lake County · Service area

Can you build a backyard home in Riverton?

Riverton regulates the building, not the dwelling — ADUs sit inside its accessory-structure rules.

Already allowed The statute removes the discretion.

Takes about 3 minutes. No email required to see your result.

What changed here on October 1

Riverton regulates the building, not the dwelling — ADUs sit inside its accessory-structure rules.

Riverton allows accessory dwelling units in all single-family residential zones and governs them through its accessory structure chapter, which means setbacks and lot coverage do most of the work. A separate one-time ADU permit is required on top of the building permit.

“A specified municipality shall adopt a land use regulation that permits a detached accessory dwelling unit on any lot or parcel that is 11,000 square feet or larger…” — S.B. 284, Enrolled Copy, Utah Code § 10-21-304, effective October 1, 2026.

The numbers that decide your project

Riverton ADU rules at a glance

Rule	Riverton — Riverton City Code 18.225
Setbacks	Accessory-structure setbacks — typically at least 5 ft from side and rear lines, with 10 ft between the accessory building and the main dwelling. Not permitted in required front yards. confirm with city
Lot coverage	Combined floor area of detached accessory buildings plus the primary structure may not exceed 40% of the lot area. confirm with city
Height	Generally 20 ft, up to 25 ft on larger parcels. confirm with city
Design	Exterior materials must match or be consistent with the main home on larger structures. confirm with city
Roof decks	Second-storey and rooftop decks on ADUs are not allowed. confirm with city
Permit	A one-time ADU permit is required in addition to building permits. confirm with city

state law Quoted from the enrolled copy of S.B. 284 — primary source, verified.
confirm with city From the city's published ADU material or council reporting — Arena confirms at the planning counter before design.
moving now The city is still bringing this into line with the law that took effect October 1, 2026. Treat as a moving target.
We would rather show you the gap than guess. Arena is a builder, not a law firm — confirm your parcel with Riverton before you sign anything.

What that means on your lot

The no-rooftop-deck rule rules out The Lookout's roof deck configuration in Riverton — worth knowing before you fall in love with a plan.

Is my Riverton lot 11,000 sq ft?

That single number decides whether the new state law applies to you. Enter your address above — we'll tell you which rule you fall under and which plans fit, in about three minutes.

Quoted on your Riverton lot

Eight plans, from The Lookout at 784 sq ft to The Launchpad at 3,061 sq ft. A plan that is one component stack shows that price. The others say request a quote.

ADU calculator → · How the price works →

Can you build a backyard home in Riverton?

Riverton regulates the building, not the dwelling — ADUs sit inside its accessory-structure rules.

Riverton ADU rules at a glance

The no-rooftop-deck rule rules out The Lookout's roof deck configuration in Riverton — worth knowing before you fall in love with a plan.

Is my Riverton lot 11,000 sq ft?

Quoted on your Riverton lot

Three places to start

The Lookout

The Encore

The Loft

There's still $2,200 a month hiding in your house.