Accessory Dwelling Units

Check out our Pre-approved Building Plans
The Municipality has prepared pre-approved building plans for a two-bedroom and one-bedroom accessory dwelling unit (ADU), making it easier for homeowners to build a detached unit on their property.

An ADU is a self-contained, detached dwelling that is an accessory to the principal dwelling unit on the same property. ADUs are separate and independent housekeeping units, that have their own cooking, living, sleeping and washroom facilities.

If you’re building an accessory dwelling on your property, you can choose to build one of our pre-approved models or develop your own building plans. A site plan is required as part of the building and development permit application.

Using pre-approved plans can save time and costs associated with drawing custom plans. The Municipality will also expedite the review of your application. You are still responsible for all building costs and should work with licensed contractors.

Planning Your Project

Choose a Pre-approved Plan

When you use a pre-approved plan for an ADU, you don’t need to work with a qualified designer to develop drawings of floor plans and elevations. You can customize your exterior and interior finishes without changing the pre-approved plans. These include: siding, windows, doors and flooring. The size and layout of the suite, such as wall, door, window and room locations can’t be changed.

If you intend to build outside of the design in the pre-approved plans, such as a different footing/foundation type, additional documentation may be required prior to permit approval.

Develop Your Building Plans
Consider the distance you’ll want to maintain between the main house and the ADU, as well as the minimum required distance from property lines (setbacks). Try to imagine the building in your backyard to give you an idea of the available space for development. Consider the interior space and possible needs, such as number of bedrooms, dining area, closet and extra storage space, washer and dryer, and how they will fit into the space.

Plans should include cross-section detail, elevation drawings of all sides of the building and a floor plan.

Prepare Your Site Plan
A detailed site plan will be required to determine whether the accessory dwelling will fit on your property. Your site plan must include the lot boundaries, the main house, any other buildings on the property, and the driveway.

Other Considerations – Utilities and Services
Determine whether the ADU will share water and sewer connections with the main house or have separate connections. For central water and sewer, the regulating body (Municipality, Village or Town) may have specific requirements.

The road authority (Municipality or Province) has control over driveway access. Their approval will be required as part of the building and development permit process. Adequate on-site parking must be provided to avoid traffic issues within the road. Fire department access should also be contemplated in your site design.

You’ll need an electrical connection and possibly telecommunication services for the ADU. Investigate the feasibility and requirements of the utility or service provider to avoid any potential issues.

With the new development, the assessed value of your property will change and, as a result, your property tax bill will increase. Additional fees included in your tax bill, such as a sewer rate, may also increase because of the additional residential unit.

Submitting Your Permit Application
You need to apply for a building and development permit to build an ADU on your property. Your permit application must include:

• Building Plans
• Site Plan
• Driveway Approval from the Road Authority
• Sewer Approval from the applicable Authority

Permit Fees and Charges
Total permit fees depend on the size of the ADU you’re building. They will be calculated once your application is received. To find out how much your building permit may cost, please refer to the Fees page, or the Fees Policy.

In addition to the building and development permit fees, a sewer connection fee will apply if the unit is connecting to the Municipality’s sewer system. A refundable deposit for driveway installation or change to the surface of the street will apply if the property fronts a Municipal Road.

Please note that the building permit fee and sewer connection fee for the construction of an ADU have been waived while the Municipality is receiving Housing Accelerator Funding (expected until Feb 2027) (Housing Accelerator Fund).

Permit Approval
Once the site plan is reviewed and approved, sewer and driveway approvals are received and all fees are paid, we’ll issue a footing permit for construction to begin. Once footings are placed, you are required to submit a location certificate from a licensed NS Land Surveyor. Once the footings are inspected and approved and the location certificate is approved, a building permit will be issued to allow construction to continue through to occupancy.

New Address
New civic numbers are assigned during the footing/building permit process. Once the building permit is approved the property owner will be notified of the new number. The assigned civic number must be posted on the unit in a visible location to obtain occupancy approval.

Contact Us
If you have questions about a development idea, call 902-690-6152 or email inspections@countyofkings.ca to connect with development and building staff.