Murray Allows Detached ADUs at 10,000 Sq Ft, but Not Owner-Built Ones
Service Area: Murray, UT
Murray's detached-ADU rule is unusually concrete: 10,000 square feet of lot, one story, 20 feet high, and no owner-builder route. Those four facts decide whether a backyard-unit idea is ready for drawings or needs a different strategy.
Apex Drafting prepares custom house plans, additions, remodels, ADUs and permit-ready drawing sets for Murray properties. We work remotely, identify the city checklist first and do not claim a Murray storefront.
Murray is already more permissive than Utah's October floor
Utah Code section 10-21-304 takes effect October 1, 2026 and requires specified municipalities to allow a detached ADU on a qualifying lot of 11,000 square feet or more. Murray's published local standard already starts at 10,000 square feet. The state law is a floor, not a command to make a more permissive city rule stricter.
That does not make every 10,000-square-foot lot buildable. Murray permits one ADU on a property in a zoning district that allows a single-family dwelling. A detached unit cannot sit in the front yard. Current guidance calls for 10-foot rear and side setbacks, with a 20-foot street-side setback on a corner lot, one additional off-street parking space and a total height of no more than 20 feet. The unit also cannot exceed half the primary dwelling or 1,000 square feet.
The useful first drawing is therefore not a floor plan. It is a scaled site plan that tests the lot, setbacks, existing structures and parking together. A beautiful 900-square-foot plan has no value if its footprint misses the buildable envelope.
The contractor rule changes the order of operations
Murray's current guidance says homeowners may not act as owner-builders for an ADU. A licensed contractor is required. That makes early coordination more important than it is in cities where the homeowner can carry the permit alone.
- Confirm zoning and the usable lot envelope. Check the parcel against Chapter 17.78, the underlying zone, recorded easements and the parking layout.
- Choose the attached or detached path. Attached ADUs have no published maximum floor area. Detached units carry the 50%, 1,000-square-foot and one-story limits.
- Coordinate the contractor and drawing scope. The set should match the construction approach before it reaches plan review.
- Record the required affidavits. Murray requires owner-occupancy and no-short-term-rental affidavits recorded with the Salt Lake County Recorder before accepting the application.
- Submit planning and building documents. The 2026 packet asks for one 11-by-17 paper set and an electronic set. Building applications run through eProcess360.
The planning packet lists a $125 non-refundable ADU application fee and says a staff decision generally follows about three weeks after a complete submission. The word complete matters. Site dimensions, parking, room labels and affidavits are not cleanup items after submission; they are what starts the clock.
Working on a Murray, UT project right now?
Send us the lot and what you want to build. We'll confirm which local rules apply to your parcel and come back with a firm number, at no cost.
What we draw for Murray homeowners and builders
ADU and basement-apartment plans
Site plan, floor plans and permit documents coordinated to Murray's attached or detached path, including the parking and egress information reviewers need.
ADU plansAdditions, remodels and as-builts
Existing-condition drawings and proposed plans that reconcile the new work with the house already standing, including roofline and structural coordination.
Addition and remodel draftingCustom and stock house plans
Custom plans built around the parcel, or stock-plan adaptation when the footprint, setbacks and local review requirements make that the smarter purchase.
Custom house plansA remote plan set still has to be Murray-specific
Remote drafting is not permission to use a generic jurisdiction label. We start with the property address, current survey or parcel dimensions, photos, existing plans and the actual project scope. The set is developed around Murray's intake requirements and delivered digitally for the city's online process.
Engineering, surveying and contractor work are separate professional scopes when the project requires them. We identify those dependencies early so a quote does not pretend one drawing service includes every stamp, field measurement or construction trade.
Murray drafting and ADU questions
What is the minimum lot size for a detached ADU in Murray?
Murray's published rule allows a detached ADU on a lot of at least 10,000 square feet. That is more permissive than the 11,000-square-foot statewide floor that takes effect October 1, 2026, so the local 10,000-square-foot path can remain available if the parcel meets the rest of Chapter 17.78.
Can I act as the owner-builder for a Murray ADU?
No. Murray's current ADU guidance says owner-building is not permitted and requires a licensed contractor. The drawing and contractor decisions should be coordinated before the building-permit set is submitted.
How large can a detached Murray ADU be?
The city's published limits cap a detached ADU at 50% of the primary dwelling's floor area and 1,000 square feet, whichever is smaller. It is limited to one story and 20 feet in height under the current city guidance.
Does Murray allow short-term rental of an ADU?
No. Murray prohibits ADU rental periods shorter than 30 days. The owner must live in the primary dwelling or the ADU, and a long-term rental also requires a city business license.
What drawings does Murray ask for with an ADU application?
The 2026 application packet calls for a scaled site plan showing property dimensions, existing buildings, proposed improvements and parking, plus dimensioned floor plans labeled by room and square footage. The city requests one 11 by 17 paper copy and one electronic copy.
How long does Murray's planning review take?
The 2026 city packet says planning staff generally issue a decision about three weeks after a complete application is submitted. That estimate starts after the packet is complete, so missing affidavits, parking or dimensions can move the real date.
Primary sources to check before submitting
Rules checked August 25, 2026. Parcel conditions and adopted ordinances can change, so use the city and state pages below as the final checkpoint.
Compare Utah permitting markets
Utah sets the statewide floor. Each city still controls the parcel-level standards and intake process. Compare the other city guides before assuming one municipality's checklist applies in another.
Get a Free Quote for Your Murray, UT Project
Tell us what you're building and we'll scope it, confirm the timeline, and give you a firm number before any drafting starts. Every plan set is drafted to your local jurisdiction's documentation standards.
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Start with the lot, not a generic plan
Send us the Murray property, the project type and anything you already have. We will identify the local review path, scope the drawing set and give you a firm quote before drafting begins.