ADU · Monroe County
Can you build an ADU in Brighton, NY?
Town of Brighton has 5 districts. All districts prohibit ADUs. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Brighton code indicates by district
The table below shows how each district treats ADUs, alongside the lot and setback standards that govern a second unit. District boundaries and conditions vary, so treat this as a starting point and confirm the district that applies to your parcel.
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RLL Residential - Large Lot District | 1 ac | 75 / 22.5 / 60 ft | 30 ft | No |
| RLA Residential - Low Density District | 0.5309 ac | 60 / 18.75 / 60 ft | 30 ft | No |
| RLB Residential - Low Density District | 0.3099 ac | 40 / 13.5 / 40 ft | 30 ft | No |
| RLC Residential - Low Density District | 0.2583 ac | 40 / 11.25 / 40 ft | 30 ft | No |
| RM Residential - Medium Density District | 0.1607 ac | 35 / 5.5 / 40 ft | 30 ft | No |
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Brighton
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Brighton. No short-term-rental law found in the Town of Brighton Code as of 2026-08-10. All 67 chapters across Parts I-III were enumerated and there is no rental, lodging, tourist or transient-occupancy chapter, and an eCode360 full-text search of the whole code for "short-term rental" returns 22 hits that are all unrelated — underground natural gas storage in Ch. 78, "rental units" as a Ch. 147 Sewer Rents billing definition, and general equipment rental as a Ch. 201 use definition. Absence of a found law is not permission. Brighton's Ch. 203 District Use Regulations runs a closed use list, and a whole-house transient rental is not an enumerated use in the low-density residential districts. New York State's 2025 STR registry (Ch. 99 of the Laws of 2025) separately requires every host statewide to register. Confirm with the Building and Planning Department at (585) 784-5250 before listing. These are separate questions from whether you can build an ADU — a unit you're allowed to add isn't automatically one you're allowed to rent nightly, so check both.
Good to know
- Residential lot minimum0.1607–1 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityRG&E territory.
- Building dept(585) 784-5250
- Last reviewed2026-08-10
ADU FAQ — Brighton, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Brighton, NY?
Town of Brighton has 5 districts. All districts prohibit ADUs. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (585) 784-5250.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Brighton?
No. No district in Town of Brighton permits an ADU, so there is no permit to apply for. Codes change, so verify with the building department at (585) 784-5250 before ruling it out.
Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Brighton?
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Brighton. ADU occupancy and short-term-rental rules are separate: an ADU you can build isn't automatically one you can rent nightly. Confirm both before you count on STR income.
What an ADU costs to build in Brighton
Permission is one question and budget is another. An 800 sq ft accessory unit here runs roughly $200k–260k at a standard finish, and the per-square-foot rate comes in above a full house because the kitchen, bath, panel and heating plant cost the same either way. See the full cost to build an ADU in Brighton, priced by size.
More on Brighton: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · All Monroe County towns
ADU information for Town of Brighton is compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-08-10) and provided for decision-support only — not legal or architectural advice. ADU eligibility, size, owner-occupancy and permit conditions vary by district and often carry exceptions; verify with the building department at (585) 784-5250 before relying on any answer. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.