ADU · Monroe County
Can you build an ADU in Penfield, NY?
Town of Penfield has 6 districts. All districts prohibit ADUs. Check your address to confirm the district that applies to your parcel:
What the Penfield 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RA-2 Rural Agricultural District | 2 ac | 50 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| CR-2 Conservation Residential District | 2 ac | 50 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| RR-1 Rural Residential District | 1 ac | 50 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| R-1-20 Residential District | 0.4591 ac | 50 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| R-1-15 Residential District | 0.3444 ac | 50 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
| R-1-12 Residential District | 0.2755 ac | 50 / 10 / 30 ft | 35 ft | No |
ADUs vs. short-term rentals in Penfield
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Penfield. No short-term-rental law found in the Town of Penfield Code as of 2026-08-10. All 34 chapters were enumerated and there is no rental, lodging, tourist or transient-occupancy chapter; Article VII of Ch. 250 (Provisions Applicable to All Districts, ~67,000 characters) was searched and contains no STR provision. Absence of a found law is not permission, and in Penfield that is explicit rather than inferred: § 250-3.1 states that ANY USE NOT SPECIFICALLY SET FORTH as a permitted use in a district — as of right, accessory, or by special or conditional use permit — IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED in that district, and adds that a use permitted in one district is not permitted in another unless separately listed. A whole-house transient rental is not an enumerated use in any of the six single-family 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 Department at (585) 340-8636 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 minimum0.2755–2 ac — an ADU still has to fit the district's lot and setback envelope.
- UtilityRG&E territory.
- Building dept(585) 340-8636
- Last reviewed2026-08-10
ADU FAQ — Penfield, NY
Are ADUs allowed in Penfield, NY?
Town of Penfield has 6 districts. All districts prohibit ADUs. Check your address with the free ADU checker, or confirm with the building department at (585) 340-8636.
Do I need a special permit for an ADU in Penfield?
No. No district in Town of Penfield permits an ADU, so there is no permit to apply for. Codes change, so verify with the building department at (585) 340-8636 before ruling it out.
Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental in Penfield?
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission for Town of Penfield. 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 Penfield
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 Penfield, priced by size.
More on Penfield: Full zoning for new construction · ADU build cost · House build cost · All Monroe County towns
ADU information for Town of Penfield 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) 340-8636 before relying on any answer. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.