Build an ADU in Atkinson.
New Hampshire's HB 577 lets you add one accessory dwelling unit on your single-family lot in Atkinson — by-right. A detached ADU can be up to 950 sf, and ADU setbacks match your lot's single-family setbacks.
8 districts
Each district's single-family setbacks — which your ADU follows. The primary residential district is highlighted.
Verified against the official Atkinson zoning ordinance · source · 2026-07-06
- Front
- 50 ft
- Side
- 30 ft
- Rear
- 50 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 87,120 sf (~2.00 ac)
PRIMARY single-family residential district — Section 500:4 calls TR-2 'the prime residential area in town,' where soil limitations are less severe and community services are more available. Min lot 2 acres (87,120 sf); min frontage 200 ft; min lot depth 200 ft Front yard 50…
- Front
- 70 ft
- Side
- 30 ft
- Rear
- 75 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 130,680 sf (~3.00 ac)
Low-density rural residential; agriculture/forestry and low-intensity uses (Sec 500:2). Min lot 3 acres (130,680 sf); footnote ** allows counting 30,000 sf of poor-development soil toward the lot-size requirement.
- Front
- 70 ft
- Side
- 30 ft
- Rear
- 75 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 87,120 sf (~2.00 ac)
Rural residential, agriculture/forestry and low-density residential (Sec 500:3). Min lot 2 acres (87,120 sf); footnote ## bumps to 3 acres where High-Intensity Soils Map designates >50% of a 2-acre lot with <2 ft to seasonal water table and/or slopes >25% and/or <4 ft to…
- Front
- 50 ft
- Side
- 30 ft
- Rear
- 50 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 87,120 sf (~2.00 ac)
Community-center district retaining historic character; professional, public/civic and residential uses (Sec 500:8). Min lot 2 acres (87,120 sf); min frontage 200 ft; min lot depth 200 ft Front yard 50 ft from front LOT LINE, but footnote [3] requires 75 ft if parking is…
- Front
- 50 ft
- Side
- 30 ft
- Rear
- 50 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 87,120 sf (~2.00 ac)
Neighborhood commercial / shopping district (Sec 500:5). Section 530 gives paired Res/Non standards; RESIDENTIAL figures recorded here (single-family is NOT a permitted use in C — Sec 510 row b = N — but residential use meeting all TR-2 requirements is allowed by special…
- Front
- 50 ft
- Side
- 25 ft
- Rear
- 25 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 43,560 sf (~1.00 ac)
Small-scale manufacturing plus shopping/service district (Sec 500:6); non-residential only (single-family not permitted, Sec 510 row b = N). Min lot 1 acre (43,560 sf); min frontage 200 ft; min lot depth 200 ft Front yard 50 ft from front LOT LINE (footnote [3]: 75 ft if…
- Front
- 50 ft
- Side
- 25 ft
- Rear
- 25 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 87,120 sf (~2.00 ac)
Transition/professional district between commercial-industrial and residential areas (Sec 500:7); non-residential (single-family not permitted, Sec 510 row b = N). Min lot 2 acres (87,120 sf); min frontage 200 ft; min lot depth 200 ft Front yard 50 ft from front LOT LINE,…
- Front
- 70 ft
- Side
- 30 ft
- Rear
- 75 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 87,120 sf (~2.00 ac)
Subdistrict of RR-2 (Sec 500:3.1, 2006): recreational/sports amenities plus limited supporting uses, permitted only within a Rural Residential and Recreational Cluster Development (RRRCD) of minimum 250 acres; must otherwise meet all RR-2 District requirements.
Form-based and downtown districts may use build-to lines instead of fixed setbacks (shown as “—”); verify your parcel's district before you build.
Atkinson ADU FAQ
Yes. Under NH RSA 674:71-73 (HB 577), one accessory dwelling unit is allowed by-right on single-family lots statewide, including Atkinson (Rockingham County). A detached ADU can be up to 950 sf.
In Atkinson's TR-2 zone, ADUs follow the single-family setbacks: 50 ft front, 30 ft side, and 50 ft rear. Atkinson has 8 zoning districts in total — see the full table below. Confirm your exact zone with the town.