New HampshireADU Experts
← All NH towns
Marlow, New Hampshire · Cheshire County

Build an ADU in Marlow.

Allowed by-right · RSA 674:71-73

New Hampshire's HB 577 lets you add one accessory dwelling unit on your single-family lot in Marlow — by-right. A detached ADU can be up to 950 sf, and ADU setbacks match your lot's single-family setbacks.

All zoning districts in Marlow

7 districts

Each district's single-family setbacks — which your ADU follows. The primary residential district is highlighted.

Verified against the official Marlow zoning ordinance · source · 2026-07-07

R-2Primary
Residential (R-2) District
Sec. 410 Lot and Building Requirements table (R-2 column); uses Sec. 404
Front
40 ft
Side
25 ft
Rear
25 ft
Max coverage
—
Min lot
87,120 sf (~2.00 ac)

Principal single-family residential district; 'residential use in a rural setting, with a higher density than will be found in the rest of the rural area' (Sec 404.1). Section 410 table: min lot area 2 acres (87,120 sf; the '2' in R-2 is the recommended acreage per Sec 401…

V
Village District
Sec. 410 Lot and Building Requirements table (Village column); uses Sec. 403
Front
40 ft
Side
25 ft
Rear
25 ft
Max coverage
—
Min lot
43,560 sf (~1.00 ac)

Mixed-use district: one- and two-family dwellings, local government, professional offices, home occupations, small trades, and retail/service/village uses permitted at higher density (Sec 403.3). Section 410 table: min lot area 1 acre (43,560 sf), min frontage 175 ft, min…

R-5
Residential (R-5) District
Sec. 410 Lot and Building Requirements table (R-5 column); uses Sec. 405
Front
40 ft
Side
25 ft
Rear
25 ft
Max coverage
—
Min lot
217,800 sf (~5.00 ac)

Medium-density rural residential (Sec 405.1). Section 410 table: min lot area 5 acres (217,800 sf), min frontage 200 ft, min setback from right-of-way 40 ft (front), min setback from all other property lines (side and rear) 25 ft, max height 35 ft / 2.5 stories.

R-10
Residential (R-10) District
Sec. 410 Lot and Building Requirements table (R-10 column); uses Sec. 406
Front
40 ft
Side
25 ft
Rear
25 ft
Max coverage
—
Min lot
435,600 sf (~10.00 ac)

Low-density rural living (Sec 406.1). Section 410 table: min lot area 10 acres (435,600 sf), min frontage 300 ft, min setback from right-of-way 40 ft (front), min setback from all other property lines (side and rear) 25 ft, max height 35 ft / 2.5 stories.

RL-20
Rural Lands (RL-20) District
Sec. 410 Lot and Building Requirements table (RL-20 column); uses Sec. 407
Front
40 ft
Side
25 ft
Rear
25 ft
Max coverage
—
Min lot
871,200 sf (~20.00 ac)

Protects the most fragile and remote land (poor/no road access, steep slopes, wetlands, shallow soils) for forestry and limited agriculture (Sec 407.1). Section 410 table: min lot area 20 acres (871,200 sf), min frontage 400 ft, min setback from right-of-way 40 ft (front),…

Comm
Commercial Zones I & II (Route 10)
Sec. 408.2 (Commercial Zone I) & 408.3 (Commercial Zone II); lot/building otherwise per Sec. 410
Front
50 ft
Side
30 ft
Rear
30 ft
Max coverage
—
Min lot
—

Overlay-style commercial zones along NH Route 10 (Sec 408). CONSERVATIVE tier shown is Commercial Zone I: min frontage setback for buildings/structures/parking 50 ft from the edge of the State right-of-way on Route 10 (front, MEASURED FROM ROW, Sec 408.2.2), and min setback…

WC
Wetland Conservation District
Sec. 409 Wetland Conservation District
Front
—
Side
—
Rear
—
Max coverage
—
Min lot
—

Overlay district superimposed over base districts on poorly/very-poorly drained soils per the Medium Intensity Soil Survey; where it overlaps another district the MORE RESTRICTIVE regulations apply (Sec 409.1).

Form-based and downtown districts may use build-to lines instead of fixed setbacks (shown as “—”); verify your parcel's district before you build.

Note: Marlow is beyond ~1 hour from our Madbury home base, so a travel-time allowance may be added — we'll spell it out in your quote.
Confirm your zoning
See an ADU on your Marlow lot →Get a free zoning reviewBrowse our models

Marlow ADU FAQ

Can I build an ADU in Marlow, NH?

Yes. Under NH RSA 674:71-73 (HB 577), one accessory dwelling unit is allowed by-right on single-family lots statewide, including Marlow (Cheshire County). A detached ADU can be up to 950 sf.

What are the ADU setbacks in Marlow?

In Marlow's R-2 zone, ADUs follow the single-family setbacks: 40 ft front, 25 ft side, and 25 ft rear. Marlow has 7 zoning districts in total — see the full table below. Confirm your exact zone with the town.

ADU rules in nearby Cheshire County towns

CallGet a quote