Build an ADU in Pelham.
New Hampshire's HB 577 lets you add one accessory dwelling unit on your single-family lot in Pelham — by-right. A detached ADU can be up to 950 sf, and ADU setbacks match your lot's single-family setbacks.
12 districts
Each district's single-family setbacks — which your ADU follows. The primary residential district is highlighted.
Verified against the official Pelham zoning ordinance · source · 2026-07-06
- Front
- 30 ft
- Side
- 15 ft
- Rear
- 15 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 43,560 sf (~1.00 ac)
PRIMARY single-family residential district (sec 307-16 A). Dimensional numbers are from Sec 307-12 TABLE 1 by USE: SINGLE-FAMILY dwelling = min lot 43,560 sf (1 acre), 200 ft frontage, front 30 / side 15 / rear 15 (the figures shown).
- Front
- 30 ft
- Side
- 15 ft
- Rear
- 15 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 43,560 sf (~1.00 ac)
sec 307-16 D: 'The Ru district is designed to provide for and encompass a wide diversity of land uses. Dimensional standards come from Sec 307-12 TABLE 1 by use: for a SINGLE-FAMILY dwelling = min lot 43,560 sf, 200 ft frontage, 30/15/15 (the figures shown).
- Front
- 30 ft
- Side
- 15 ft
- Rear
- 15 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 43,560 sf (~1.00 ac)
sec 307-16 B: Business districts B-1 through B-4 'provide opportunities for general retail and wholesale commercial uses, services, office uses, apartments and customary accessory uses in a manner compatible with the rural/residential character of the town.' Table 2 (sec…
- Front
- 30 ft
- Side
- 15 ft
- Rear
- 15 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 43,560 sf (~1.00 ac)
sec 307-16 B (same definition/intent as B-1: general retail/wholesale commercial, services, offices, apartments).
- Front
- 30 ft
- Side
- 15 ft
- Rear
- 15 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 43,560 sf (~1.00 ac)
sec 307-16 B (same definition/intent as B-1).
- Front
- 30 ft
- Side
- 15 ft
- Rear
- 15 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 43,560 sf (~1.00 ac)
sec 307-16 B (same definition/intent as B-1).
- Front
- 30 ft
- Side
- 15 ft
- Rear
- 15 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 43,560 sf (~1.00 ac)
sec 307-16 B (second paragraph): B-5 is intended for professional office space, banks, medical services, educational facilities, health clubs, recreation, retail shopping, grocery stores, on-premise eating/drinking, and warehousing/storage; it PROHIBITS new/used car…
- Front
- 40 ft
- Side
- 30 ft
- Rear
- 30 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 87,120 sf (~2.00 ac)
sec 307-16 C: Industrial districts I-1, I-2, I-3 'provide for light industrial development, warehousing, limited business and commercial uses and customary accessory uses. Figures shown are the Sec 307-12 Table 1 INDUSTRIAL-uses row: min lot 87,120 sf (2 acres), 200 ft…
- Front
- 40 ft
- Side
- 30 ft
- Rear
- 30 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 87,120 sf (~2.00 ac)
sec 307-16 C (same definition/intent as I-1; nonresidential in character). Figures shown are the Sec 307-12 Table 1 INDUSTRIAL-uses row: min lot 87,120 sf, 200 ft frontage, 40/30/30 with the height-based ** rule.
- Front
- 40 ft
- Side
- 30 ft
- Rear
- 30 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- 87,120 sf (~2.00 ac)
sec 307-16 C (same definition/intent as I-1; nonresidential in character). Figures shown are the Sec 307-12 Table 1 INDUSTRIAL-uses row: min lot 87,120 sf, 200 ft frontage, 40/30/30 with the height-based ** rule.
- Front
- —
- Side
- —
- Rear
- —
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- —
sec 307-16 E (RCA 1 through RCA 7): 'intended to protect important natural resources such as prime wetlands from potentially adverse impacts related to incompatible development and to protect and provide opportunities for the continuation of traditional rural land uses…
- Front
- 15 ft
- Side
- 15 ft
- Rear
- 15 ft
- Max coverage
- —
- Min lot
- —
OVERLAY district (sec 307-16 I; Article V-I).
Form-based and downtown districts may use build-to lines instead of fixed setbacks (shown as “—”); verify your parcel's district before you build.
Pelham 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 Pelham (Hillsborough County). A detached ADU can be up to 950 sf.
In Pelham's R zone, ADUs follow the single-family setbacks: 30 ft front, 15 ft side, and 15 ft rear. Pelham has 12 zoning districts in total — see the full table below. Confirm your exact zone with the town.