PALM BEACH RULES

How the county and cities handle ADUs.

Palm Beach County is a patchwork. The county itself permits ADUs in many unincorporated areas under its Workforce Housing program. Most of the major municipalities have their own ordinances:

West Palm Beach: ADUs permitted in single-family districts; 800 sq ft max.
Lake Worth Beach: ADUs permitted citywide; among the most permissive in the county.
Delray Beach: ADUs permitted in many residential districts.
Boynton Beach: ADUs permitted under the 2022 ordinance update.
Boca Raton: ADUs permitted, with the strictest rules and largest minimum lot size in the county.
Wellington, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens: permitted with varying conditions.

The common parameters: 900 sq ft max ADU size (varies), 5–10 ft setbacks, one off-street parking space, owner-occupancy required in some municipalities, long-term rental permitted everywhere, short-term rental usually restricted.

THE NUMBERS

What a Tooly costs in Palm Beach County, all-in.

Tooly unit (delivered, furnished, finished)	$85,000
Building permit + impact fees (varies by city)	$3,000 – $6,500
Foundation + site prep	$11,000 – $20,000
Utility tie-ins	$6,000 – $14,000
Total installed cost	$105,000 – $125,500

Palm Beach rental economics

Furnished 1-bedroom rents in West Palm Beach core, Lake Worth, and Delray sit at $1,750–$2,200/month. Boca Raton and the Town of Palm Beach push past $2,500. Among the highest gross yields of any Florida metro — and the workforce-housing rental tier the county actively promotes through its program.

PERMIT PROCESS

How to get an ADU permit in Palm Beach County.

Identify your jurisdiction — county unincorporated, or one of the cities listed above. Each has its own portal.
Zoning verification — confirm ADU eligibility for your specific parcel.
Building permit application — Tooly provides the package.
Plan review + impact fee calculation — 4–8 weeks depending on city.
Permit issuance + construction.
Inspections + CO.

Realistic timeline from contract to move-in: 15–22 weeks. Palm Beach impact fees are among the highest in the state, but rents more than compensate.

Palm Beach's rents are the highest in Florida.

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How the county and cities handle ADUs.

What a Tooly costs in Palm Beach County, all-in.

Palm Beach rental economics

How to get an ADU permit in Palm Beach County.

Palm Beach's rents are the highest in Florida.

Other Florida metros