It is common to find accessory apartments in Orem houses. Many times, the improved area is called a “mother-in-law” apartment and then illegally rented. In 2004, Orem decided to ban the approval of new accessory apartments due to some parking complaints. However, this did not stop the construction or rental of basement apartments. All it did was create a whole new class of tax-paying lawbreakers.

After several public hearings, on June 10, 2012, the Orem City Council voted to once again allow the construction and approval of accessory apartments. Several regulatory steps are needed to gain legal approval for existing apartments or to build a new one. Here is a summary of the new rules to get approval from the City of Orem:

Orem Accessory Apartment Restrictions

• Maximum bedrooms: Two
• Max Square Footage: 1200
• Minimum square footage: 300
• Minimum ceiling height: seven feet
• Parking Requirements: Three paved pads
• Outside entrance: I can’t face the street

approval fees

• Sewer and Water Impact Fee: $1895.85
• Building permit: $60 – $500

occupancy requirements

• The owner must reside on the premises
• The owner must sign an affidavit that both units will not be rented simultaneously; in other words, the owner must continue to live in the house and not turn it into an illegal duplex.
• Rent of the apartment restricted to a family or three singles

Fire Safety Requirements

• One-hour fire-rated construction between units, under stairs, and in boiler room
• Self-closing 20-minute fire-rated door(s) between units and furnace room
• Handrails should be installed where necessary
• Window size and window opening minimums
• Smoke detectors in each bedroom and hallway.
• Carbon Monoxide detector installed on each level of the house

Mechanical system requirements

• Own source heat and air conditioning: air conditioning and system return air from one unit cannot be mixed with the other
• Adequate amount of fuel air for gas appliances.
• Adequate exterior vent for clothes dryer
• Bathroom and kitchen countertop outlets must have a ground fault interrupter receptacle or circuit breaker.
• The electrical circuits that serve the bedrooms must be protected against arc faults.

A legal accessory apartment can be a godsend for both the owner and the tenants. Many residents are unable to make full payments on their home for a variety of reasons. Renting an accessory apartment provides much-needed income from an area of ​​the home that may not even have been used.

College students and young married couples have the opportunity to live in a single-family neighborhood, often in much nicer surroundings than would otherwise have been possible.