Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
Beginning June 8, 2020 the Building Inspection plan review and zoning review counters will be open to the public by appointment only.
For information about scheduling an appointment and other Building Inspection services please see the Building Inspection Coronavirus (COVID-19) page.
View all impacts to City service on the City's COVID-19 website.
Occupancy Standards
The City of Madison’s Ordinances, and state codes, outline occupancy standards. Occupancy is complex, and this information is only a guide. The following information deals only with zoning regulations. For zoning purposes, "family" refers to a group of related individuals (e.g. parents, children, foster children, grandparents, aunts, etc.).
Visit the assessor’s website to find the zoning district for an address.
Single-family Unit
If the dwelling unit is a | occupancy can be | OR |
---|---|---|
owner-occupied unit in Madison | a family AND max four (4) unrelated roomers | max five (5) unrelated individuals? |
single-family rental unit in Madison | a family | N/A |
single-family rental unit in zoning districts: SR-C1, SR-C2, SR-C3, TR-C1, TR-C2, TR-C3, TR-C4, TR-R and TR-P |
a family AND one (1) unrelated roomer | max two (2) unrelated individuals |
single-family rental unit in all other zoning districts that allow dwelling units | a family AND max four (4) unrelated roomers | max five (5) unrelated individuals? |
NOTE: If the dwelling unit is located in a building with more than one unit, it's not a single-family dwelling.
Non-single-family Units
For units that aren't single-family units, the following space requirement also apply:
If the building has | units needs to provide |
---|---|
two or more units |
|
three or more units |
AND
A 10 ft. by 10 ft. bedroom, with a standard eight-foot ceiling, accommodates two (2) adults. The same size bedroom could accommodate four (4) children. |
To find the occupiable area of a dwelling unit:
- Find the total square footage.
- Subtract the area of closets, hallways, bathrooms and utility rooms. (Bedrooms, dens, studies, dining rooms, and kitchens count towards the occupiable space.)
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