In Georgia, What the legality to renting out ADU (or guesthouse)?

[Wilson Zu]

In some estate in the West such as CA, WA, there are specific rules and overall, it is allowed to rent out a guesthouse (or ADU - Accessory Dwelling Units). Often, the ADU is converted from a garage and rented out as a separate unit.

What is the legality to renting out ADU's or guesthouse or basement as a separate unit from a SFR in Georgia? Particularly in the Atlanta metro area such as Fulton, Cobb, Forsyth? Know anybody who had done this? How the utility is handled? Appreciate your feedback.

[Derek Caffe]

ADU's are allowed in most of the city limits of Atlanta due to new zoning passed in the beginning of 2019. It was expanded to homes with an R4 and R4-A zoning designation, which I believe covers approximately 60% of ATL's housing stock. Most of Fulton County is incorporated except for a small slither along Fulton Industrial Blvd. which was still unincorporated and therefore still under the control of Fulton County zoning. All other incorporated areas are under the zoning jurisdiction of their respective cities, which I am unfamiliar with.

With regards to Cobb County for an ADU to be legal it has to meet setback requirements and be connected by a heated/cooled breezeway that's no longer than 25 ft. from the primary structure (main house) dependent on zoning designation such as R-20, R-30, RA-5, etc. As with Fulton County, you'd have to look up each individual incorporated cities zoning laws in Cobb County to see if "habitable accessory structures" are allowed. I know it is not permitted with the City of Austell's current zoning.