Ancillary accommodation rules
in South Australia.
SA calls it ancillary accommodation, and recent reform has made it considerably more flexible than it used to be.
The short answer
South Australia regulates a granny flat as "ancillary accommodation" under the statewide Planning and Design Code. Recent reforms have increased the permitted floor area and removed a previous requirement that it share a kitchen, bathroom or laundry with the main house — meaning a genuinely self-contained secondary dwelling is now more straightforward to approve than it was a few years ago. It remains subordinate to the principal dwelling on the same allotment and still requires planning and building approval.
Why "ancillary accommodation" and not "granny flat"
It is the defined planning term in the Planning and Design Code, and using it when you search or contact your council will get you to the actual rules far faster than searching the informal name.
What changed recently
Reforms have increased the permitted floor area and allowed a fully self-contained unit rather than requiring shared kitchen, bathroom or laundry facilities with the main house — a meaningful change from the older rule, and one worth confirming applies to your specific council area and zone.
Rental flexibility has also widened
Ancillary accommodation can now generally be rented to people outside the immediate family in many cases, alongside tenant protections introduced alongside the reform — confirm the current position before it becomes part of your financial planning.
It is still subordinate to the main dwelling
Regardless of how self-contained it becomes, ancillary accommodation remains secondary to the principal dwelling on the allotment and subject to floor area and other limitations relative to it — it is not an independent second house on the same block.
Last checked: 21 September 2026. General information, not planning or legal advice. Confirm current requirements on PlanSA before you commit to a design.
Council rules for second dwellings
More in this series: Granny flat rules across Queensland · Granny flat rules in Rockhampton · Class 1a granny flats in Yeppoon · Isaac Regional: secondary dwellings · Mackay Regional: secondary dwellings · Whitsunday Regional: secondary dwellings · Renting out a granny flat in Rockhampton · Granny flat rules in NSW · Granny flat rules in Victoria · Ancillary dwelling rules in WA · Secondary residence rules in Tasmania · Secondary residence rules in the ACT · Granny flat rules in the NT.
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Common questions
If your question is not here, call the studio. We would rather talk it through than have you guess.
Ask us directly →What is ancillary accommodation in South Australia?
The SA planning term for a granny flat — a dwelling on the same allotment as, and subordinate to, a main house, regulated under the statewide Planning and Design Code.
Does a granny flat in SA still need to share facilities with the main house?
Under recent reforms, generally no — a fully self-contained unit with its own kitchen, bathroom and laundry is now permitted in many cases, a change from the previous rule. Confirm the current position for your property.
How big can ancillary accommodation be in SA?
The permitted floor area has recently increased under reform — confirm the current figure on PlanSA or with your council rather than relying on an older cited number.
Can I rent an SA granny flat to someone outside my family?
Generally yes under current rules, alongside tenant protections introduced with recent reform — confirm the current position for your specific approval.
Does an SA granny flat still need planning and building approval?
Yes — increased flexibility in the rules has not removed the requirement for both planning and building approval before construction.
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