Guest House on Davie Acreage: Can You Build One in 2026?
Can You Build a Guest House on Davie Acreage?
Yes, in most cases you can build a guest house on Davie acreage zoned A-1, because the extra land supports a detached accessory structure. The catch is the definition. A guest house with no full kitchen stays an accessory building, but a detached second home with a full kitchen becomes an accessory dwelling unit, and Davie’s one dwelling unit per acre density rule decides whether that is allowed on your parcel.
The guest house is one of the quiet reasons buyers pay a premium for western Davie land. Room for parents, a returning adult child, a home office, or a pool cabana is exactly what a townhome in Pembroke Pines or a quarter acre lot in Plantation cannot offer. It is also the question buyers ask last, usually after they have already fallen for the property. That is the wrong order. Whether you can add a second structure, and what kind, is a zoning answer you want before you write the offer, not after.
This guide walks the real rules that decide it: how Davie zones its acreage, the single distinction that separates a guest house from an accessory dwelling unit, what Florida law actually says about ADUs, and how a second structure changes your hurricane code exposure and your tax bill. For the property types this applies to, start with the Davie acreage and equestrian guide.
Guest House vs ADU: The Distinction That Decides Everything
Almost every confusion about second structures in Davie comes down to one word: kitchen.
A guest house, in zoning terms, is an accessory building. It can have a bedroom, a bathroom, a living area, even a wet bar. What it cannot have is a full kitchen with permanent cooking facilities, because the moment a detached structure has independent cooking, sleeping, and sanitation, it stops being an accessory building and becomes an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU. An ADU is a second home. A guest house is a nice room across the yard.
That line matters for three reasons. An ADU counts as a dwelling unit against your parcel’s density limit. An ADU can typically be rented as a separate residence, while a true guest house cannot be a standalone rental. And an ADU triggers a different permitting and inspection path than a simple accessory structure. So when a listing advertises a “guesthouse” or an “in-law suite,” the first question is whether it has a legal, permitted kitchen, or whether it is a permitted accessory building being marketed loosely. The answer changes what you are buying.
How Davie A-1 Zoning Limits a Second Dwelling
Most of Davie’s true acreage sits in the A-1 agricultural district, and A-1 carries a density of roughly one dwelling unit per acre. That single number governs everything about a second home.
On a one acre parcel in Long Lake Ranches (33330) or Hawkes Bluff (33330), one dwelling unit means the main house. A guest house with no kitchen does not consume a second unit, so it is generally permittable as an accessory structure. A full ADU would be a second dwelling unit, which a one acre lot usually cannot support under the density cap. On a larger parcel, two or more acres, the math can change, and a legitimate second dwelling may fit within density. Lot size is the lever, which is why the acreage itself is the asset. For how parcel size drives what you are allowed to put on the land, read the Davie lot sizes and build rights guide.
Zoning is also parcel specific. Setbacks, maximum accessory square footage, height limits, and whether your land is A-1, A-1e, or a planned district all vary by address. Before you assume anything, confirm the parcel’s zoning and accessory structure rules with the Town of Davie Planning and Zoning Division at davie-fl.gov. That verification is a thirty minute phone call that can save a six figure mistake.
What Florida Law Says About ADUs
Buyers often hear that Florida “now allows” accessory dwelling units, and read that as a green light. The statute is more limited than the headline.
Florida Statute 163.31771 addresses accessory dwelling units, but it is permissive, not mandatory. It says a local government may adopt an ordinance to allow ADUs, and it ties that allowance to affordable housing need. It does not force Davie or Broward County to permit an ADU on your acreage, and it does not override local density rules. In other words, your build rights come from the Town of Davie’s own code and the A-1 density limit, not from a statewide mandate. There is no blanket state law that lets you drop a rentable second home on Davie land simply because you own more than an acre.
This is the part where good information saves money. If a builder or a listing implies a state law guarantees an ADU, verify the local ordinance directly with the Town before you rely on it.
Building in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone
If your parcel does support a second structure, Broward County’s construction rules add real cost. All of Broward, Davie included, sits inside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, which requires new construction to meet a 180 mph wind design standard.
For a guest house, that means impact rated windows and doors, engineered roof to wall connections, and a permit set that satisfies the county’s structural review. A detached cottage is not a shed. It is a permitted, engineered building held to the same wind standard as the main house. Broward County publishes its permitting and building requirements at broward.org, and any contractor you hire should be pulling permits under that code, not building unpermitted. An unpermitted structure is the single most common title and appraisal problem on Davie acreage, and it becomes your problem the day you close. For how these construction and ownership costs fit your broader budget, see the Davie cost of living guide.
How a Guest House Affects Your Property Taxes
A second structure adds assessed value, and that flows to your tax bill.
The Broward County Property Appraiser assesses all improvements on your parcel, so a permitted guest house raises the assessed value the same way a pool or an addition does. If the property is your homestead, the guest house generally falls under the single homestead on that contiguous parcel rather than being taxed as a separate property, but the added square footage still increases the assessment. An unpermitted structure can be worse, because it can surface during a sale or a review and trigger back assessment. You can confirm how a specific parcel is assessed, and whether existing structures are on record, at bcpa.net. Pulling the property record before you buy tells you whether that charming guesthouse was ever permitted, which is exactly what you need to know.
What This Means When You Are Buying Acreage
Put the pieces together and the buyer strategy is simple. If a guest house or in-law suite is the reason you want the property, verify three things before you remove your inspection contingency.
First, confirm the parcel’s zoning and the density it allows, so you know whether a second dwelling is even possible. Second, if an existing structure is already there, pull the permit history and confirm whether it has a legal kitchen, because that determines whether it is a guest house or an ADU and whether it can be rented. Third, price the real cost of building or bringing a structure to code under the hurricane zone standard. Do those three things and the guest house becomes a clear, priced feature instead of an expensive assumption.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you build a guest house on one acre in Davie, Florida?
In most cases, yes. On A-1 acreage a guest house with no full kitchen is treated as an accessory building and does not consume a second dwelling unit, so it is generally permittable on a one acre lot. A detached structure with a full kitchen becomes an accessory dwelling unit and is limited by the one dwelling unit per acre density rule. Confirm your specific parcel with the Town of Davie.
What is the difference between a guest house and an ADU in Davie?
The kitchen. A guest house can have a bedroom, bathroom, and living space but no full cooking facilities, which keeps it an accessory building. An accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, has a full kitchen and functions as an independent home, so it counts as a dwelling unit against density and can generally be rented as a separate residence. A guest house cannot be a standalone rental.
Does Florida law require Davie to allow ADUs?
No. Florida Statute 163.31771 lets a local government choose to allow accessory dwelling units and ties that choice to affordable housing need. It is permissive, not mandatory, and it does not override local density limits. Your build rights come from the Town of Davie’s code and A-1 zoning, not from a statewide mandate.
Can I rent out a guest house on my Davie acreage?
A true guest house with no legal kitchen cannot be rented as a separate residence, because it is an accessory building, not a dwelling unit. A permitted ADU with a full kitchen can generally be rented where the parcel’s density and the local ordinance allow it. Verify the structure’s permit status and the current rules with the Town of Davie before assuming rental income.
Will a guest house raise my property taxes in Davie?
Yes. The Broward County Property Appraiser assesses all permitted improvements, so a guest house increases your assessed value like a pool or an addition. On a homesteaded parcel it usually falls under the single homestead rather than being taxed separately, but the added square footage still raises the assessment. Check the parcel record at bcpa.net to see what is already on file.
Talk to a Davie Real Estate Expert
A guest house can be the feature that makes an acreage home worth the premium, or an unpermitted liability you inherit at closing. The difference is knowing the zoning, the permit history, and the real build cost before you make the offer. If you are weighing an acreage property in Long Lake Ranches (33330), Hawkes Bluff (33330), or anywhere in western Davie, Anthony Spitaleri can pull the parcel record, flag the structures that need verification, and build the guest house question into your offer strategy.
Call or text Anthony at (954) 235-5783, or book a strategy call at https://bit.ly/daviestrategycall.
Anthony Spitaleri, Broker Associate, Coldwell Banker
Living in Davie Florida
2690 Weston Road, Suite 101, Weston, FL 33331
Phone: (954) 235-5783
Website: https://livingindavieflorida.com
Anthony Spitaleri is a Broker Associate with Coldwell Banker, one of the most established residential real estate brands, with approximately 3,000 offices globally and a founded in 1906. A Davie native who returned home in 2025 after 13 years in Miami Beach, Anthony specializes in luxury homes and estates above $1 million, acreage and equestrian properties with no HOA, and relocation buyers moving to Davie from out of state. He created livingindavieflorida.com, the most in-depth independent Davie real estate resource available, with in-depth coverage of Davie’s gated communities, acreage and equestrian properties, and luxury estates, plus original weekly market data, interactive tools, Town Council recaps, and a 24/7 AI concierge. Anthony has been licensed in real estate since 2013 (BK3281907), is a Certified Strategic Coach through Coaching Services International (CSI), an active member of the Davie Cooper City Chamber of Commerce, and a weekly volunteer at Bit by Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Davie. Learn more at about Anthony.
