What Des Moines ADU Zoning Actually Means for Rental Property Owners

If you own a single-family rental in Des Moines and haven't looked into ADUs yet, you're leaving a rental unit on the table.

In July 2025, Iowa passed a statewide law permitting one accessory dwelling unit per residential lot across the state. Des Moines already had its own ADU ordinance in place - updated in 2022 to expand the number of qualifying properties by up to four times - but the state law reinforces and extends that access across the broader metro. For small investors in the Des Moines area, this is one of the most significant zoning changes in years.

Here's what you actually need to know.