What Size Shed Do You Need a Permit For? 100 to 200 Sq Ft

Last updated October 3, 2026

What size shed do you need a permit for? It depends on your town: many local rules start from a model code that lists one-story storage sheds up to 200 sq ft among permit exemptions, but some towns use 100 or 120 sq ft. Height, setbacks, power and HOA rules can apply at any size. Check your local permit office.

Rules are local, so use this page to prepare for that call, not to replace it. The numbers that matter are floor area, height, use and where the shed sits on your lot.

What size shed do you need a permit for in most towns?

Most US towns and counties adopt the International Residential Code (IRC) from the International Code Council, then amend it. Section R105.2 of the model IRC lists one-story detached accessory buildings, such as tool and storage sheds and playhouses, with no more than 200 sq ft of floor area among the work that can go ahead without a building permit. Your town may keep that number, lower it, raise it, or add its own conditions.

City pages show how the same model wording gets used. Federal Way, Washington, publishes its list of residential permit exemptions based on IRC R105.2. Other towns publish their own lines, and they differ a lot.

Example town page (October 2026)	Line it gives for when a shed needs a permit
Sherwood, Oregon	200 sq ft or more, or 12 ft average height or more
Scituate, Massachusetts	over 200 sq ft or over 15 ft tall
Kent, New York	12 ft x 12 ft and larger
Londonderry, New Hampshire	400 sq ft and larger

These show the spread, not rules for your area. Some of these lines may be zoning rules rather than building permit rules, a size line like 12×12 leaves open how a 10 ft by 15 ft shed is treated, and town pages change. Use the table as a list of questions, then check your local permit office.

Which shed sizes land near the common size lines?

Floor area is length times width, measured on the floor frame. Here is where common shed sizes fall against the 100, 120 and 200 sq ft lines people see most often in local rules.

Shed size	Floor area	Near which common line?	Plan
8×10	80 sq ft	under 100	8×10 gable shed
10×10	100 sq ft	right at 100	10×10 gable shed
10×12	120 sq ft	right at 120	10×12 gable shed
12×12	144 sq ft	over 120, under 200	12×12 gable shed
12×16	192 sq ft	just under 200	12×16 gable shed, double door
10×20	200 sq ft	right at 200	10×20 gable shed
12×20	240 sq ft	over 200	12×20 gable shed

Two traps sit in this table. First, “up to 200” and “under 200” are not the same, so a 10×20 can land on either side of the line depending on the wording. Second, some offices measure the roof footprint including overhangs, or count a lean-to or covered porch as part of the shed. Ask which one they use before you pick a size right at the limit.

Is height part of the permit question?

Often, yes. Some towns put a height limit next to the size limit, and they do not all measure it the same way: to the peak, to the average roof height, or from the lowest ground at the shed. A steep roof or a tall foundation on a sloped yard adds height fast.

Know your numbers before you call. In our 10×12 gable shed plan, built on its 4×4 skid base, the walls are 94 1/2 in tall including the plates, and the 6/12 roof peaks about 11 ft 5 3/8 in above the ground. Set the same shed on taller blocks or a sloped site and the peak goes up by that amount, so measure from your real foundation. If your town has a tight height line, a lower roof pitch or a lean-to shed may help, but check the lean-to’s tall front wall against the limit too.

Does a shed on skids or blocks change the answer?

Many people assume a shed on skids is “temporary” and so outside the rules. Some towns do treat a movable shed differently, but many look only at size, height, use and location, and count any shed that stays put as a permanent accessory building. A skid base does not change setbacks, easements or HOA rules either.

The foundation can matter in the other direction. A concrete slab or footings can bring in an inspection that a gravel pad would not. Ask your local permit office how they treat skids, piers and slabs before you choose, and see our shed foundation options article for how each one is built.

How do you find your own town’s rule?

Find who governs your address. It may be a city, village, town, township or county, depending on your state. If you are unsure, the county’s building or planning office can tell you who handles your address.
Search the code online. Many towns post their zoning ordinance and building rules online. Search the town name with “accessory structure” or “shed”.
Call or email the building department. Give the shed size, height, use, spot on the lot and whether it gets power. Ask for the answer by email so you have a record.
Ask zoning separately. Setbacks, lot coverage limits and the number of accessory buildings are often zoning questions, handled by a different desk.
Ask about overlays. Flood zones, historic districts and shoreline areas can add steps for any size.

The pre-build checklist

Work through this list before you buy lumber.

Floor area. Length times width of the floor frame, plus how the office measures it (floor, footprint or roof edge).
Height. Peak height above the ground, and how the office measures height.
Use. Storage only, or a workshop, office, studio or sleeping space. An office or bedroom can be treated as a habitable building with its own rules, whatever the size.
Setbacks and spacing. The distance to side and rear property lines for your zoning district, and any minimum gap to the house or other buildings, which some places set for fire separation.
Lot coverage. Some zoning rules cap how much of the lot buildings can cover, and the shed counts.
Easements. Drainage and utility easements on your plat or survey. Many places do not let a shed sit in one.
Front yard and corner lots. Some zoning rules keep accessory buildings out of front yards or limit them on corner lots.
HOA. Covenants can limit size, height, color, siding and spot, and they are separate from the town. Get written approval first.
Power and water. Electrical, plumbing and trenching usually bring their own permits and inspections.
Foundation, frost and wind. Ask about footing depth for piers in your frost area, and about anchoring a shed for wind or snow.
Buried lines. Call 811 before you dig, even for a gravel pad. Each state sets its own notice period, usually a few business days.
Fees and timeline. The fee, and how long review takes, so you can time the lumber order.

What to bring if you do need a permit

If your shed needs a permit, the office usually wants a simple package. Ask for their checklist, since each office has its own, but these are the common pieces.

Site plan. A top view of your lot with the shed drawn to scale and the distances written in: to each property line, the house and other buildings. Mark easements, the driveway and any septic or well.
Building drawings. Floor plan, wall framing, roof framing and an elevation with heights. Some offices accept a purchased plan; a few want drawings in a set format or stamped.
Material and size details. Lumber sizes and spacing, sheathing, roof covering and the foundation type.
Application and fee. Plus HOA approval if you have one.

The 3DSHEDPLANS plan PDFs include a material list, cut list, framing drawings and the shed dimensions, which may cover the building drawing part. They do not include a site plan, since that depends on your lot. Your local permit office decides whether the plan is enough, so look at the free 10×12 gable shed PDF and ask.

What happens if you skip a required permit?

Towns can issue a stop-work order or a fine, ask you to apply after the fact with drawings of a finished shed, or ask you to move it if it breaks a setback. An unpermitted building can also come up in a home inspection or title search when you sell. Moving or removing a finished shed costs far more than asking first.

Common mistakes

Measuring the spot by eye. Fences are not always on the property line. Find your survey pins or plat before you set out stakes.
Picking a size just over the line. If a 10×12 fits your needs and sits under your local limit, a 12×12 may add a permit, a fee and a few weeks for 24 extra sq ft.
Forgetting the door swing and ramp. The shed may meet the setback, but a ramp or double door may not fit the space you left.
Treating “no building permit” as “no rules.” Zoning setbacks, HOA covenants and easements still apply to a shed that skips the building permit.
Digging before 811. Utility lines can be shallow, and the Call 811 service is free in every state.
Adding power later without asking. Plan the trench and conduit route early so you do not have to pull up a finished floor.

What we checked

The 200 sq ft model number is from section R105.2 of the ICC’s 2021 IRC, and the town lines are from each linked town page as shown in search results in October 2026, so confirm them on the page itself. The 811 advice is from Call 811, and shed heights are from our 10×12 gable plan. Floor areas are plain length times width.

Rough budgets for each size are in our shed cost guide.

Plans that fit

Once you know your limits, pick a size that sits inside them with some margin.

Under 100 sq ft: the 8×10 gable shed plan (80 sq ft) for a mower and garden tools, or the 10×10 gable shed plan (100 sq ft) if your line allows exactly 100.
Room for a workbench: the 10×12 gable shed plan with a double door, or the 12×12 gable shed plan if your line allows 144 sq ft.
Most storage under a 200 sq ft line: the 12×16 gable shed plan with double door has 192 sq ft of floor. If your office measures the roof footprint, the overhangs push it past 200, so ask first.

Each 3DSHEDPLANS plan states the floor size, wall height and roof height you need for the call to your local permit office. Browse every size and roof style on our shed plans page, or compare gable shapes on the gable shed plans hub.

Frequently asked questions

What size shed can you build without a permit?

There is no national answer. Many towns start from a model code that lists one-story storage sheds up to 200 sq ft among permit exemptions, but plenty set the line at 100 or 120 sq ft, and some at 400. Check your local permit office for your address.

Does a shed on skids need a permit?

Often yes, if it is over your local size line. A skid base rarely changes setbacks or HOA rules, and many offices count any shed that stays put as permanent. Ask your local permit office.

How close to the property line can I put a shed?

It is set by your zoning district, and HOA rules can be stricter. It can be a few feet or 10 ft or more, and easements can rule out a spot entirely. Check your local permit office and your plat before you pick the spot.

Do I need a permit to run electricity to a shed?

Adding power usually brings in an electrical permit and inspection, even where the shed itself has none. Check your local permit office, and plan the trench and conduit route before the floor goes in.

What happens if I build a shed without a required permit?

Expect anything from an after-the-fact application to a fine or an order to move the shed, and it can surface when you sell. Your local permit office can tell you how to fix it now, which is usually cheaper than waiting.