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Do I need a permit for a shed? The size limit in 16 cities, and how many get filed

Not for a small one. Fifteen of the 16 building departments whose rules we read exempt a one-story storage shed below a size limit: 120 square feet in seven of them and 200 in six. Above the limit, or with wiring or plumbing inside, it needs a permit. Cape Coral, whose shed guideline lists no exemption, filed 118 shed permits in 21 months.

By Contractor Records · data through October 17, 2026

The rule in 6 cities, with their permit counts

Rules from each city's own page, read 23 October 2026. Only Cape Coral files sheds on their own; in the other five our counts are accessory-building permits, garages included, over three years to September 2026. Exempt sheds leave no permit, so these counts are mostly the larger buildings. "Usual days" is the typical time from issue to final inspection.

City No permit when… Permits (label) Usual days to final
Cape Coral, FL No exemption listed: a new shed needs "DBPR Approved Shed Drawings" and "Site Specific Tie Down Specifications" 118 (sheds) 41
San Diego, CA Up to 120 sq ft: "Storage sheds or playhouses over 120 sq. ft. in projected roof area require a permit" 242 (patio covers, garages, accessory) 183
San Diego County (unincorporated) Non-habitable, one-story, floor area "does not exceed 120 square feet" 224 (garages, patio covers, accessory) 217
Minneapolis, MN One-story tool and storage sheds under 200 sq ft 706 (garages, accessory) 143
Saint Paul, MN "provided the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet"; zoning still applies 431 (garages, accessory) 263
Colorado Springs, CO (Pikes Peak Regional) One-story, detached, up to 200 sq ft and "supported directly on grade"; 125 sq ft or more needs zoning approval in Colorado Springs 136 (garages, accessory buildings) 133

Ten more departments, without shed counts in our file:

Building department No building permit for a shed…
Austin, TX Up to 200 sq ft and 15 feet high that "does not create a dwelling, contains no plumbing", outside a flood hazard area
Bellevue, WA "with a floor area of 200 square feet or less", subject to setbacks and lot coverage
Columbus, OH Under 200 sq ft; "Build a shed 200 square feet or larger" needs a permit and plan review
Naperville, IL Up to 150 sq ft: a shed "with a floor area exceeding 150 sf" needs a permit
Cary, NC "no more than 12 feet in any dimension"
Seattle, WA Projected roof area "less than 120 square feet" on a slab-on-ground foundation
Elk Grove, CA Floor area "not greater than 120 square feet"
Citrus Heights, CA Up to 120 sq ft of floor area for walled structures
Anaheim, CA Up to 120 sq ft; Planning and Zoning review still required
Palo Alto, CA One-story tool sheds and playhouses up to 120 sq ft; wiring or plumbing in them still needs a permit

What happens if you skip it

  • Colorado Springs area: Pikes Peak Regional issues a stop work order and files a "Certificate of Alleged Non-compliance" against the property with the county Clerk and Recorder.
  • Palo Alto: "an additional penalty fee equal to the amount of the permit fee shall be assessed".
  • Seattle: fines of "up to $500 per day" for building without a permit.

A shed over the limit that turns up on a home inspection can delay a sale, and Pikes Peak Regional says the record owner pays to permit it then. More in permit vs no permit.

Who pulls it

Often you. Cape Coral accepts a General, Building or Residential Contractor, an owner/builder, or a tenant. Pikes Peak Regional issues homeowner permits only for a primary residence you own and live in, and only for work you do yourself. If a shed kit installer is doing the work, the installer pulls it. A shed big enough for a car is a garage; detached garage cost covers those.

How long it takes

A shed permit in Cape Coral closed in 41 days. Accessory-building permits, mostly garages, take longer: 133 days in Colorado Springs, 143 in Minneapolis and 263 in Saint Paul. 93.4% of Minneapolis's a year or more old reached a final, against 59.8% of Saint Paul's.

Check it in five minutes

  1. Measure the footprint (or roof area in San Diego and Seattle) and the longest side (Cary).
  2. Compare it with your city's limit above; add any wiring, plumbing or new slab as separate permit questions.
  3. Check the zoning setback and lot coverage before you order the kit.

See every Cape Coral shed installer by permits filed →

What this does not tell you

We read 16 departments' rules. Our counts for five of the six cities include garages and patio covers, as labelled, and exempt sheds leave no record at all. HOA rules are separate.

How we know this

Rules are quoted from the pages under Sources, read 23 October 2026. Permit counts, usual days to final and finished shares come from each city's permit file over the three years ending September 2026 (Cape Coral from January 2025). "Usual days" is the median from issue to final inspection; "reached a final" counts permits a year or more old.

Numbers come from City of Cape Coral building permits (the city's open permit table starts January 2025); City of San Diego Development Services approvals; San Diego County Planning & Development Services building permits on homes in the unincorporated county (the County's open-data permit, contractor and status-history files); City of Minneapolis construction permits (CCS); City of Saint Paul building and trade permits (the City's old approved-permits file up to June 2025, and the City's PAULIE permit system since September 2025), with the contractor named on each permit; Pikes Peak Regional Building Department permits inside Colorado Springs city limits, data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.

Questions

  • How big can a shed be without a permit?

    120 square feet in San Diego, San Diego County, Seattle, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, Anaheim and Palo Alto; 150 in Naperville; 200 in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Pikes Peak Regional (Colorado Springs), Austin, Bellevue and Columbus. Cary measures length instead: no more than 12 feet in any dimension. Cape Coral's shed guideline gives no size exemption.

  • Does a shed with electricity need a permit?

    The wiring does, even when the shed is exempt. Cape Coral says 'If there is electrical, a separate electrical (miscellaneous) permit is required', and San Diego County notes that 'separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits may be required' for exempt structures. Austin's exemption covers only a shed that 'contains no plumbing'.

  • Does an exempt shed still have to meet setbacks?

    Yes. Saint Paul says sheds under 200 square feet 'must comply with all provisions of the City's Zoning Ordinance for setbacks and lot coverage', Bellevue lists setbacks, lot coverage, height and impervious surface, and Colorado Springs requires zoning approval at 125 square feet or more.

  • How long does a shed or accessory building permit take?

    The usual permit reached its final inspection in 41 days for sheds in Cape Coral. Accessory-building permits, which include garages, took 133 days in Colorado Springs, 143 in Minneapolis and 183 in San Diego.

  • Can I put a shed on a concrete slab without a permit?

    Check the slab separately. Cape Coral says 'The concrete slab for a shed must be permitted separately.' Seattle's 120-square-foot exemption applies only if 'the building foundation is only a slab on the ground', and Pikes Peak Regional's requires the shed to be 'supported directly on grade'.

Build your own list

Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.

Cape Coral shedSan Diego patio cover, garage & accessory structureSan Diego County (unincorporated) garage, patio cover & accessory structureMinneapolis garage & accessorySaint Paul garage & accessoryColorado Springs garage & accessory building

Related guides

For one city

All guides →

Sources
  1. Shed (New DBPR Approved) guideline, rev. January 2026 — City of Cape Coral, FL (accessed 2026-10-23)
  2. When is a Permit Required? — City of San Diego Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
  3. PDS 110 Building Permit Requirements per Adoptive Ordinance (rev. 01/01/2026) — County of San Diego (accessed 2026-10-23)
  4. Construction work exempt from permit — City of Minneapolis (accessed 2026-10-23)
  5. When is a permit required? — City of Saint Paul DSI (accessed 2026-10-23)
  6. Permit Not Required — Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (accessed 2026-10-23)
  7. Homeowner Permits — Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (accessed 2026-10-23)
  8. Work Exempt from Building Permits — City of Austin Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
  9. Do You Need a Permit? — Seattle SDCI (accessed 2026-10-23)
  10. Construction Without a Permit — Seattle SDCI (accessed 2026-10-23)
  11. Work requiring permits — City of Bellevue, WA (accessed 2026-10-23)
  12. Residential Permits FAQ — Town of Cary, NC (accessed 2026-10-23)
  13. Typical Residential Projects (BA 3/26) — City of Columbus, OH (accessed 2026-10-23)
  14. Guide to Building Permits (rev. 10/31/2022) — City of Naperville, IL (accessed 2026-10-23)
  15. Do I need a building permit? — City of Elk Grove, CA (accessed 2026-10-23)
  16. Projects Requiring a Building Permit (CHB0600, rev. 08/23) — City of Citrus Heights, CA (accessed 2026-10-23)
  17. When is a Building Permit Required? — City of Anaheim, CA (accessed 2026-10-23)
  18. Work Exempt from Permit (rev. 05/20/2015) — City of Palo Alto, CA (accessed 2026-10-23)