What Size Shed Requires a Permit in North Carolina?

Deciding to put a shed or yard barn on your property is a great choice, and you want to make sure you do it right. Part of the shed design process is checking permitting requirements in your area. In North Carolina, building a yard shed often requires a building permit, and the size of your shed may influence this requirement. Failing to get the appropriate permit could cause issues later, so let’s examine shed sizes and permit requirements in North Carolina.

North Carolina Shed Permit Basics

Most construction projects in North Carolina, including sheds, require permits. By obtaining the necessary permits, you’re receiving permission from local authorities to begin your project.

While they might seem inconvenient, permits are very important. They help ensure a safe final product that poses no unnecessary risks to you, your property or the surrounding area. They also help protect property values by requiring construction to meet certain quality standards.

You might need a few different permits for your yard shed project, including:

• Building permits
• Land use permits
• Zoning permits
• Flood permits

Failing to obtain the necessary permits before starting your shed construction may result in citations, fines and even forced removal of the project.

Each town, city and county in North Carolina has its own construction permitting rules, which can vary considerably from place to place. To verify the types of permits your yard shed might require, start by examining your local code requirements.

What is the Maximum Shed Size Without a Permit?

In North Carolina, if your shed has a dimension greater than 12ft., you will need a building permit. Sheds that have no dimension greater than 12ft. may not require one. However, remember that local requirements vary. Some localities, such as Fuquay-Varina, require building permits for all residential accessory structures, including sheds, regardless of size. Additionally, even if you aren’t required to get a building permit, you may be required to get others, such as zoning or land use permits.

What if My Shed Exceeds This Size?

If you plan to build a shed with a dimension that exceeds 12ft., Carolina Yard Barns can most likely obtain this permit for you. We pull permits in most areas of the Triangle. In order to obtain a permit we would need a copy of your site plan and/or property survey. We also need to know how far from your property line the shed will be located. This distance varies by jurisdiction. Please contact us for more information on setback requirements for your jurisdiction. For properties that have septic systems sheds must be a minimum of 5ft from all aspects of your septic system including the repair area. Processing times for permits vary, once we apply for the permit we are generally given an anticipated review date. We will keep you informed of your review date and will let you know if any other documentation is required. Once the permit has been approved we can schedule construction of your shed.

After completion, your shed will need to be inspected to make sure it meets NC Residential building code and that is meets the required setback distances from a property line. Some properties will be required to do what is called an as-built survey. This is typically required if you are in the Swift Creek watershed or if you are within a set amount of feet of the required setback. For instance, the Town of Cary requires a 5ft setback from the property line. If you put the shed at 5-9ft from the property line they will require you have your surveyor come out and add the shed to your property survey. This is to verify that you meet the 5ft required setback. If you place the shed at 10ft the Town of Cary generally will not require an as-built survey.

The permit application, approval and inspection process is simple when you work with Carolina Yard Barns. As part of our planning process, we’ll ensure your shed is legally permitted. We’ll thoroughly discuss your shed’s size and custom features, and we will review the applicable permitting requirements.

Let Carolina Yard Barns Be Your Guide on Shed Permits

Carolina Yard Barns can help you create an ideal shed design for your space and needs. We’ll ensure your project meets all code requirements, and we can often obtain the necessary permits for you.Why deal with the permitting hassle alone? Get a quote on your perfect shed today, and Carolina Yard Barns will handle the hard work.