Shed Permit in Philadelphia, PA
Permit Summary
Do You Need a Shed Permit?
Exemptions
For a one- or two-family occupancy, a one-story detached accessory structure with a floor area of 200 sq. ft. or less is exempt from a Building Permit. Separately, a shed, playhouse, pergola, or similar structure accessory to a one- or two-family dwelling is exempt from a Zoning Permit when it is in the rear yard and does not exceed 130 sq. ft. or 15 ft. in height. These exemptions do not authorize code violations and do not override permit or review requirements that apply in flood protection areas or under historic-preservation rules.
Attached Shed Rules
The 200-sq.-ft. Building Permit exemption applies only to one-story detached accessory structures. A shed attached to a dwelling or other building does not qualify for that detached-structure exemption and is reviewed as an addition or alteration, with applicable building and zoning approvals required.
Shed Use Rules
A residential shed must remain an accessory use or structure that is subordinate and customarily incidental to the principal use and located on the same lot. The simple zoning-permit exemption applies to sheds and similar rear-yard structures accessory to one- or two-family dwellings; the City's permit guidance excludes structures used to store motor vehicles from that exemption. A change to a different use or occupancy can trigger additional zoning, building, or other permit requirements.
Zoning & Placement Rules
Zoning Rules
A Zoning Permit is generally required to construct or change the exterior dimensions of a structure. For a one- or two-family dwelling, a rear-yard shed or similar structure can be exempt from the Zoning Permit when it does not exceed 130 sq. ft. and 15 ft. in height. The Zoning Code otherwise limits a residential accessory structure to 130 sq. ft. and 15 ft. in height unless another provision applies, so a larger or taller residential shed may require a different code allowance or zoning relief. Accessory structures must remain subordinate to and on the same lot as the principal use.
Setback Rules
A shed using the one- or two-family Zoning Permit exemption must be located in the rear yard. Sheds that require zoning review must comply with the dimensional standards for the property's zoning district, including applicable yard and setback requirements. Permit exemption does not waive substantive zoning compliance.
Maximum Height Rules
The Zoning Code states that an accessory structure for a residential use may not exceed 15 ft. in height unless another Zoning Code provision applies. The Zoning Permit exemption for a qualifying rear-yard shed at a one- or two-family dwelling also uses a 15-ft. maximum.
Lot Coverage Rules
Accessory structures remain subject to the dimensional standards of the applicable zoning district, including minimum open-area and maximum occupied-area requirements. Because those standards vary by district, Philadelphia does not provide one citywide lot-coverage percentage for all sheds. A permit exemption does not waive the applicable dimensional limits.
Special Area Rules
Special site conditions can override or add to the ordinary shed path. Properties on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places or in historic districts are subject to Philadelphia Historical Commission review. In flood protection areas, Philadelphia's permit exemptions do not generally eliminate permit requirements for construction, and flood-specific design and documentation rules apply. The Residential Code includes a limited accessory-structure flood provision for qualifying nonhabitable storage or parking structures of 200 sq. ft. or less, subject to additional flood-resistance conditions.
Construction Requirements
Foundation Rules
For sheds subject to the Philadelphia Residential Code, foundations and footings must support the imposed loads and comply with the adopted residential-code requirements and approved plans. Exterior footings generally must bear at least 12 inches below undisturbed ground and be protected from frost where required. The adopted 2021 IRC provides limited frost-protection exceptions for certain small freestanding accessory structures with eave heights of 10 ft. or less. Where a permitted shed has footings, L&I identifies footing inspection as a typical inspection.
Fire Separation Rules
Where the Philadelphia Residential Code applies, exterior-wall, opening, and projection requirements are based on fire-separation distance. Under the adopted residential-code framework, detached tool or storage sheds, playhouses, and similar accessory structures that are exempt from permits do not require exterior-wall protection solely because of their location on the lot, but roof projections may not extend over the lot line. Permitted sheds remain subject to the applicable fire-separation provisions.
Permit & Review Path
Permit / Review Path
A qualifying one-story detached shed of 200 sq. ft. or less at a one- or two-family occupancy can use the no-Building-Permit path. If it is also in the rear yard and does not exceed 130 sq. ft. or 15 ft. in height, it can also use the no-Zoning-Permit path, subject to historic, flood, and other special-site rules. A shed that does not qualify for the zoning exemption requires zoning review, and a shed that does not qualify for the building exemption requires a Building Permit. Permit applications are submitted through eCLIPSE, with zoning approval generally obtained before or as part of the building-permit process.
Trade Permits & Professional Design
Trade Permit Rules
Separate electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and other trade permits are required when the shed includes work regulated by those codes. A structural Building Permit exemption does not eliminate separate permit requirements for regulated electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work.
Professional Design Rules
An ordinary permit-exempt shed does not require a design professional solely because it is a shed. When construction plans are required, Philadelphia's building-plan requirements call for plans to be signed and sealed by a Pennsylvania-licensed architect or professional engineer when the cost of work exceeds $25,000 or when structural work is proposed, regardless of cost. Engineered calculations or other specialty design may also be required when the proposed construction falls outside prescriptive code provisions.
What You Need Before Applying
Requirements
Determine the property use, shed floor area, number of stories, height, proposed yard location, zoning district, and whether the property is historic or in a flood protection area. A qualifying small shed may be exempt from one or both permits, but exempt work must still comply with the applicable codes. When permits are required, obtain the necessary zoning approval and Building Permit through eCLIPSE, use a properly licensed contractor when required, and obtain any separate trade permits triggered by the work.
Required Documents
When a Zoning Permit is required, submit the zoning application information and a site plan showing the lot, existing and proposed structures, dimensions, yards, streets or alleys, and the shed location and size. When a Building Permit is required, provide the permit application, approved zoning documentation when applicable, and construction plans required for the scope, including structural, foundation, framing, and wall-bracing information as applicable. Historic, floodplain, or other site-specific approvals and documents may also be required.