In unincorporated Shelby County, the Unified Development Code treats carports as accessory structures. A detached carport must sit at least five feet from side and rear lines and stay under the 75 percent cumulative-size cap; attached carports count as part of the principal structure.
The Memphis/Shelby County UDC governs carports in unincorporated county areas. Under UDC Sec. 3.9.1, an attached carport is part of the principal structure and must meet its setback and yard requirements, while a detached carport is an accessory structure subject to Chapter 2.7. That means a detached carport must be at least five feet from side and rear property lines (UDC Sec. 2.7.2B), must be shorter than the principal dwelling, and counts toward the 75 percent cumulative accessory-structure size cap in UDC Sec. 2.7.2C. Street-facing placement follows the residential-compatibility standards of UDC Sec. 3.9, and carports built before January 1, 2020, are not nonconforming. Incorporated cities apply their own zoning.
A carport inside the five-foot setback, taller than the house, or pushing accessory square footage past the 75 percent cap violates the UDC in unincorporated Shelby County, enforced by Planning and Development through the joint zoning ordinance.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Shelby County's carport rules rules stack up against other locations.
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