Albemarle County, VA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Albemarle County, VA, also referred to as storage shed, backyard shed, or accessory building regulations, set size limits, setbacks, and when a building permit is required.
Key Facts
- Side setback
- 5 ft from side lot line (§ 18-4.11.2)
- Rear/side property line setback
- 6 ft minimum
- Alley easement setback
- 3 ft minimum
- Front yard sheds
- Prohibited under § 18-4.11.2(a)
- Permit fee
- $0.18/sq ft, $35 minimum (§ 1-501)
Summary
A shed or detached garage in Albemarle County outside Charlottesville and Scottsville must sit at least five feet off the side lot line and six feet off the side or rear property line in most residential districts under Code of Albemarle § 18-4.11.2, and can't go in the required front yard at all. Community Development charges $0.18 a square foot, minimum $35, to permit it.
Building—Residential Accessory Structure (attached garages, detached garages, sheds, decks, and porches 10 sq. ft. or larger) $0.18 per square foot, calculated on gross finished square footage. The minimum fee is $35 ... Sec. 4.11.2 - Accessory structures in required yards. Accessory structures are authorized in required yards as follows: a.Front yards. Accessory structures, including detached garages, are prohibited within the minimum front yard required by the applicable district regulations except as otherwise provided in subsection (c).b.Side and rear yards. Accessory structures are permitted in side and rear yards, provided that they are erected no closer than five feet from any side lot line in a non-infill development within the R-1, R-2, R-4, R-6, R-10, R-15, PRD, or PUD districts, and no closer than six feet to the side or rear property lines
Full Breakdown
2 of the Zoning Ordinance governs where a shed, detached garage or other accessory structure can sit inside a lot's required yards. 2(c). In side and rear yards, the structure must be erected no closer than five feet from any side lot line in a non-infill development within the R-1, R-2, R-4, R-6, R-10, R-15, PRD or PUD districts, and no closer than six feet to the side or rear property lines; where the lot backs to an alley or shared driveway, the minimum drops to three feet from the edge of that easement or right-of-way.
The zoning administrator can authorize a closer alley-side setback if the county engineer confirms the design still protects safety, access to required parking and unobstructed circulation along the alley. 2(d) treats it as part of the primary structure, requiring it to meet the full primary-structure yard requirements instead of the relaxed accessory setbacks. 18 per square foot of gross finished area under § 1-501, with a $35 minimum fee, payable to Community Development before the application is considered complete.
Violations & Fines
An accessory structure built in the front yard, or closer than the five- or six-foot side and rear minimums, without an approved alley-easement exception, is a zoning violation. The zoning administrator can require removal or relocation, deny a certificate of occupancy, and refer uncorrected cases for civil penalty under chapter 18's violations article; building a shed without paying the § 1-501 permit fee also blocks permit issuance outright.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close to my property line can I build a shed in Albemarle County?
What does a shed permit cost in Albemarle County?
Can I put a shed in my front yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Albemarle County
How Albemarle County compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Albemarle County to another location·View the Virginia accessory structures overview
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