Alexandria, VA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Section 7-202 lists the structures a property owner can place inside an otherwise-required yard without violating Alexandria's setback rules. Sheds and other small accessory buildings qualify only in a side or rear yard, never in a required front yard, under the introductory clause of Section 7-202(C). Outside a historic district, a shed on a lot developed with a single- or two-unit dwelling can total up to 100 square feet of floor area in the aggregate and stand no taller than 10 feet. Inside the Old and Historic Alexandria or Parker-Gray Districts, the same structures on townhouse, single-, or two-unit lots are held to a smaller 65 square feet and 8-foot height cap, reflecting the added scrutiny those districts place on visible accessory construction.

"In the aggregate" means the limit covers the combined floor area of every small accessory building on the lot, not each shed individually, so a homeowner can't build two 90-square-foot sheds to stay under the per-structure size. Sheds larger than these thresholds are treated as full accessory buildings and must instead meet the zone's regular yard setback and lot-coverage rules rather than the Section 7-202 obstruction exception; that generally forces the structure out of the required yard altogether or into a lot with room to meet standard setbacks. A separate building permit from the Department of Code Administration is still required regardless of size.