Bartholomew County, IN Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Bartholomew County, IN, 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
- Residential accessory fee
- $100 min + $0.10/sq ft (§150.20(E))
- Commercial accessory fee
- $200 min + $0.10/sq ft (§150.21(C))
- Permit threshold
- Required once cost exceeds $300 (§150.36)
- Application needs
- Fee, plans, plot plan of structure (§150.35)
- Permit validity
- Void after 6 months unused (§150.40)
- Size/setback/height
- Set by Zoning Ordinance, Ch. 157, not this fee section
Summary
Unincorporated Bartholomew County charges a building permit fee to add a shed or other accessory structure to a residence: $100 minimum plus $0.10 per square foot of floor area under section 150.20(E) of the county's Building Code. A permit is required whenever the job costs more than $300 under section 150.36. Size, setback and height limits for accessory structures are set separately by the county's Zoning Ordinance, not by this fee schedule.
§ 150.20 RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES. ... (E) Accessory structures to residential dwellings. Minimum fee is $100, plus $0.10 per square foot of gross floor area. ... § 150.36 PERMIT REQUIRED. A permit shall be obtained before beginning construction, alteration or repair of any building or structure, the cost of which exceeds $300, using forms furnished by the Chief Code Enforcement Officer, and all fees required by this Code shall be paid to the office of Department of Code Enforcement.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 150 of the county code, which governs construction only in the unincorporated area, treats a shed or other accessory building to a residential dwelling as a permitted structure with its own fee line. 10 per square foot for an accessory structure at a commercial, industrial or multi-family property. 36 requires the permit any time the cost of the structure exceeds $300, using forms from the Chief Code Enforcement Officer, with fees paid to the Department of Code Enforcement. 35, the application must include the fee, plans and specifications, and, for a new structure, a plot plan showing its location along with existing improvements and lot boundaries, though the plot plan can be waived by the Chief Code Enforcement Officer for good cause.
This fee schedule covers only the permit and inspection cost; it does not set how large a shed can be, how close it can sit to a lot line, or how tall it can stand. Those dimensional standards for accessory structures fall under the county's separate Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 157 of the code), administered through the joint Columbus-Bartholomew Planning Department, not under this Building Code fee section. 40 if work has not started or is not proceeding at a reasonable rate.
Violations & Fines
Beginning shed or accessory-structure construction before the permit issues triggers the section 150.38 penalty: a minimum $5 fee, generally double the permit cost that should have been paid. Building or continuing to build contrary to the Building Code, including without a required permit, also exposes the owner to the general section 150.99 fine of $100 to $500, with each day of continued violation counted as a separate Class C infraction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a shed in unincorporated Bartholomew County?
Does the shed permit fee set how big my shed can be or how close it can sit to the property line?
What has to be submitted with a shed permit application?
What if I build the shed before getting the permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bartholomew County
How Bartholomew County compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Bartholomew County to another location·View the Indiana accessory structures overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.