Bartow County, GA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Bartow County Code § 18-162 lists structures exempt from the building permit requirement that otherwise applies under § 18-161. Paragraph (1) exempts a personal storage building, garage, or other accessory building smaller than 400 square feet, provided it is not used for income-producing activities and is not used as living quarters. The exemption sits alongside others in the same section, including portable heating, cooling, and ventilation appliances, agricultural buildings not open to the public, and minor repairs that do not alter a structure's approval or safety under § 18-163.

A shed that crosses the 400-square-foot threshold, is rented out, or is converted into living space loses the exemption and requires a permit application under § 18-165, reviewed by the building official within 30 days of a complete submission per § 18-166. The county's separate retaining wall rule at § 18-131 illustrates how the code treats accessory improvements generally: a permit is required once a structure crosses a defined size or function threshold, with site plans and, for larger walls, engineering calculations required. The applicant is also advised under § 18-201 that the Bartow County Zoning Ordinance carries its own setback and district provisions for accessory buildings separate from this permit-exemption rule in the building code.