Bethlehem, PA Accessory Structures: Shed Rules (2026)

Pennsylvania's UCC, adopted at 34 Pa Code §§401.1-405.42, lists structures exempt from UCC building permits. Under 34 Pa Code §403.1(b), certain non-residential agricultural buildings and certain utility sheds (typically prefabricated or site-built one-story accessory structures) below 1,000 square feet of floor area are exempt from UCC permitting, with the precise threshold refined by the local construction code official. The UCC exemption addresses only the building-code permit; municipal zoning compliance is expressly preserved by 53 P.S. §10603 and the Bethlehem Zoning Ordinance still applies. Bethlehem's Zoning Ordinance generally requires sheds and other accessory structures to be located in the rear yard, behind the front building line of the principal dwelling, with side and rear setbacks set by district (commonly 3 to 5 feet in residential districts, but district-specific). Maximum shed size, height, and aggregate accessory-structure lot coverage are also set by district. Corner lots face additional sight-distance triangle restrictions. Because Bethlehem's older neighborhoods include many narrow row-house lots laid out in the 19th and early 20th centuries — particularly in South Bethlehem near the former Bethlehem Steel works and along the South Side terraces — rear-yard sheds frequently raise lot-coverage and setback questions that must be resolved through the Bethlehem Zoning Hearing Board under 53 P.S. §10909.1. Properties in the locally-designated Historic Bethlehem district face additional Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) review for visible accessory structures. Owners should verify both the zoning permit requirement and any UCC threshold before installation.