Billings, MT Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Billings, MT, 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
- Size cap over 200 sq ft
- 1,500 sq ft or house footprint
- Building setback
- min. 5 ft from another building
- Combined cap, N1/N2/N3/RMH
- 2,000 sq ft total
- Timing rule
- not more than 180 days early
- Enforcement
- municipal infraction, civil penalty
Summary
Billings zoning caps detached accessory buildings like sheds and shops at 1,500 square feet once they pass 200 square feet, and bars building in a required setback or within 5 feet of another structure.
No accessory building shall be erected in any required setback nor within five (5) feet of any other building except as specified in this section. ... Detached buildings for accessory residential uses ... greater than two hundred (200) square feet in size shall not exceed the principal building first story gross floor area on the lot or one thousand five hundred (1,500) square feet, whichever is less.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Under BMCC Sec. 27-1008, no accessory building may be erected in a required yard setback or within 5 feet of another building on the lot, absent a specific exception. A detached accessory building over 200 square feet can't exceed the principal home's first-story floor area or 1,500 square feet, whichever is smaller. In the N1, N2, N3 and RMH residential zone districts, all detached accessory structures on a lot combined are capped at 2,000 square feet or the house's first-story area, whichever is less. A new accessory structure also can't be built more than 180 days ahead of the principal structure it serves.
Violations & Fines
Violations are a municipal infraction with civil penalties under BMCC Sec. 18-1300, or a misdemeanor; the zoning coordinator can also issue a stop-work order or withhold permits. Each day of noncompliance counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can a shed be in Billings before size limits kick in?
How close to my property line can I put a shed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Billings
How Billings compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Billings to another location·View the Montana accessory structures overview
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