Bristol, CT Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Bristol, CT, 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
- Governing section
- Bristol Code of Ordinances § 5-19(f)
- Fee rate
- $0.40 per square foot of area
- Minimum fee
- $25.00, no maximum fee
- Area measured
- Extreme outside-wall measurements, § 5-19(c)
- Zoning fee
- Separate $25.00 zoning permit fee may apply
- Dimensional limits
- Set by Zoning Regulations, not this code
Summary
A shed, garage, greenhouse or other accessory building in Bristol needs a building permit before construction, with a fee of forty cents per square foot of area and a twenty-five-dollar minimum. The code sets the fee but leaves the shed's size, setback and lot-coverage limits to the separate Zoning Regulations, not part of this printed code.
The fee for accessory buildings, garages, open breezeways, decks, greenhouses, sheds, rigid frame or steel skeletal buildings for truck, heavy equipment or all-purpose storage, shall be at the rate of forty cents ($0.40) per square foot of area. The minimum permit fee shall be twenty-five dollars ($25.00). There will be no maximum fee.
Full Breakdown
Section 5-19(f) of the Bristol Code of Ordinances sets the permit fee for accessory buildings, garages, open breezeways, decks, greenhouses, sheds, and rigid frame or steel skeletal buildings used for truck, heavy equipment or all-purpose storage at forty cents ($0.40) per square foot of area, with a minimum permit fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and no maximum fee. Section 5-19(a) requires that this fee be paid to the building official before any permit for the construction is issued, and fees can be waived only as described in that subsection.
Section 5-19(c) instructs that the square footage for the fee is computed from the extreme outside-wall measurements, and subsection (d) lets the inspector require an affidavit of actual cost, charging additional fees if the finished job costs more than the estimate. A separate twenty-five-dollar ($25.00) zoning permit fee under subsection (m) can apply on top of the building-permit fee where the accessory structure also needs zoning sign-off, and subsection (n) applies the same accessory-building fee schedule, plus the zoning permit fee, to any fence erected on the property.
The dimensional limits that actually govern how large a shed can be, how close it can sit to a property line, or whether it needs a variance are set by the City of Bristol Zoning Regulations adopted by the Zoning Commission on January 7, 1981, administered separately from this Code of Ordinances and not reproduced in it, so this record covers only the permit-fee requirement Bristol's own code prints.
Violations & Fines
Building or placing an accessory structure such as a shed, garage or greenhouse without first paying the required forty-cent-per-square-foot permit fee, subject to the twenty-five-dollar ($25.00) minimum, and obtaining the building permit under Section 5-19 is a violation; the building official will not issue the permit until the fee is paid, and separate zoning approval and its own twenty-five-dollar fee may also be required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a shed in Bristol?
How is the shed's square footage calculated for the fee?
Where do I find how big a shed can be or how close to my property line it can sit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bristol
How Bristol compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Bristol to another location·View the Connecticut accessory structures overview
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