Buffalo, NY Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

3(19), homeowners and licensed contractors may repair, renovate or construct a single-story, detached storage shed, playhouse or similar utility building of up to 144 square feet of ground surface coverage at a one- or two-family dwelling without applying for a building permit or paying a permit fee. That exemption is conditional: the shed cannot alter drainage to the detriment of neighboring properties, violate the building code or zoning ordinances, create a fire or other hazard, create a dangerous condition, or create a nuisance. 3, and the fee is set by Chapter 175, Fees: sheds and garages over 144 square feet and under 600 square feet carry a flat residential permit fee of $75, while sheds and garages up to 600 square feet on a commercial-construction application carry a $100 flat fee.

3's companion demolition provision treats any perimeter wall on a lot line or shared wall as removing the small-structure carve-out. Applications for a shed permit go to the Commissioner of Permit and Inspection Services on the Commissioner's prescribed form, and construction still has to conform to the current Building Code of New York State (BCNYS) and the City Charter and ordinances even when no permit is required. The Unified Development Ordinance (Green Code) separately controls where a shed can sit on the lot, but that dimensional standard is published outside this code and is not reproduced here.