Shed permit rules in Carmel, IN — also referred to as storage shed, backyard shed, or accessory building regulations — set size limits, setbacks, and when a building permit is required.
Sheds are 'accessory buildings' under Carmel UDO Section 5.02. A detached shed must sit at least 25 feet behind the front of the home and 5 feet from side/rear lines (or easement plus 3 feet) when more than 10 feet from the house. An Improvement Location Permit is required, and the fee starts at $105 plus $0.11 per square foot over 150 square feet.
In Carmel, a storage shed is treated as a residential accessory building governed by UDO Section 5.02. An accessory building may not be built until construction of the principal home has commenced and must stay on the same lot as the home. Per Section 5.02(B)(1), when detached, an accessory building must be set back at least 25 feet behind the front line of the principal building (or 25 feet behind the principal building setback line, whichever is greater). For side and rear yards, when the shed is more than 10 feet from the house it must be set back the greater of 5 feet, or the easement plus 3 feet (and never within an easement, landscaped, or greenbelt area). If a shed is 10 feet or closer to the house, it is treated as part of the principal building and must meet the home's required side/rear yards. If entered from an alley, it must be at least 5 feet from the alley easement or right-of-way. Combined ground-floor area of any private garage plus accessory buildings cannot exceed 75 percent of the home's ground-floor area (lots over 3 acres and multifamily are exempt). Lighting may not exceed 0.1 foot-candle at the lot line. An Improvement Location Permit is required; residential accessory building permits start at $105 plus $0.11 per square foot over 150 square feet.
Building a shed without an Improvement Location Permit, inside a required setback or easement, or exceeding the 75% combined ground-floor area limit can result in a stop-work order, required relocation or removal, and denial of permits until corrected.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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