Davis County, UT Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Davis County, UT, 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
- Max accessory building size
- 1,000 square feet total
- Rear yard coverage cap
- 25% of required rear yard
- Farm shed/barn setback
- 3 ft side/rear, 60 ft street/home
- Order rule
- Accessory building can't predate main house
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Davis County Code Section 15.20.130 caps how big an accessory building can get and where it can sit. A shed, barn or garage cannot cover more than 25 percent of the required rear yard or exceed 1,000 square feet total, and a farm shed or barn needs 3 feet of side and rear clearance and 60 feet from the street or a neighbor's house.
Agriculture Accessory Buildings. No hay barn, silo, equipment shed or storage building may be located closer than three (3) feet to any side or rear lot line and sixty (60) feet to any public street or dwelling on an adjacent property; provided, that greenhouses or other shelters used in connection with the growing of ornamental plants and flowers may be located as provided for the location of accessory buildings and structures in the zone regulations. ... Lot Coverage of Accessory Buildings, Structures and Uses. No accessory building, structure or group of buildings or structures, excluding swimming pools, and no parking space in any residential zone shall cover more than twenty-five (25) percent of the required minimum rear yard space, but in no case shall any building or combination of accessory buildings exceed one thousand (1,000) square feet.
Full Breakdown
130, Supplementary Requirements For Principal And Accessory Buildings And Structures, sets the county's baseline rules for sheds, barns and other accessory structures. Its Agriculture Accessory Buildings clause requires that no hay barn, silo, equipment shed or storage building sit closer than 3 feet to a side or rear lot line, or closer than 60 feet to a public street or a dwelling on an adjacent property; greenhouses and similar plant shelters instead follow the accessory-building setbacks set for the zone. The Lot Coverage clause caps every accessory building, structure or group of them (swimming pools aside) at 25 percent of the required minimum rear yard, and flatly bars any accessory building or combination of them from exceeding 1,000 square feet regardless of lot size.
The same section's Building Lot rule bars putting up an accessory building before the principal dwelling exists on the lot, unless both go up at the same time. In commercial, industrial and R-3 multifamily zones, the Planning Director must approve a site plan covering the location and bulk of accessory structures, driveways and parking before a building permit issues; the Planning Director can act on an applicant's submission or propose the site plan directly. These standards apply county-wide to the unincorporated area and are checked at the building-permit counter by Davis County Community Development.
Violations & Fines
Erecting a shed or accessory building that exceeds the 1,000-square-foot cap, breaches the setback, or skips required site plan approval is a zoning violation. Since Title 15 has no standalone penalty clause, it is prosecuted under the county's general ordinance penalty at Section 1.08.010: a Class B misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, and Section 1.08.020 makes every day the structure remains noncompliant a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can my shed be in unincorporated Davis County?
Can I put up a shed before I've built my house?
How far does a farm shed have to be from the street?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davis County
How Davis County compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Davis County to another location·View the Utah accessory structures overview
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