Merced County, CA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Merced County, CA, 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
- Permit-exempt shed
- under 120 sq ft, 12 ft tall, no utilities
- Exempt sheds per dwelling
- one
- Max size, small parcel
- 600 sq ft
- Accessory height cap
- 15 ft
- Rear/side setback
- 5 ft minimum
- Max accessory structures
- 2 per parcel
Summary
A detached shed in unincorporated Merced County needs no building permit if it stays under 120 square feet, 12 feet tall, and skips electrical or plumbing; only one such shed is exempt per dwelling. In residential zones, larger sheds still cannot top 600 square feet on a parcel under a quarter acre or exceed 15 feet in height.
Chapter 16.16 of this title shall not apply to a building designed or constructed as a detached, single story shed for personal use, not exceeding 120 square feet in floor area, not exceeding 12 feet in height, with no electrical and no plumbing (only one such building exempted under this provision will be allowed for each dwelling on a parcel; additional sheds will require a building permit and planning department review) ... No accessory structure shall exceed 600 square feet on a parcel less than one-quarter acre.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4930839; v8 updated 2026-06-02).
Full Breakdown
16 if it does not exceed 120 square feet of floor area, does not exceed 12 feet in height, and has no electrical or plumbing connections. Only one exempt shed is allowed per dwelling on a parcel; a second shed, or any shed above those thresholds, needs a building permit and Planning Department review. 030(C) sets the zoning standards for accessory structures in residential zones: no accessory structure can exceed 600 square feet on a parcel smaller than one-quarter acre, the minimum rear setback is five feet, and an interior parcel's side setback is also five feet.
030(C)(4) caps accessory structure height at 15 feet and requires the shed stay shorter than the main house, though the Director can approve a taller shed through an administrative permit. 030(C)(9). A shed cannot encroach into the required front setback or the street-side setback on a corner lot, and any shed placed in the front half of the parcel must match the main house's materials, colors, and architectural style.
Violations & Fines
Building a shed over 120 square feet, taller than 12 feet, or wired for electricity without a building permit is unpermitted construction under § 16.12.070, subject to a doubled permit fee for a first offense. A shed that violates the zoning standards in § 18.32.030(C), such as exceeding 600 square feet on a small parcel, sitting in the required setback, or being a third accessory structure on the lot, is a zoning violation the Planning Department can require corrected or removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size shed can I build without a permit in Merced County?
How big can a shed be on a small residential lot?
How close to my property line can a shed sit?
How many sheds can I have on one parcel?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced County
How Merced County compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·California rules heatmap·Compare Merced County to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
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