Duluth, MN Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Duluth, MN, 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 height, standard shed
- 20 feet
- Max height, accessory dwelling unit
- height of home or 20 ft
- Single structure rear-yard coverage
- 30 percent max
- All accessory structures combined
- 60 percent of rear yard max
- Deck within 5 ft of house
- follows primary structure setback
- Deck beyond 5 ft of house
- follows accessory structure setback
Summary
In the City of Duluth, a shed or other accessory structure cannot exceed 20 feet in height, cannot cover more than 30 percent of the rear yard by itself, and all accessory structures on the lot together cannot occupy more than 60 percent of the rear yard, under the Unified Development Chapter's dimensional standards.
D. Accessory structures. Accessory dwelling units shall not exceed the height of the principal residential structure or 20 feet, whichever is greater. All other accessory structures shall not exceed 20 feet in height. Any accessory structure shall not occupy more than 30 percent of the rear yard area. All accessory structures on a lot shall not occupy more than 60 percent of the rear yard area. An unattached deck that is 5 feet or closer to a primary structure must adhere to the same setbacks as primary structures in that zone district. An unattached deck that is greater than 5 feet from a primary structure must adhere to the accessory structure setbacks.
Full Breakdown
D sets the citywide dimensional limits for accessory structures like sheds, detached garages, and similar outbuildings. Accessory dwelling units are allowed to match the height of the principal residential structure or 20 feet, whichever is greater, but every other type of accessory structure, including a garden shed or storage building, is capped flatly at 20 feet in height. Lot coverage is limited on two levels: any single accessory structure cannot occupy more than 30 percent of the rear yard area, and the combined footprint of all accessory structures on the lot cannot exceed 60 percent of the rear yard.
The section also addresses unattached decks, which are treated as accessory structures for setback purposes: a deck sitting five feet or closer to the primary structure must follow the same setback rules as the primary structure in that zoning district, while a deck more than five feet away follows the accessory-structure setback instead. 3 applies. Because the Unified Development Chapter treats these as fixed numeric standards rather than discretionary guidelines, a shed exceeding 20 feet or a rear yard packed beyond the 30/60 percent coverage thresholds is a zoning violation rather than a matter left to staff discretion.
Violations & Fines
Construction Services and Inspections and Planning and Economic Development enforce these accessory-structure standards through the building permit process; a shed built over the 20-foot height cap or a rear yard exceeding the 30 percent single-structure or 60 percent combined coverage limits under § 50-21.2.D can be denied a permit or ordered brought into compliance, since the Unified Development Chapter sets these as fixed thresholds, not case-by-case judgment calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a backyard shed be in Duluth?
How much of my rear yard can a shed cover in Duluth?
Do deck setbacks follow the shed rules or the house rules in Duluth?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Duluth
How Duluth compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Duluth to another location·View the Minnesota accessory structures overview
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