Edmonds, WA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Edmonds, WA, 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
- Accessory building height cap
- 15 feet
- Reduced rear setback threshold
- Under 600 sq ft
- Reduced rear setback
- 5 feet
- Ground-mounted satellite dish max diameter
- 12 feet
- Governing section
- ECDC 16.20.065
Summary
Edmonds caps accessory building height at 15 feet and lets small accessory structures under 600 square feet reduce their rear setback to 5 feet under ECDC 16.20.065, while otherwise holding sheds and garages to the same dimensional standards as the main house.
16.20.065 Site development standards - Accessory buildings and structures. A. General. ... Accessory buildings and structures shall meet all of the standards of ECDC 16.20.030 except as specifically provided in this section. B. Height. Height shall be limited to 15 feet, except for amateur radio transmitting antennas and their supporting structures. ... ... C. Rear Setbacks. The normally required rear setback may be reduced to a minimum of five feet for accessory buildings covering less than 600 square feet of the site.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4444, passed August 3, 2026).
Full Breakdown
065 specifically carves out an exception. Subsection B limits accessory building height to 15 feet, a full 10 feet below the 25-foot cap on the principal residence, with an exception for amateur radio transmitting antennas and their supports. A garage or other accessory building linked to the main house by a breezeway, hallway or similar connector that creates a separation of more than 10 feet is still treated as a standalone accessory building and stays capped at 15 feet; the separation distance is measured between the outside walls of the two structures, excluding the connector.
Subsection C gives small accessory buildings, sheds included, a setback break: a structure covering less than 600 square feet of the site may reduce its rear setback to a minimum of 5 feet, instead of the standard 15- to 25-foot rear setback that applies to the principal dwelling depending on LDR subdistrict. 065(D): they must be sited in the rear yard first, then the side yard, then roof-mounted only as a last resort, must be finished in a nonreflective color, and a ground-mounted dish cannot exceed 12 feet in diameter or 15 feet in height without a hearing examiner waiver. 065(D)(1) and (E)(2)(b).
Violations & Fines
Accessory structures built without a required permit, or exceeding the 15-foot height cap or the reduced 5-foot rear setback allowance without qualifying under the under-600-square-foot exception, are subject to code enforcement by the Edmonds planning and development department and can be required to be altered or removed. Requests to exceed height or setback limits for satellite dishes or amateur radio antennas go through a Type III-A hearing examiner waiver process under ECDC 16.20.065(F), which charges the same fee as a variance application except for FCC-licensed amateur radio operators.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a shed be in Edmonds without extra review?
Can a small shed sit closer to my rear property line than a house can in Edmonds?
Do I need a permit for a satellite dish on my shed in Edmonds?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Edmonds
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