Eugene, OR Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Eugene, OR, 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 size, R-1 general
- 10% of lot area
- Max size, Amazon/Fairmount/S. Univ.
- 400 sq ft
- Interior yard setback
- 5 feet minimum
- Max height, R-1 general
- 25 feet, slopes past 8 ft
- Max height, area-specific R-1
- 18 feet
- Plumbing fixtures
- 2 max, 3 with deed restriction
- Governing section
- EC 9.2751(16)
Summary
Eugene caps accessory buildings, sheds, detached garages and workshops, at 10 percent of the lot area under EC 9.2751(16), with a tighter 400-square-foot limit inside the Amazon, Fairmount and South University neighborhoods. Interior yard setbacks start at 5 feet and slope back once the wall passes 8 feet, capping most sheds at 25 feet.
(16) Accessory Buildings in R-1. (a) General Standards. Except as provided in subsection (b) below, the following standards apply to all new accessory buildings: 1. Building Size. The maximum square footage of all accessory buildings shall not exceed 10 percent of the lot area, except that accessory buildings on development sites larger than one acre (43,560 square feet) may exceed that maximum size if approved through the PUD process. For the purposes of calculating square footage, all floors of a multi-story structure shall be included. 2. Building Height/Interior Setback. a. Interior yard setbacks shall be at least 5 feet. In addition, at a point that is 8 feet above finished grade, the setback shall slope at the rate of 10 inches vertically for every 12 inches horizontally away from the property line to a maximum building height of 25 feet, except as provided below. 3. Use. No accessory building shall be rented, advertised, represented or otherwise used as an independent dwelling. An accessory building shall be limited to 2 plumbing fixtures, except that an accessory building may have 3 plumbing fixtures if... the owner records a deed restriction with the Lane County Clerk.
Full Breakdown
2751(16) governs new accessory buildings, sheds, detached garages, workshops and similar structures, in the R-1 zone. Citywide within R-1, the combined square footage of every accessory building on a lot can't exceed 10 percent of the lot area, counting all floors of a multi-story structure, though sites over one acre can exceed that cap through the PUD process. The required interior yard setback is 5 feet; above 8 feet of finished-grade height the setback slopes back 10 inches for every 12 inches of additional height, which caps most accessory buildings at 25 feet unless a PUD approves an extra 5 feet.
Use is restricted too: an accessory building can't be rented, advertised or otherwise used as an independent dwelling, and it's limited to 2 plumbing fixtures, or 3 only if the owner records a deed restriction with the Lane County Clerk barring residential use. 2751(16)(b) swaps in stricter area-specific numbers: one accessory building beyond those built before April 12, 2014, capped at 400 square feet, a steeper setback slope topping out at 18 feet, a minimum 6:12 roof pitch on anything over 200 square feet, and only 1 plumbing fixture unless a similar deed restriction is recorded.
0500, defines an accessory building as any authorized, detached building subordinate to the main building on the same site. 2750 instead caps accessory building height at a flat 25 feet in R-2 and 30 feet in R-3 and R-4.
Violations & Fines
EC 9.0275 makes violation of any Chapter 9 land use standard, including these accessory building limits, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 for each day the violation continues, confinement in jail up to 100 days, or both. Using an oversized or unpermitted accessory building as a residence without the required deed restriction is also grounds for enforcement action, since EC 9.2751(16)(a)3 conditions the extra plumbing fixture on that recorded restriction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can a shed or accessory building be in Eugene?
How far from the property line does a shed have to sit?
Can I put a bathroom in my backyard shed in Eugene?
What counts as an accessory building under Eugene's code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Eugene
How Eugene compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Eugene to another location·View the Oregon accessory structures overview
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