Evanston, IL Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Evanston, IL, 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
- Min. distance from principal building
- 10 feet
- Min. setback from property line
- 3 feet (residential rear/side)
- Max. rear-yard coverage
- 40% of rear yard
- Max. height (flat/mansard roof)
- 14.5 feet
Summary
Evanston allows garden sheds in residential rear yards but bans housing birds, poultry (other than hens), or livestock in them, and caps detached accessory coverage at 40% of the rear yard.
Sheds and storage structures for garden equipment (sheds for propagation or keeping of birds, poultry (except hens), or livestock are prohibited) R Rsd
28. Steps, open (shall not be less than 1 foot from a lot line) F S R Both
29. Storage of any vehicles (provided they are no closer than 10 feet from any property line) R N-Rsd
30. Storage of boats and recreational vehicles. (In residential, RE, transitional, and university districts, not more than 1 truck with a gross weight of 8,000 pounds or less, or 1 trailer with a gross weight of 5,000 pounds or less, and not more than 1 motorized mobile camping unit, boat, and/or boat trailer may be parked within a building or in a rear yard, but not in a front or side yard or in any court area that opens toward a public street.) R Rsd
31. Swimming pools (provided they are no closer than 10 feet from any property line) R Rsd
32. Tennis courts (provided they are no closer than 10 feet from any property line) R Both
33. Transformers R Rsd S R N-Rsd
(Ord. 35-O-08; amd. Ord. 66-O-09; Ord. No. 23-O-10, § 4, 9-27-10; Ord. No. 171-O-19, § 3, 1-13-2020; Ord. No. 86-O-20, § 2, 9-29-2020; Ord. No. 69-O-23, § 2, 7-24-2023)
Editor's note— Ord. No. 69-O-23, § 2, adopted July 24, 2023, changed the title of Section 6-4-6-3 from "Allowable accessory uses and structures (detached from principal structure)" to "Allowable accessory uses and structures." The historical notation has been preserved for reference purposes.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 21).
Full Breakdown
Under the accessory-use table at Section 6-4-6-3, sheds and storage structures for garden equipment are a permitted rear-yard accessory use in residential districts, but the same table entry expressly prohibits using a shed for the propagation or keeping of birds, poultry (except hens), or livestock. General accessory-structure rules in Section 6-4-6-2 apply: no accessory building within 10 feet of the principal building's nearest wall, none in a required front or side yard abutting a street, and in residential districts at least 3 feet from any property line when in a rear or interior side yard. Detached accessory structures in a residential district may cover no more than 40% of the rear yard, and height is capped at 14.5 feet for a flat or mansard roof or 20 feet for other roof shapes.
Violations & Fines
Erecting a shed without a certificate of zoning compliance, or one exceeding the height or rear-yard coverage limits, is enforced by the Zoning Administrator, who can deny or revoke the compliance certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep chickens in my Evanston garden shed?
How tall can an Evanston shed be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Evanston
How Evanston compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Evanston to another location·View the Illinois accessory structures overview
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