Forsyth County, GA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

32 of the Unified Development Code gives a narrow, three-part exemption from the building permit process, and it applies only in A1 zoning districts. To qualify, the shed must be no larger than 200 square feet, the smallest of the county's structure thresholds for detached accessory buildings; it cannot be outfitted for or serviced by any electrical, mechanical, or plumbing system, so a shed with wired lighting, an HVAC connection, or a sink or toilet falls outside the exemption; and it must still comply with every setback that applies to the district, meaning the size exemption does not waive placement rules.

If a shed in an A1 district exceeds 200 square feet, adds any electrical, mechanical, or plumbing service, or cannot meet setbacks on the lot, the code requires a building permit before it can be built. Outside the A1 district, the exemption does not apply at all: the section closes by stating that all other sheds shall require building permits, meaning every shed in any other zoning district, residential, commercial, or otherwise, needs a building permit regardless of its size or utility connections. Property owners planning a shed should confirm their parcel's zoning district first, since the same shed that needs no permit on A1 land requires one on a residential lot.