Garland, TX Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Garland, TX, 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
- Permit trigger
- Any accessory building over 20 SF
- Floor area cap
- 30% of main building, floor of 600 SF
- Height, over 200 SF
- 15 ft max, 10.5 ft wall
- Height, over 500 SF
- 25 ft or main roof height, lower wins
- Rear-yard setback
- 3 ft side and rear minimum
- Governing section
- GDC § 2.58
Summary
Garland regulates backyard sheds and other accessory buildings under GDC Section 2.58. Any accessory building over 20 square feet needs a Building Permit, total accessory floor area is capped at 30 percent of the main house (never less than 600 square feet), and maximum height steps up with size: 15 feet over 200 square feet, 25 feet over 500 square feet.
(F) Building Permit. Accessory Buildings (including Accessory Dwellings) that have a total floor area over twenty square feet in size require a Building Permit... (G) Total Floor Area. The total floor area of all Accessory Buildings on a lot may not exceed thirty percent of the floor area of the main building on the lot, except that this requirement does not limit the floor area of an Accessory Building to less than six hundred square feet. (H) Accessory Building Exceeding 200 Square Feet... the height of an Accessory Building having more than two hundred square feet in floor area may not exceed fifteen feet, with a maximum wall height of ten and one-half feet measured from the finished floor to the top plate. (I) Accessory Building Exceeding 500 Square Feet... the height of an Accessory Building having more than five hundred square feet in floor area may not exceed twenty-five feet or the height of the main structure, whichever is less, with a maximum wall height of twelve and one-half feet measured from the finished floor to the top plate. (J) Non-Street/Interior Side & Rear Yard... a minimum side and rear yard of three feet must be provided for the Accessory Building.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4862189; v40 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
58 of the Garland Development Code governs every accessory building, including accessory dwellings, on a residential lot. Any accessory structure with more than 20 square feet of floor area requires a City Building Permit under Article 1, Division 4 of Chapter 4. Total accessory floor area on the lot cannot exceed 30 percent of the main building's floor area, though that percentage rule is not allowed to shrink an accessory building below 600 square feet. 5-foot maximum wall height. Placement is restricted too: an accessory building in the rear yard needs at least a 3-foot side and rear setback, and any accessory building in a front or street-side yard must match the main house's setback along that street.
Accessory buildings cannot be used as separate living quarters or sold apart from the main house, and on any lot besides the Agricultural (AG) district, a main building must already exist on the lot before an accessory building is allowed.
Violations & Fines
Building a shed or garage without the required permit, oversized for the lot, or too tall for its floor-area tier is a GDC violation. Section 5.24 makes it a misdemeanor fined under Section 10.05, Title 1, Chapter 10, Article 1 of the City Code, up to $2,000, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense; the City may also order the structure removed or brought into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a backyard shed in Garland?
How big can my shed or detached garage be?
How close to the property line can a shed sit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Garland
How Garland compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Garland to another location·View the Texas accessory structures overview
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