Grant County, WA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Grant County, 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
- Pre-primary-use accessory cap
- 1,500 sq ft, GCC UDO § 23.08.020(a)(1)
- Sheds/workshops/garages/barns
- Permitted residential accessory use in all zoning districts
- Pre-house structure restriction
- Cannot be used for residential occupancy, business or industry
- Governing section
- GCC UDO § 23.08.020(a) and (n)
- First-offense fine
- $500 per occurrence, GCC § 1.32.140
Summary
In unincorporated Grant County, storage sheds, workshops, garages and barns are listed as permitted residential accessory uses in every zoning district under GCC UDO Section 23.08.020(n)(4). Section 23.08.020(a)(1) also lets an accessory structure up to 1,500 square feet go up before the primary home is built, as long as it is not used for residential occupancy, business or industrial use.
(a)Accessory uses are customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal use of a structure or site. ... Accessory structures are permitted under the following provisions:(1)Accessory uses/structures not exceeding one thousand five hundred (1,500) square feet shall be permitted prior to the construction of a primary use. These structures are not intended for residential occupancy, business or industrial use; ... (n)Residential Accessory Uses and Structures: In addition to those accessory uses specified above, the following accessory uses to a residential use are permitted in all zoning districts:(1)Fallout/bomb shelters;(2)Private pools, docks, boathouses, boat launches and piers;(3)Storage of yard maintenance equipment;(4)Miscellaneous residential support buildings, such as storage sheds, workshops, garages, and barns.
Full Breakdown
020(a) sets the baseline rule for accessory structures countywide: an accessory use or structure not exceeding 1,500 square feet can be built before a primary use exists on the lot, but that early structure cannot be used for residential occupancy, business or industrial purposes; it must also stay consistent with the zoning district's purpose and comply with GCC Title 23 generally. 020(n) lists the residential accessory uses that are permitted outright in every zoning district, and item (n)(4) names 'miscellaneous residential support buildings, such as storage sheds, workshops, garages, and barns' alongside fallout shelters, private pools and docks, and yard-maintenance storage.
Together these two subsections mean a homeowner can put up a shed, garage or barn as a matter-of-right residential accessory use anywhere in the county's zoning districts, and can even build one before the house itself so long as it stays under the 1,500-square-foot pre-primary-use cap and is not converted into living space or a business. 12.
Violations & Fines
A shed or accessory structure that violates Section 23.08.020, for example one built oversized before a primary use exists or converted to residential occupancy in violation of (a)(1), is subject to the $500 per-occurrence fine in GCC Section 1.32.140. Repeat violations on the same property within 24 months escalate to $500, $1,000 and $2,000 for the second, third and fourth-or-later offense under Section 1.32.220, and Development Services can issue a stop work order under Section 1.32.170 or suspend a related permit under Section 1.32.240.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a shed before I build my house on a vacant lot in unincorporated Grant County?
Are storage sheds allowed accessory structures in every zoning district?
Does the shed rule apply the same way in Moses Lake or Ephrata?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grant County
How Grant County compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Grant County to another location·View the Washington accessory structures overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.