Huntsville, AL Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Zoning Ordinance § 73.8 sets the core accessory-structure standard for houses: no accessory structure may be erected in any front yard or any required side yard except an underground fallout shelter permitted under section 73.2, accessory structures cannot exceed two stories in height, cannot cover more than 30 percent of any required rear yard, and must sit at least five feet from all lot lines and ten feet from any other structure on the same lot. On corner lots, § 73.8.2 adds that detached residence accessory structures, other than underground fallout shelters, cannot be located closer to a street than the minimum building line.

The rule connects back to the yard article: § 73.7.6 confirms that rear yards may contain accessory buildings provided such buildings comply with section 73.8, and § 73.7.2 folds any roofed porch or carport into the lot-coverage calculation as part of the main building rather than as a separate accessory structure.

A separate, faster track exists for portable storage pods under § 73.1.2(3): one unit per residential lot without a building permit, capped at 160 square feet and 10 feet in height, set back at least 10 feet from the front line and 5 feet from side, rear and other structures, and limited to three 30-day permits per lot in any 12-month period after the owner obtains a portable storage structure permit from zoning administration. Multi-family properties get one pod per dwelling unit, kept out of required parking and landscaped areas, with no mechanical, plumbing or electrical hookups allowed.