Indio, CA Accessory Structures: Shed Rules (2026)

Sheds are treated as detached residential accessory structures under Chapter 3.02 (General Site Development Standards) of Indio's Unified Development Code. That chapter governs garages, carports, sheds, workshops, gazebos, and covered patios that are detached from and accessory to the main building on the site. Accessory structures must meet the setback and height standards in Table 3.02.04-1 (Accessory Structure Setbacks and Height Limits), and a detached accessory building may only be built on a lot that already has a permitted main building it relates to. Separately, under Indio's adopted California Building Code amendments, a one-story detached accessory building used as a tool or storage shed, playhouse, or similar use is exempt from a building permit if the floor area does not exceed 120 square feet. That building-permit exemption does not waive zoning: the shed still must comply with Indio Municipal Code setback requirements. Indio's local 2025 amendment to CBC Section 105.2 keeps the 120-square-foot exemption only where zoning is met and deletes some standard model-code exemptions, so the city's exemptions can be narrower than the default state model code. Always confirm the exact setback and maximum height for your zone in Table 3.02.04-1 before building.