Union County, NC Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Union County, NC, 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 required
- Zoning permit before construction
- Rear-yard setback
- 5 feet, plus 1 ft per ft over 12 ft height
- Max lot coverage
- 40% of lot, all buildings combined
- Size cap under 2 acres
- No more than principal house sq ft
- Size cap over 10 acres
- No limit
Summary
A shed or other accessory building in an unincorporated Union County residential district needs a zoning permit and, if set completely behind the rear building line, only a 5-foot rear and side setback, though taller sheds must step that setback back further and total lot coverage cannot exceed 40 percent.
Accessory buildings located in the rear yard (completely behind the rear building line) of an allowed residential use are subject to minimum rear and interior side setbacks of 5 feet, provided that if the high point of the roof or any appurtenance of an accessory building exceeds 12 feet in height, the accessory building must be set back from rear and side lot lines an additional one foot for every one foot of height exceeding 12 feet up to the required principal building setback; thereafter, no further setback is required. ... In residential zoning districts, the maximum lot coverage of all principal and accessory buildings on the lot may not exceed 40% of the lot.
Full Breakdown
010. A shed sited entirely behind the rear building line of a residential lot only needs a minimum 5-foot rear and interior side setback. If the shed's roof or any appurtenance rises above 12 feet, the required setback grows by one additional foot of distance for every foot of height beyond 12 feet, up to whatever setback applies to the main house, after which no further setback is added. Total lot coverage from every principal and accessory building on a residential lot cannot exceed 40 percent.
010: on lots under 2 acres, all accessory buildings combined cannot exceed the square footage of the principal house; that cap rises to 125 percent on lots of 2 to under 4 acres, 150 percent on 4 to under 7 acres, 175 percent on 7 to under 10 acres, and there is no size cap at all on lots of 10 acres or more.
Violations & Fines
Building or expanding a shed without the required zoning permit, or exceeding the setback, height-step, coverage, or size-percentage standards, is a violation of the Unified Development Ordinance under Article 95, enforced by the county Administrator. It carries a misdemeanor fine up to $500 or 30 days in jail under NCGS 14-4, or an escalating civil citation of $50, $200, then $500 for repeat citations, with each day of the violation counted separately, and the Administrator may deny or revoke permits until it is corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a shed in unincorporated Union County?
How close to my rear property line can a shed sit in Union County?
Is there a limit on how much of my lot sheds and garages can cover?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Union County
How Union County compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Union County to another location·View the North Carolina accessory structures overview
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