Mono County, CA Accessory Structures: Shed Rules (2026)

Mono County does not publish a stand-alone ordinance dedicated to garden sheds or detached accessory structures. Instead, accessory structures are governed by the development standards of the land use designation in which the property sits, administered by the Community Development Department. The County's own ADU standards (General Plan Chapter 16.050.A) describe the framework that applies to residential accessory construction generally: all construction must conform to the height, setback, lot coverage, snow storage, and other development requirements applicable to residential construction in the applicable designation. Because Mono County is mountainous, snow-storage and snow-shedding considerations frequently affect where a shed may be placed relative to property lines. Under the California Building Code (Title 24), as adopted statewide, a one-story detached accessory building used as a tool or storage shed is generally exempt from a building permit if the floor area does not exceed 120 square feet; electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work, or larger structures, will require permits. A permit exemption does not waive zoning setbacks, so owners should confirm placement and snow-storage requirements with the Community Development Department at (760) 924-1800 before building.