Kankakee County, IL Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Kankakee County Code § 121-281 governs every detached shed, garage or other accessory building erected in the unincorporated area. A permanent accessory building may not be located nearer than ten feet from the nearest wall of the principal building, unless the planning director approves a safer type of construction closer in. In a rear yard, a detached accessory building or structure must sit at least five feet from an interior lot line, and on a corner or through lot it cannot come nearer to the street-side lot line than the setback the district otherwise requires.

Height is also capped: no detached accessory building or structure in a residence district may exceed one story or 22 feet, measured from the grade of the ground within a ten-foot radius of the building's walls. The code separately allows the planning director to issue a temporary permit letting a family live in an accessory building or manufactured home while the principal dwelling is under construction, but that permit expires 12 months after the building permit issues. A table at § 121-281(c) lists sheds and storage buildings for garden equipment and household items as permitted only in the interior side and rear yards, not in the front yard or a side yard adjoining a street.

Property owners planning a shed should confirm both the setback and height numbers with the Kankakee County Planning Department before pouring a foundation, since the same section also regulates trailers, portable buildings and parked manufactured homes used for storage.