Lakewood, NJ Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Under the Unified Development Ordinance's definitions article, a "shed" is treated as a distinct category of accessory building with its own numeric bulk limits rather than being folded into the general accessory-structure rules that apply to garages or other outbuildings. Township of Lakewood UDO § 18-200 fixes the footprint ceiling at 200 square feet and the height ceiling at 12 feet, and it lets a shed come within 5 feet of a side or rear property line, a tighter setback than the principal-building side and rear yards required elsewhere in the Design Regulations for each zoning district.

The front yard is treated differently: sheds are flatly prohibited within the front yard setback, so a homeowner cannot place one anywhere between the house's front building line and the street even if 5 feet of clearance would otherwise be available on that side. The section was amended by Ord. No. 2015-42, which added the current footprint, height and setback figures to what had been a bare definition. Permitting is built into the same sentence as the size limits: "Zoning and/or building permits are required," tying the definition directly to the Township's building and zoning permit process administered under the general code's Building and Construction chapter and the UDO's zoning permit provisions.

The definition also draws a hard line on what counts as a shed at all: "If the structure does not meet the shed definition, Board approval is required," meaning any accessory building that exceeds 200 square feet, exceeds 12 feet in height, or otherwise falls outside these terms is reclassified as a larger accessory structure and must go before the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment for site plan or variance approval rather than being handled as a routine permit.