Little Rock, AR Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Little Rock, AR, 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
- Side/rear setback
- 3 ft from property line
- Alley exception
- No setback on dedicated alley
- Permit-exempt size
- One-story shed ≤200 sq ft
- R-1–R4A front setback
- 60 ft from front line
- Zoning violation fine
- $50–$500 per offense
Summary
Little Rock requires accessory buildings, including backyard sheds, to sit at least 3 feet from side and rear property lines under the zoning code, though sheds 200 square feet or smaller skip the building permit entirely.
Accessory buildings shall maintain at least a three-foot setback from any side or rear yard property line except where said rear yard abuts on a dedicated alley. No setback shall be required for an accessory building upon the alley.g.Where the developed lots in a block comprise forty (40) percent or more of the frontage of the said block and the buildings on those lots have an average variation in depth of not more than six (6) feet, the average of those depths on said lots shall be the standard depth for the balance of the block and provided further that in case of a subdivision having been approved by the planning commission and recorded with a front building line less than that required by this chapter, then the requirements of this chapter shall be waived and the recorded building line shall be accepted. (Code 1961, Ch. 43, § 5-102; Ord. No. 15,247, § 1, 2-17-87; Ord. No. 15,553, § 1a, b, o, cc, dd, 9-20-88; Ord. No. 15,617, § 1, 1-3-89; Ord. No. 16,341, § 1(y), (gg), 1-19-93; Ord. No. 16,861, § 1(z), 3-21-95; Ord. No. 17,305, § 1(a), (b), 11-7-96; Ord. No. 18,228, § 3, 3-7-00; Ord. No. 18,324, § 1(rr), 8-1-00)
Secs. 36-157—36-175. - Reserved.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 83).
Full Breakdown
Little Rock's zoning code (Sec. 36-156) requires all accessory buildings, sheds, detached garages, workshops, to sit at least 3 feet off side and rear property lines, with no setback where the rear yard abuts a dedicated alley. In R-1 through R-4A residential districts, accessory structures also can't sit closer than 60 feet to the front property line or 15 feet from a street side line, and can't cover more than 30% of the required rear yard. Separately, Sec. 8-31 exempts one-story detached tool/storage sheds and playhouses of 200 square feet or less from needing a building permit at all; anything larger requires a permit from the Department of Public Works.
Violations & Fines
Violating the setback or building without a required permit is a misdemeanor under Sec. 36-4: fines run $50 to $500 per offense, with continuing violations penalized up to $250 for each additional day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a backyard shed in Little Rock?
How close to my property line can I build a shed?
Are there extra rules for sheds near the front of my lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Little Rock
How Little Rock compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Little Rock to another location·View the Arkansas accessory structures overview
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