Melbourne, FL Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Article VII, Section 1 of the zoning ordinance governs every detached shed, workshop or other accessory structure in Melbourne's residential districts. Height is capped at 15 feet for ordinary accessory buildings (accessory dwelling units get a separate 24-foot allowance). How many sheds a property can carry, and how large each can be, depends on lot size: lots under half an acre are capped at three accessory structures with a 600-square-foot ceiling per structure and 900 square feet combined; lots of a half-acre to under one acre may have four structures up to 600 square feet each, 1,200 square feet combined; lots of one acre or more may have five structures up to 900 square feet each, 1,500 square feet combined.

Non-residential lots are capped at three structures, 600 square feet each. Section 1(C) requires a city building permit before construction or placement of any accessory building, and the structure cannot be used until the principal house on the lot has been fully erected; accessory buildings must go up simultaneously with, or after, the main house, never before it. Setbacks default to five feet from the side or rear property line (or the zoning district's own setback, whichever is less), and accessory structures other than detached garages must sit behind the principal structure or be screened so they are not visible from the street.

Section 1(G)(2) carves out a narrow exception: an existing shed sitting on an existing concrete pad may be replaced in the same footprint without triggering the size limits above, provided the replacement does not increase square footage and the pad is not inside a public drainage or utility easement. Sanitary facilities and human habitation are prohibited inside a shed.