Meridian, ID Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Meridian, ID, 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
- Permit-exempt size
- 120 sq ft or less
- Covers
- tool/storage sheds, playhouses
- Must be
- one-story, detached
- Over threshold
- full building permit required
- Code basis
- 2018 IBC as locally amended
Summary
Meridian exempts one-story detached tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar accessory structures from a building permit if their floor area is 120 square feet or less, under the city's local amendment to the International Building Code.
One-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, emissions testing facilities, and similar uses, provided that the floor area is not greater than 120 square feet (11m 2 ).B.IBC section 107.2.6 shall be amended to read as follows: Site Plan. The construction documents submitted with the application for permit shall be accompanied by a site plan showing, to scale, the size and location of new construction and existing structures on the site, distances from lot lines, the established street grades, and the proposed finished grades. The site plan shall be drawn in accordance with an accurate boundary line survey. In the case of demolition, the site plan shall show construction to be demolished and the location and size of existing structures and construction that are to remain on the site or plot. The building official is authorized to waive or modify the requirement for a site plan when the application for permit is for alteration or repair or when otherwise warranted. All development located in the Meridian floodplain overlay district is required to meet the provisions of the Meridian flood damage prevention ordinance, title 10, chapter 6, Meridian city code.
C.IBC section 109.2 shall be amended to provide as follows:
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
When Meridian adopted the 2018 International Building Code, it amended IBC section 105.2, exception 1, to exempt one-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, emissions testing facilities, and similar uses from needing a building permit, but only while the floor area stays at or under 120 square feet. Go over that threshold and the shed needs a full building permit through the city's Building Services Division. The exemption covers the permit only. Title 11 zoning setback and accessory-structure standards still apply regardless of size.
Violations & Fines
Building a shed over 120 square feet without a permit is a misdemeanor under Title 10; the city also doubles the permit fee for anyone who starts work before the required permit is obtained.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a small shed in Meridian?
What if my shed is bigger than 120 square feet?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Meridian
How Meridian compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Meridian to another location·View the Idaho accessory structures overview
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Shed & Carport Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle shed & carport rules.