Mount Vernon, NY Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Mount Vernon, NY, 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
- Max accessory height
- One story, 12 feet (§ 267-14.M)
- Minimum setback
- 3 feet from side/rear lot line (§ 267-13.A(1)(d))
- Location
- Side or rear yard only, not front yard
- Exception
- Accessory parking structures may match principal-building height
Summary
Mount Vernon caps an accessory building like a shed or detached garage at one story and 12 feet in height under § 267-14.M, and requires it to sit at least three feet from every side or rear property line under § 267-13.A(1)(d), outside any front yard.
Accessory buildings and structures. The height of an accessory building in any districts shall be limited to one story with a maximum building height of 12 feet. Exception: The maximum height of an accessory structure used solely as an accessory parking facility in a district other than a one-, two- or three-family dwelling district, shall be permitted to be the same as the permitted height for the district in which it is located if the structure setbacks comply with the required setbacks of a principal building in such district.
Full Breakdown
M, in Chapter 267's Miscellaneous Provisions, sets a citywide ceiling on accessory buildings: the height of an accessory building in any district is limited to one story with a maximum building height of 12 feet. The only carve-out is for an accessory structure used solely as an accessory parking facility outside a one-, two- or three-family dwelling district; that structure may rise to the height otherwise permitted for the principal building in its district, but only if its setbacks match what a principal building would need there.
A(1)(d), in the Provisions Governing Yards article, lists 'other minor accessory structures' among the limited exceptions allowed to stand inside a required yard, but only in a side or rear yard and no closer than three feet from any property line. Read together, a shed or similar minor accessory structure in Mount Vernon must clear a three-foot setback from every side and rear lot line, sit outside any front yard, and stay within the one-story, 12-foot height cap unless it functions as an accessory parking structure built to principal-building standards.
The exact lot-size-dependent dimensional limits for principal structures, along with district-specific yard depths, are published separately in Chapter 267's Schedule of Dimensional Regulations attachments and are not restated in these general provisions, so a homeowner should still confirm the applicable front-yard depth for their specific district before siting a shed.
Violations & Fines
Building an accessory structure taller than 12 feet, closer than three feet to a side or rear lot line, or inside a required front yard violates §§ 267-14.M and 267-13.A(1)(d). As a Chapter 267 violation it falls under § 267-56: a fine up to $1,000, imprisonment up to 15 days, or both, per conviction, with each additional day counted as a separate offense and a stop-work order available from the Building Commissioner.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a shed be in Mount Vernon?
How close to my property line can I put a shed?
Do zoning rules for sheds apply regardless of my building permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Vernon
How Mount Vernon compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·New York rules heatmap·Compare Mount Vernon to another location·View the New York accessory structures overview
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