Mountain View, CA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Mountain View, CA, 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
- Zoning-permit-exempt shed size
- Under 120 sq ft, one story
- Max accessory structure size
- 500 sq ft
- Max height / wall plate
- 16 ft / 9 ft
- Side setback
- 7 ft (0 ft if in rear yard)
- Rear setback
- 7 ft minimum
- Separation from other structures
- 10 ft
Summary
A backyard shed under 120 square feet in Mountain View needs no zoning permit if it stays one story and skips a building or grading permit under Chapter 8, per City Code Sec. 36.06.50(b). Bigger sheds fall under Sec. 36.12.50: a 500 square-foot size cap, 16-foot height with a 9-foot wall plate, and a 7-foot side setback that drops to zero if the shed sits entirely in the rear yard.
b.Accessory structures with less than one hundred twenty (120) square feet in floor area. One (1) story detached structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed one hundred twenty (120) square feet, and the structure is not required to have building or grading permits by Chapter 8 (Buildings) of the City Code... c.Maximum size: An accessory structure cannot cover more than a maximum of five hundred (500) square feet of area... e.Maximum height: An accessory structure shall have a one (1) story limit with a total building height of sixteen (16) feet and a nine (9) foot wall plate measured from the adjacent grade... g.Side setback: Accessory structures located entirely within the required rear yard may be reduced to a zero (0) foot setback from side property line(s); otherwise, a minimum seven (7) foot setback to side property line(s) is required.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 34 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
Mountain View splits shed regulation into two thresholds. Sec. 50(b) exempts one-story tool sheds, storage sheds and playhouses under 120 square feet from any zoning permit, provided the structure also isn't required to carry a building or grading permit under Chapter 8; that square footage still counts toward the lot's allowed floor area and the shed must still meet Sec. 35's general accessory-use standards. Anything larger, or anything needing a building permit, is governed by Sec. 50's development standards for detached structures in the R1 and R2 zoning districts.
Subsection (c) caps any single accessory structure at 500 square feet, though the true ceiling can be smaller depending on how much of the required rear yard the 30-percent lot-coverage cap in subsection (b) leaves available. Subsection (e) limits sheds to one story, 16 feet of total building height, and a 9-foot wall plate measured from adjacent grade. Subsection (f) requires a 10-foot separation from the principal house and any other accessory structure over 5 feet tall. Side setbacks under subsection (g) run 7 feet minimum, reducible to zero if the shed sits entirely within the required rear yard; detached garages get the zero-foot side setback regardless of location.
The rear setback under subsection (h) is also 7 feet, droppable to zero if the combined width of rear-yard accessory structures stays under a third of the lot's width. All sheds, regardless of size, must comply with applicable building and fire codes under subsection (m), and any roof drainage must stay on the owner's own property.
Violations & Fines
Building or installing a shed that exceeds the size, height or setback standards of Sec. 36.12.50, or skipping a required building permit, is enforced as a code violation under the citywide penalty schedule in Sec. 1.7. A first infraction draws up to a $100 fine, a second within a year up to $200, and a third up to $500; a fourth violation of the same rule within one year can be charged as a misdemeanor. Sec. 1.7(c) separately makes failure to secure a required permit a misdemeanor in its own right, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a shed in Mountain View?
How close to my property line can I build a shed?
How tall can a backyard shed be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mountain View
How Mountain View compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·California rules heatmap·Compare Mountain View to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
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