Madera County, CA Accessory Structures: Shed Rules (2026)

Madera County regulates sheds and other accessory buildings through the Structure Regulations of Chapter 18.98 and the residential development standards in Chapter 18.11. Under Section 18.98.020, no principal or accessory structure may be placed closer to the base setback line than the minimum setback for its zoning district, with limited averaging and variance exceptions. For accessory buildings, the code allows the required side or rear offset to be reduced to five feet on lots one hundred feet wide or less, provided no detached accessory building is closer than ten feet to any structure used for residential purposes; further reduction requires zoning administrator approval and may never go below three feet. The residential development table in Section 18.11.120 sets a maximum accessory building height of fifteen feet in residential zones, while accessory farm buildings may reach sixty feet. Parcels one acre or larger in State Responsibility Area (SRA) fire zones must also meet accessory structure setbacks from property lines and roads under California Public Resources Code 4290, Section 1276.01, which is significant for foothill and ranch parcels near the Sierra. Whether a building permit is required depends on size and use under the county building code (Title 14); small storage sheds may be exempt from a building permit but still must meet zoning setbacks.