Pasco, WA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Pasco, WA, 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
- R-15 storage building cap
- 480 sq ft cumulative, 15 ft height
- Container storage
- Prohibited as a storage building
- Accessory structure setbacks
- 5 ft rear, 5 ft side (Table 25.22.050(1))
- Rabbit/chicken structures
- 10 ft from property lines, max 6 ft tall, 30 sq ft
- Detached garage cap
- 1,600 sq ft, 18 ft height
Summary
In Pasco's R-15 low density district, storage buildings are capped at 480 square feet total and 15 feet in height, with container storage barred entirely. Citywide, accessory structures like sheds must sit at least 5 feet from rear and side lot lines under the standard setback table.
Storage buildings cumulatively not exceeding 480 square feet of gross floor area and 15 feet in height; provided no container storage, as defined in PMC 25.15.210, shall be permitted;
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4837, passed May 4, 2026).
Full Breakdown
PMC 25.30.030(3), in the R-15 Low Density Residential District chapter, limits accessory storage buildings to "cumulatively not exceeding 480 square feet of gross floor area and 15 feet in height; provided no container storage, as defined in PMC 25.15.210, shall be permitted." Detached residential garages get their own separate allowance of up to 1,600 square feet and 18 feet in height under PMC 25.30.030(1), with a special permit available for greater height. Setbacks for accessory structures generally, sheds included, run through PMC 25.22.050(1) and its Table 25.22.050(1): an "Accessory Structure" is held to the same front setback as the main house, a 5-foot rear setback, a 5-foot side setback, and either a 0-foot or 5-foot alley/private driveway setback depending on whether a garage door faces the alley.
A narrower rule applies to any structure housing rabbits or chicken hens: it must sit at least 10 feet from every property line, stay behind the rear line of the dwelling, and cannot exceed six feet in height or 30 square feet in size (PMC 25.22.050(1)(b)(i) and footnote 3(a)). Accessory dwelling units are carved out of this setback table entirely and instead follow the separate standards in Chapter 25.161 PMC (PMC 25.22.050(1)(c)).
Violations & Fines
A storage shed exceeding the 480-square-foot/15-foot cap in the R-15 district under PMC 25.30.030(3), or built inside the 5-foot rear or side setback required by Table 25.22.050(1), is a zoning violation subject to enforcement by the City Planner under PMC 25.10.030, which allows monetary penalties under Chapters 1.40 and 1.45 PMC. A rabbit hutch or chicken coop closer than 10 feet to a property line, taller than six feet, or larger than 30 square feet violates the specific animal-structure standard in PMC 25.22.050(1)(b)(i).
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can a storage shed be in Pasco's R-15 zone?
How close to my property line can I build a shed in Pasco?
Are chicken coop setbacks different from regular shed setbacks in Pasco?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasco
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