Shed permit rules in Philadelphia, PA — also referred to as storage shed, backyard shed, or accessory building regulations — set size limits, setbacks, and when a building permit is required.
Philadelphia exempts a small shed from permits only when it is 120 sq. ft. or less, no taller than 15 ft. (one story), located in the rear yard, and accessory to a one- or two-family dwelling - per L&I Permit Guide PG_011 and the Zoning Code. A shed in a front or side yard, or larger than 120 sq. ft., requires a zoning permit, and a shed over 200 sq. ft. requires both a zoning and a building permit.
The city's L&I Permit Guide PG_011 (FAQ: I want to build or place a shed on my property) sets a tiered permit table for sheds accessory to one- or two-family dwellings. A shed of 120 sq. ft. or less in the rear yard needs no zoning permit (the same exemption applies to playhouses and pergolas) and needs no building permit if it does not exceed one story; the same shed in a front or side yard still requires a zoning permit. A shed greater than 120 sq. ft. but allowable under the Zoning Code needs a zoning permit but no building permit if it stays one story and 15 ft. or less in height. A shed over 200 sq. ft., or any shed exceeding the Zoning Code's size limits, requires both a zoning permit and a building permit; if the shed exceeds what the Zoning Code permits, L&I issues a refusal and the owner must appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment with a community meeting and public hearing. Minimum yard and setback requirements always apply, and sheds in a historic district or on a property on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places are subject to Historical Commission review (Chapter 14-1000). Sheds accessory to all other uses require both zoning and building permits. The Code separately caps a residential accessory structure at 130 sq. ft. and 15 ft. in height under Section 14-604(2).
Building a shed that exceeds Zoning Code size limits, or placing one in a front/side yard without the required zoning permit, draws a refusal or violation notice from the Department of Licenses and Inspections; correcting it requires either removal or a Zoning Board of Adjustment appeal (community meeting plus public hearing). Additional electrical, mechanical, or plumbing permits may also be required.
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