Coconino County, AZ Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Coconino County, AZ, 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
- Standard setback
- Matches main house, front/street side
- Reduced setback (≤600 sf, ≤15 ft)
- 5 feet interior side/rear
- Small-lot reduction
- 120 sf structure: 3-foot setback
- Micro-shed reduction
- 64 sf/8 ft: 1-foot setback, 0 from house
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance §4.5.C.5
Summary
A detached shed or accessory structure in unincorporated Coconino County must meet the same setbacks as the main house along the front and street side lines. Section 4.5.C.5 lets a structure of 600 square feet or less and no taller than 15 feet sit as close as 5 feet to an interior side or rear property line.
5. A detached Accessory Structure, including Distributed (Individual) Renewable Energy Systems in Residential Zones, regardless of the requirements for Building Permits, shall meet all Setback and separation requirements for the underlying zone except as provided herein: A. A detached Structure shall meet the Setback requirements of the main Building for the Front and Street Side Setbacks. B. A detached Accessory Structure which does not exceed 15 feet in height and 600 square feet in area shall meet the Front and Street Side Setbacks but may be located within an Interior Side or Rear Setback provided, however, that such Structure shall not be located closer than 5 feet to an Interior Side or Rear Lot Line.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
5 of the Coconino County Zoning Ordinance requires every detached Accessory Structure, sheds included, to meet the Setback and separation requirements of its underlying zone, with the Front and Street Side Setbacks always matching whatever applies to the main house. Subsection B carves out a reduction for smaller buildings: a detached Accessory Structure of 600 square feet or less and no taller than 15 feet still has to meet the Front and Street Side Setbacks, but can sit inside the Interior Side or Rear Setback as close as 5 feet to the property line.
On parcels of half an acre or smaller in the RS-6,000, RS-10,000, RMH, and MHP zones, Subsection C tightens the numbers further: a structure of 120 square feet or less can sit as close as 3 feet to an Interior Side or Rear line, and one of 64 square feet or less that is 8 feet tall or shorter can go to a 1-foot Interior Side or Rear Setback with zero separation from the main dwelling, provided its roof does not drain onto a neighboring lot.
6, a shed cannot include a kitchen or wet bar, and bathroom fixtures on the whole parcel are capped at one sink, one toilet, and one shower. 1's Building Code trigger, but the Setback rules apply regardless of the permit threshold.
Violations & Fines
An accessory structure built inside a required Setback without qualifying for the size reduction in Section 4.5.C.5 is a zoning violation under Section 5.14.C.4.A. The county can withhold building and zoning permits for the property, and a Hearing Officer can impose civil or criminal fines up to $750 per day for an individual or $10,000 per day for a business until the encroaching structure is relocated or removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close to my property line can I build a shed in unincorporated Coconino County?
Is there a smaller shed rule for small residential lots?
Can my Coconino County shed have a bathroom or kitchenette?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coconino County
How Coconino County compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Coconino County to another location·View the Arizona accessory structures overview
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