Roanoke County, VA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Roanoke County Code § 30-9(A) requires a zoning permit for the erection of any structure, with only two exceptions: patios and fences that meet the location standards of §§ 30-92, 30-100-8 and 30-100-9. A shed, gazebo, playhouse or 'incidental household storage building' falls under § 30-88-2(A)(3), which lists these among the permitted accessory uses and structures on a residential lot, alongside swimming pools and recreational structures. Before the county's Department of Development Services issues the permit, the structure has to meet the dimensional standards of its zoning district.

In the R-1 low density residential district, the county's baseline single-family district, § 30-41-3(B) sets accessory-structure setbacks separately from the principal house: behind the front building line, 10 feet off the side line or 3 feet behind the rear building line, and 3 feet off the rear line. Height is capped at 15 feet under § 30-41-3(C), though a shed can go up to 25 feet if it meets the same setbacks required of the house itself. Section 30-41-3(D) also limits accessory buildings to 7 percent building coverage of the lot, on top of the district's overall 35 percent building-coverage ceiling.

Other residential districts, R-2, R-3 and R-4, carry their own accessory-structure tables with different numbers, so a homeowner near a district line should confirm the applicable district before building. Once erected, the structure needs a certificate of zoning compliance under § 30-10 before it can be used. A zoning permit is valid for six months from issuance under § 30-9(E) and lapses if construction has not begun.