Rochester, NY Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Rochester, NY, 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
- Max storage structures
- One per residential lot (§ 120-163A(1)(k))
- Required location
- Rear yard for detached accessory structures
- Permit
- Certificate of zoning compliance required first
- Height limit
- Set per district's dimensional table
- Enclosing a shed
- Fence/wall rules apply (§ 120-167)
- Max fine
- $500 or 15 days jail per offense
Summary
Rochester limits residential properties to one detached storage structure, such as a shed, and requires it to sit in the rear yard along with almost every other detached accessory structure. Section 120-163 also requires a certificate of zoning compliance before any accessory structure, shed included, can be built, confirming it fits the district's yard, coverage and height rules.
Accessory structures and uses are permitted in any zoning district in connection with any principal use lawfully existing within such district. No accessory use or structure shall be established or constructed until the primary use or structure is constructed and unless a certificate of zoning compliance evidencing the compliance of such use or structure shall have first been issued in accordance with § 120-189. ... All detached accessory structures and uses, except for the driveway, accessory to a residential use shall be located in the rear yard, including, but not limited to: ... Storage structure with a maximum of one.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4935326; v86 updated 2026-06-16; through 06-16-2026).
Full Breakdown
' In other words, a shed cannot go up before the house it serves, and it needs its own zoning sign-off. Subsection A(1) requires that, with the exception of the driveway, every detached residential accessory structure be located in the rear yard, a list that expressly includes items like a child's playhouse, a detached garage or carport, and a storage structure. That same list caps storage structures at 'a maximum of one' per residential lot under § 120-163A(1)(k), so a property cannot add a second shed once one is in place.
Height and setback for the shed itself are set separately in each zoning district's dimensional table, so the specific height cap depends on which district the lot sits in. A shed is also subject to the fence and wall standards of § 120-167 if the owner encloses it, and to the certificate of zoning compliance process before construction begins, the same threshold rule that applies to every other accessory structure in § 120-163.
Violations & Fines
Building a second storage structure, placing a shed outside the rear yard, or starting construction without a certificate of zoning compliance is enforced by the Director of Zoning and Permitting under §§ 120-203 through 120-206. City Court violations carry a fine of up to $500 or 15 days in jail per offense under Municipal Code § 52-3A(1), with each day the noncompliant structure remains a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many sheds can I have in my Rochester backyard?
Can I put a shed in my front yard?
Do I need a permit to build a shed in Rochester?
How tall can my shed be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rochester
How Rochester compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·New York rules heatmap·Compare Rochester to another location·View the New York accessory structures overview
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