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

Chapter 17's Sec. 17-805 sets the general rule for accessory structures: in the A-1, A-2, and RV districts an accessory structure may be taller than the primary structure, but in every other district, including the county's residential districts, an accessory structure cannot exceed the height of the primary structure it serves. Where a lot has not achieved the district's minimum width, Sec. 17-805(b) still requires every accessory structure to meet the front setback. 01, the Area, Setback, and Height table for conventional districts, then splits accessory-structure setbacks by size in each district: in R-1, Low Density Residential, an accessory structure of 580 square feet or less needs only a 5-foot side and 5-foot rear setback and cannot be closer to the front line than the primary structure except by special use, while an accessory structure larger than 580 square feet must meet the full 10-foot side and 25-foot rear setback that applies to the house itself.

The same 580-square-foot break point and matching setback jump repeats across A-1, A-2, RV, RR-1, R-2, and R-3, though the small-accessory-structure setback loosens to 5-foot side/5-foot rear in every one of them. Structural encroachments such as eaves, gutters, and chimneys may project up to two feet into any required setback under Sec. 06. A shed, garage, or pole barn that is part of a use requiring a building permit still needs the permit issued under chapter 6's building code before construction begins.