Royal Oak, MI Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Section 770-22A governs accessory buildings, including sheds, detached garages and similar structures, in Royal Oak's residential districts. No accessory building may be built until a principal building already stands on the lot, and a lot may carry no more than two accessory structures. Accessory buildings must sit in the side or rear yard; any accessory building not located entirely within the rear yard must meet the same setbacks required of the principal building. An accessory building may extend up to seven feet beyond the principal building's front building line without encroaching into the required front setback.

Every accessory building must sit at least three feet from the rear lot line and at least three feet from the side lot line when it is located entirely in the rear yard. The combined floor area of all accessory buildings on a lot cannot exceed 10% of the lot's area, and in no case can their combined ground floor area exceed 800 square feet; that footage counts toward the lot's overall coverage limit. An accessory building cannot exceed 13 feet in height, though up to 15 feet is allowed if the owner adds one additional foot of setback for each additional foot of height above the base limit.

A shed or garage also cannot be wider than 50% of the principal building's primary facade width, must sit at least 10 feet from the rear lot line where a garage takes vehicle access at right angles from a public alley, and must use a mansard, hip, gambrel or gable roof compatible with the principal structure.