Sahuarita, AZ Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Sahuarita, 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
- Front setback range
- 30-100 ft by zone
- Setback to main building
- 0 ft (may touch)
- Nonanimal side/rear setback (R-2 to MH)
- 4 ft
- Animal-use setback (SR zone)
- 100 ft
- Lot coverage cap
- 10% of lot area
- Max civil penalty
- $750 individual, $10,000 entity
Summary
Sahuarita sets separate dimensional standards for detached accessory buildings, such as sheds and workshops, in STC § 18.12.040's Table 18.12-4. Front setbacks run from 30 feet in GR-1 up to 100 feet in the SR zone, and a detached accessory building can sit right up against the main house with a 0-foot separation.
Table 18.12-4 Development Standards – Detached Accessory Structures
RH GR-1 SR R-1 R-2 R-3 R-4 R-5
MH ... Minimum Building Setbacks (ft.) Front Property Line (ft.)
50 30 100 60 60 50 35 35 60
To Main Building (ft.) 0
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4745395; v0 updated 2025-12-08; through 12-08-2025).
Full Breakdown
12-4 covers detached accessory structures across the same nine rural and residential zones as the main-building table: RH, GR-1, SR, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5 and MH. The front-property-line setback for a detached shed or accessory building is 50 feet in RH, 30 feet in GR-1, 100 feet in SR, 60 feet in R-1 and R-2, 50 feet in R-3, 35 feet in R-4 and R-5, and 60 feet in MH. An accessory building may be placed directly against the main dwelling with no gap at all, a 0-foot separation to the main building.
Side and rear setbacks for nonanimal accessory uses are lighter than the main-building table, dropping as low as four feet in R-2 through MH, though animal-related accessory structures, such as a barn or coop, must stay back 50 feet in RH, GR-1, R-1 and R-2 and up to 100 feet in SR. Overall accessory building lot coverage is capped at 10 percent of the total lot area in some zones and 25 percent of the rear yard in others. 060, a detached accessory building on a corner lot cannot sit closer to the street side lot line than the required side yard for the main building, and where the rear of a corner lot backs onto a key lot, no part of an accessory building within 10 feet of the rear line can come nearer the street side line than the key lot's required front yard.
Violations & Fines
Accessory building setback or coverage violations are civil infractions under STC § 18.95.030: the zoning administrator inspects, issues written notice to correct or remove the structure, and can cite the property owner. STC § 18.95.040 caps the penalty at $750 per offense for an individual or $10,000 for a corporation, with each day the oversized or misplaced building remains treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close to my house can I build a shed?
Is there a size limit on a backyard shed?
What about a shed on a corner lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sahuarita
How Sahuarita compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Sahuarita to another location·View the Arizona accessory structures overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Shed & Carport Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Pima County handle shed & carport rules.