Shed permit rules in Sammamish, WA — also referred to as storage shed, backyard shed, or accessory building regulations — set size limits, setbacks, and when a building permit is required.
Sammamish does not require a building permit for a storage shed that is no more than 200 sq ft and no more than 12 ft tall, on a site free of critical areas. Larger sheds need a permit, and all sheds must meet zone-based setbacks (front 10-20 ft, rear and side 5-10 ft).
Under the Sammamish accessory-structures handout, the Municipal Code does not require a building permit for an accessory structure (such as a shed) if it is located on a site free of any critical areas or their buffers, is no more than 200 square feet and no more than 12 feet in height (except one-story tree-houses), and is used for storage. Because of size or location, most sheds will still need a permit, and any electrical or plumbing work always requires a permit. All accessory structures must meet development standards that vary by zoning district, cited to SMC 21.04.030.C. The published setback and height table provides: R-1 zone, 35 ft max height with 20 ft front, 10 ft rear, 10 ft side; R-4 and R-6, 35 ft with 15 ft front, 10 ft rear, 10 ft side; R-8, 35 ft with 10 ft front, rear, and side; and R-12/R-18, 60 ft with 10 ft front, 5 ft rear, 5 ft side. Regardless of zone, properties on a major street have a 30-foot minimum front setback. Rear and side setbacks may be reduced to 5 feet with a recorded agreement from the adjoining property owner, per SMC 21.04.030.C.19. Confirm your zone and critical-area status with the Permit Center before building.
Building an oversized or unpermitted shed, or placing one inside a required setback or critical-area buffer, can result in code-enforcement action requiring permits, relocation, or removal. Electrical or plumbing work without a permit is a separate violation.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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