San Antonio, TX Accessory Structures: Shed Rules (2026)

San Antonio adopts the International Residential Code under City Code Chapter 10 (Building-Related Codes). IRC Section R105.2 exempts from building permit requirements one-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet (18.58 square meters) and there are no plumbing, electrical, or mechanical installations subject to permit. Sheds larger than 200 square feet, sheds with electrical or plumbing service, sheds attached to a dwelling, or any structure used for habitation requires a residential building permit through the Development Services Department (DSD), which triggers full IRC compliance and inspections. Regardless of permit exemption, all sheds must comply with UDC Section 35-516 setback requirements: in residential zoning districts, accessory structures over 30 inches in height must be located at least 5 feet from any side or rear property line, reducible to 3 feet in residential districts when the structure has no projecting architectural features such as eaves, sills, belt courses, cornices, or buttresses. Front-yard setbacks for accessory structures match the underlying district's primary structure setback, and a shed cannot occupy the front yard of a single-family lot. Accessory structures count toward the lot coverage limits established in UDC Section 35-310 for the applicable district.