Southaven, MS Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Southaven, MS, 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
- Storage building height, residential
- 20 feet, slab to highest roof point
- Storage building stories
- One story maximum
- All accessory buildings combined
- 50 percent of heated principal structure
- Rear yard occupancy
- 30 percent maximum
- Side and rear lot line distance
- 5 feet if over 10 feet from house
- Front yard
- Prohibited
Summary
In the City of Southaven, Mississippi, Sec. 13-13(e) holds a storage building in a residential zone to 20 feet high and one story. All accessory buildings on the lot together are capped at 50 percent of the heated principal structure and 30 percent of the rear yard. A shed more than 10 feet from the house can sit 5 feet from a side or rear lot line, never in the front yard.
Storage buildings in any residentially zoned area of the city shall not exceed twenty (20) feet in height to be calculated from the slab of the building to the highest point of the roof pitch and shall not exceed one (1) story. All accessory buildings on the lot shall not exceed fifty (50) percent of the square footage of the heated principal structure, nor occupy more than thirty (30) percent of the rear yard. Any storage building closer than ten (10) feet to a main building shall be considered a part of the main building and shall be provided with the side and rear yards required for the main buildings. An accessory building more than ten (10) feet from the main building may be erected within five (5) feet of a side or rear lot line, but is prohibited from being located in any front yard.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 13 of Title XIII, Storage and Accessory Buildings, sets the shed rules for the City of Southaven. Sec. 13-13(e) starts with height: a storage building in any residentially zoned area shall not exceed twenty (20) feet, calculated from the slab of the building to the highest point of the roof pitch, and shall not exceed one (1) story. It then caps the total: all accessory buildings on the lot shall not exceed fifty (50) percent of the square footage of the heated principal structure, nor occupy more than thirty (30) percent of the rear yard.
The ten foot line decides the yards. Any storage building closer than ten (10) feet to a main building is considered part of the main building and has to provide the side and rear yards the main building requires. An accessory building more than ten (10) feet from the main building can be erected within five (5) feet of a side or rear lot line, but Sec. 13-13(e) prohibits it in any front yard.
The neighboring sections add limits. Sec. 13-13(d) says storage or temporary buildings may not be used for dwelling purposes. Sec. 13-13(c) allows temporary buildings in residential districts for no more than fourteen (14) days, for moving purposes only, and never permanently. Sec. 13-13(a) covers commercial and agricultural districts instead: combined storage buildings and portable storage units cannot exceed forty (40) percent of the square footage of the primary structure and parking lots, and portable units are limited to two (2) per property, in the rear, screened from public view, with location and screening approved beforehand by the office of planning and development. The code defines an accessory building as a subordinate building incidental to and customary in connection with the principal building and located on the same lot.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 13-2(c) applies to any building or structure erected or altered in violation of Title XIII, so an oversized or misplaced shed is covered. The proper authorities can bring an action to restrain, correct or abate it, and a person who knowingly and willfully violates the title is subject to fines according to state law, imprisonment up to thirty (30) days, stop work orders and revocation of privilege licensing and certificates of occupancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a shed be in a Southaven backyard?
How close to the fence line can I put a shed in Southaven?
Is there a limit on how many sheds or how much total area I can add?
Can I live in a storage building or use a portable container on my residential lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Southaven
How Southaven compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Southaven to another location·View the Mississippi accessory structures overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.