Sullivan County, TN Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Sullivan County, TN, 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
- Rear yard setback
- 8 feet minimum from side/rear lines
- Side yard setback
- matches principal building setback
- Lot coverage cap
- 5% of total parcel acreage
- No-permit threshold
- under 120 sq ft, no fixed base
- Applies in
- unincorporated Sullivan County only
- Enforcing office
- Building Commissioner, Land Use Dept.
Summary
In unincorporated Sullivan County, a detached shed or accessory structure must sit at least eight feet off the side and rear property lines, and all accessory structures on a lot together cannot exceed 5% of the parcel's total acreage. Sheds under 120 square feet with no fixed foundation skip the building permit but must still meet the setback.
b. In Any Rear Yard: - There shall be a minimum setback requirement of (8) eight feet for all detached accessory structures including those that do not require a building permit such as: Clothes Poles or clotheslines. Private playground sets, swings/Recreational equipment. Small sheds or dog kennels... c. Customary Residential Accessory Structures provided such structures comply with the following criteria: i. Structures placed in the rear yard behind the principal structure shall be setback a minimum of (8) eight feet from the sides and rear property line to avoid any utility and drainage easements (refer to survey or plat)... iv. The total maximum area coverage of all residential accessory structures cannot exceed five (5%) percent of the total parcel (lot/tract) acreage (Amended 03/14/2024)... vi. All structures less than 120 square feet and not having a fixed base to the ground shall require no permit but shall adhere to the minimum setbacks and location as required above (amended on 12/19/2011 to comply with the 2006 IRC).
Full Breakdown
2) set the accessory-structure rules that apply outside Kingsport, Bristol and Bluff City, which zone themselves. Any detached accessory structure, including a shed, clothesline, playground set or dog kennel, placed behind the principal dwelling must sit back a minimum of eight feet from the side and rear property lines specifically to keep clear of utility and drainage easements; the resolution tells owners to check their survey or plat before siting one. A structure placed instead in the side yard has to meet the full principal-building setback for that zoning district rather than the reduced eight-foot rear-yard figure, again to preserve easement clearance and separation from neighboring structures.
Countywide, the combined footprint of every residential accessory structure on a lot is capped at 5% of the total parcel acreage, a limit added by amendment on March 14, 2024, so a homeowner with several sheds, a detached garage and a carport must keep the running total under that ceiling. Permitting is size-triggered: any accessory structure under 120 square feet that has no fixed base to the ground needs no building permit at all, an exemption added December 19, 2011 to bring the resolution in line with the 2006 International Residential Code, but the resolution is explicit that the setback and location rules still apply to that unpermitted structure exactly as they would to a permitted one.
If topography in the rear or side yard makes compliant placement impossible, the Building Commissioner may allow the structure into the front yard instead, but only if it still meets the principal structure's front setback for that zone. All accessory-structure fee applications, when a permit is required, are administered by the Sullivan County Office of Land Use, Department of Planning and Zoning.
Violations & Fines
Under §12-107.3, if a shed or other accessory structure is built, altered or used in violation of these setback or coverage rules, the Building Commissioner or an affected adjacent property owner can seek an injunction, mandamus or other court action to stop the work or force removal, on top of any other remedy. The Building Commissioner can also notify public utilities and municipal service departments and ask that they withhold or disconnect service to the property until the violation is corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a small shed in Sullivan County?
How close to my property line can I place a shed?
Is there a limit on how many accessory structures I can have?
Can I put my shed in the front yard instead?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sullivan County
How Sullivan County compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Sullivan County to another location·View the Tennessee accessory structures overview
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