St. Martin Parish, LA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in St. Martin Parish, LA, 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
- Permit required
- Any structure, from the parish building permit agent (Sec. 8-1)
- Wood storage building fee
- $3.50 per $1,000.00; $39.44 per square foot under roof test; $100.00 minimum
- Metal storage building fee
- $3.50 per $1,000.00; $59.33 per square foot under roof test; $100.00 minimum
- Permit without prior approval
- Permit fee due is doubled (Sec. 8-5(d))
- Accessory building height
- Not more than thirteen (13) feet (zoning supplementary regulations)
- Electrical hook-up
- Fixed at $25.00
Summary
In unincorporated St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, a shed needs a building permit from the parish building permit agent before construction starts. Under St. Martin Parish Code § 8-5, outbuildings such as unattached garages, workshops, sheds and pool houses are permitted on a square footage basis, with new wood and metal storage buildings charged $3.50 per $1,000.00 and a $100.00 minimum.
(a)The fees set forth below shall be imposed and collected by the duly designated agent of St. Martin Parish Government prior to the issuance of any building permit. ... New Wood Storage Buildings $3.50 per $1,000.00 of the fair market value as declared by the owner or $3.50 per $1,000.00 of the value determined by multiplying $39.44 times the square feet under roof, whichever is more. ($100.00 minimum). New Metal Storage Buildings $3.50 per $1,000.00 of the fair market value as declared by the owner or $3.50 per $1,000.00 of the value determined by multiplying $59.33 times the square feet under roof, whichever is more. ($100.00 minimum). ... (b)All outbuildings such as unattached garages, workshops, sheds, pool houses and the like shall be permitted on a square footage basis as set forth herein. ... (d)In the event that any person, firm, or juridical entity commences any construction activities without first obtaining a permit and making the payment of fees which is required, then any permit fee(s) due shall be double the amount which would otherwise be due under the provisions of this chapter.
Full Breakdown
The permit duty starts in Sec. 8-1, which says no person shall construct or cause to be constructed any structure without a permit to construct it from the parish building permit agent. Nothing in that sentence exempts a small backyard storage building, so a shed in unincorporated St. Martin Parish is permitted like any other structure. Under Sec. 8-5(a), the applicant presents plans, specifications or blueprints that set out in precise numbers the total square footage of the proposed building, and the designated agent of St. Martin Parish Government collects the fee before the permit issues.
Two storage lines in the fee schedule fit sheds. A new wood storage building is charged $3.50 per $1,000.00 of the owner's declared fair market value, or $3.50 per $1,000.00 of the value found by multiplying $39.44 by the square feet under roof, whichever is more. A new metal storage building uses the same $3.50 per $1,000.00 rate against the declared value or $59.33 times the square feet under roof, whichever is more. Each line carries a $100.00 minimum. Subsection (b) then sweeps in all outbuildings such as unattached garages, workshops, sheds and pool houses, which are permitted on a square footage basis, and subsection (c) fixes electrical hook-up costs at $25.00.
Height and use limits come from the zoning ordinance in Appendix C, which divides the unincorporated area of St. Martin Parish into districts. Its supplementary regulations under article V state that accessory buildings shall not be built more than thirteen (13) feet in height, and its definitions describe an accessory building as a subordinated building, or a portion of the main building, on a lot whose use is customarily incidental to the main or principal building.
Violations & Fines
Starting construction without first obtaining the permit and paying the required fee triggers Sec. 8-5(d): any permit fee due is double the amount that would otherwise be due under the chapter. Building a shed with no permit at all also breaks the Sec. 8-1 rule that no structure goes up without a permit from the parish building permit agent. The doubled fee reaches any person, firm or juridical entity that commences construction activities first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a shed in unincorporated St. Martin Parish?
How is the permit fee for a storage shed figured?
What happens if I build the shed first and apply later?
How tall can an accessory building be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Martin Parish
Compare St. Martin Parish to another location·View the Louisiana accessory structures overview
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