Stafford Township, NJ Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Subsection B of § 211-35 (Supplementary zoning requirements) sets the accessory building standards for lots throughout Stafford Township. An accessory building attached to a principal building is treated as part of the principal building and has to meet the principal building's yard requirements, so a shed built onto the house loses its accessory status.

Height has two ceilings. The accessory structure cannot exceed the height of the existing principal structure on the property, and in no event can it exceed 60% of the maximum height the zone allows for the principal structure.

Location has three tests. An accessory building cannot occupy a front yard in any zone. It cannot cover more than 35% of the available rear yard in area. A detached accessory building or use cannot sit closer to the street than the front building line of the principal structure. Side and rear setbacks come from the schedule of requirements for the zone, and where the schedule specifies no setback, the setbacks required for principal structures control. Driveways and off-street parking and loading areas follow the location standards in Chapter 130.

A number of district sections print their own shed setbacks. Some residential districts state a rear yard setback of five feet and a side yard setback of two feet for sheds and similar structures that are not greater than 12 feet in height and not greater than 150 square feet in area, so the text for the district your lot sits in controls the side and rear numbers.

A zoning permit comes first. Under § 213-1A the Zoning Officer issues it before construction, erection or alteration of any building or structure. Under § 213-1K, an applicant for an accessory structure can depict its location by hand on the original survey, provided the survey clearly shows all four setbacks to the existing principal structure and accurately shows the location and dimension of that structure. If the Zoning Officer has reasonable cause to question the drawing, an as-built survey certified by a licensed engineer or land surveyor is required. In the Pinelands Area, § 213-1I adds the application, notice and review requirements of § 211-9.