Thousand Oaks, CA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

09(a) of the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code requires a permit before any building, structure, or building service equipment is erected, altered, moved, or demolished in the city, issued by the Building Official through the Community Development Department's Building Division. Subsection (b)(1) then carves out a narrow exemption for one-story detached accessory structures used as a children's playhouse, tree house, equipment shed, or utility building. To qualify, the shed must be accessory to a dwelling unit, must not exceed 120 square feet in floor area or 12 feet in overall height from floor to roof, and must contain no mechanical, electrical, or plumbing installations that would themselves trigger permits.

The shed also cannot sit in a front, side, or other yard where City zoning requires a setback, and it must be separated by at least six feet from the dwelling and from any other similar accessory structure. A structure regulated by Section 710A of the California Building Code is excluded from the exemption regardless of size. Meeting the exemption removes the building permit requirement only: the code states exemption from permit requirements does not authorize work that otherwise violates the building standards codes, the zoning code, or any other City ordinance, so a shed still has to comply with zoning setbacks, lot coverage, and height limits even without a permit.

Homeowners who exceed 120 square feet, add electrical service, or place the shed inside a required setback must file a building permit application with construction documents under Sec. 010 before starting work.