Troy, MI Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Troy, MI, 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
- Max footprint
- 450 sq ft + 2% of lot area, up to 600 sq ft
- Rear yard coverage cap
- 25% of required rear yard
- Setback from main house
- 10 feet minimum
- Side/rear lot line setback
- 6 feet minimum
- Height limit
- 1 story / 14 feet
- Permit trigger
- Over 36 sq ft or 4 feet tall
Summary
Troy caps detached sheds and accessory buildings at 450 square feet plus 2% of lot area, or the dwelling's ground-floor footprint (up to 600 square feet), whichever is greater. A permit is required once a shed tops 36 square feet or 4 feet tall.
Permits shall be required for buildings greater than thirty-six (36) square feet in area and/or greater than four (4) feet in height... a. Detached accessory buildings shall not be erected in any yard, except a rear yard. b. Detached accessory buildings and detached accessory supplemental buildings shall occupy not more than twenty-five (25) percent of a required rear yard. c. The combined ground floor area of all detached accessory buildings shall not exceed four hundred and fifty (450) square feet plus two (2) percent of the total lot area. However, in no instance shall the combined floor area of all detached accessory buildings and detached accessory supplemental buildings exceed the ground floor footprint of the living area of the dwelling, or six hundred (600) square feet, whichever is greater. d. No detached accessory building shall be located closer than ten (10) feet to any main building, nor closer than six (6) feet to any side or rear lot line. A detached accessory building shall not exceed one (1) story or fourteen (14) feet in height.
Full Breakdown
03 of the Chapter 39 Zoning Ordinance, a detached accessory building or shed may only be built in the rear yard, never in a front or side yard. It cannot cover more than 25% of the required rear yard, and the combined ground-floor area of every detached accessory building on the lot is capped at 450 square feet plus 2% of total lot area, though that cap can stretch to the dwelling's ground-floor living-area footprint or 600 square feet, whichever is larger. Setbacks are fixed: at least 10 feet from the main house and at least 6 feet from any side or rear lot line.
Height is limited to one story or 14 feet. 2, and construction must otherwise meet the applicable Building Code. Ground-mounted antenna electrical service must run underground. Smaller 'accessory supplemental buildings' (a separate category capped at 200 square feet total) may not sit in any front yard and must clear 6 feet from side and rear lines. 04E rather than these standard limits.
Violations & Fines
Building without the required permit, or exceeding the size, setback, or height caps, is a Municipal Civil Infraction under Chapter 100 of the Troy Code, heard in the 52-4 District Court. A responsible party can be ordered to pay a civil fine plus court costs (capped at $500) and a $10 state justice-system assessment; a noncompliant structure erected or altered after the Ordinance's passage is also a public nuisance per se that a court can order abated, per Zoning Ordinance Section 3.08.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a small garden shed in Troy?
Can I put my shed in the side yard in Troy?
How big can my Troy backyard shed be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Troy
How Troy compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Troy to another location·View the Michigan accessory structures overview
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