Shed permit rules in Wayne County, MI — also referred to as storage shed, backyard shed, or accessory building regulations — set size limits, setbacks, and when a building permit is required.
Wayne County itself does not regulate residential sheds in the dozens of incorporated cities and townships that make up nearly all of the county. Shed setbacks, lot coverage, and zoning permits are set by each municipality (Detroit, Dearborn, Livonia, Westland, etc.). Statewide, the Michigan Residential Code (administered under Public Act 230 of 1972) generally exempts one-story detached accessory structures under 200 square feet from a building permit, but a local zoning permit is almost always still required.
Michigan is a home-rule state and Wayne County's Department of Public Services (Buildings/Construction Permit Office at 33809 Michigan Avenue, Wayne, MI 48184) only acts as the building enforcement agency in the rare unincorporated parcels and handles county functions like soil erosion, drainage, septic, and county road right-of-way permits. For a shed in Detroit, Dearborn, Livonia, Westland, Canton Township, Plymouth, Northville, Romulus, Taylor, or any other Wayne County municipality, the rules come from that city or township's zoning ordinance and building department. Statewide, the Michigan Construction Code Act (PA 230 of 1972), administered by LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes, adopts the Michigan Residential Code based on the IRC. Under that code, a one-story detached accessory structure used as a tool or storage shed and not exceeding 200 square feet is generally exempt from a building permit, but the structure must still comply with the construction code and with local zoning (setbacks, lot coverage, height). Adding electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work always requires a separate trade permit. Confirm specific shed setback distances, maximum size, and zoning permit fees with your municipal building or zoning department before construction.
Building a shed without the required municipal zoning permit, exceeding the 200 sq ft building-permit threshold without a permit, or violating local setback or lot-coverage limits is enforced by the city or township building department, not by Wayne County. Typical remedies are a stop-work order, after-the-fact permitting with doubled fees, or a civil infraction filed in the local district court.
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