Whittier, CA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Whittier, CA, 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
- Shed height cap
- 12 feet (under 120 sq ft)
- Location requirement
- Rear one-third of the lot
- Interior lot setback
- To side and rear lot lines
- Alley lot setback
- 5 feet from rear, 5 feet from one side
- Eave/drainage limit
- No overhang or drainage onto neighbor
Summary
A Whittier storage shed under 120 square feet cannot exceed twelve feet in height, and detached accessory buildings in the rear third of the lot get their own set of reduced setbacks depending on lot type.
C.Location of Buildings. Location of buildings or structures on any R-zoned lots shall conform to the following:1.No building or structure may be located on any portion of a required yard area, except as expressly provided in this section... 3.Detached non-dwelling accessory buildings, not including accessory living areas, when located entirely in the rear one-third of the lot, may be constructed as follows provided that the eaves of any structure do not project over any property line and there is no roof drainage to adjacent property:a.On interior lots, to each side lot line and to the rear lot line,...d.On any lot served by an alley, no such building shall be located within five feet of the rear lot line, nor within five feet of one side lot line,...f.Structures less than one hundred twenty square feet (i.e., storage sheds) shall not exceed twelve feet in height.4.Dwelling units constructed above garages shall observe all yard requirements;
Full Breakdown
030(C) governs where buildings sit on an R-zoned lot, starting from the baseline that no building or structure may occupy a required yard area except as this section expressly allows. Subsection (C)(3) creates that exception for detached non-dwelling accessory buildings, which include storage sheds, when they sit entirely in the rear one-third of the lot: on interior lots they may go to each side lot line and the rear lot line; on lots served by an alley they must stay at least five feet from the rear lot line and five feet from one side lot line.
The condition attached to every one of these reduced setbacks is that the eaves cannot project over the property line and there can be no roof drainage onto the neighboring property. Subsection (C)(3)(f) then sets the size-based height cap that defines a shed for zoning purposes: any structure under one hundred twenty square feet, which the code calls a storage shed, cannot exceed twelve feet in height. A larger detached accessory building does not get this shortcut and instead must meet the standard accessory-building setbacks in the rest of subsection (C).
Subsection (C)(4) adds that a dwelling unit built above a garage or other accessory building must still meet all normal yard requirements, meaning the reduced shed setbacks do not carry over once habitable space is added above.
Violations & Fines
A storage shed or accessory building placed in violation of the setback or height limits in 18.10.030(C) is enforced under the general municipal penalty in Chapter 1.08: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a five hundred dollar fine or six months in jail, or an infraction with escalating fines up to five hundred dollars for repeat violations within a year, with each day of an unresolved violation counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my Whittier backyard shed be?
How close to the property line can I build a storage shed in Whittier?
Does the shed setback rule change on an alley lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whittier
How Whittier compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·California rules heatmap·Compare Whittier to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
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