Wilmington, DE Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Wilmington, DE, 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
- Permit needed
- For any size shed
- Sealed plans waived
- Sheds 100 sq ft or less
- Issuing office
- Licenses and Inspections
- Owner-pulled permits
- Allowed under $10,000
- First-offense fine
- $250-$1,000
Summary
Wilmington requires a building permit for any shed, regardless of size, since sheds aren't on the building code's exempt-work list. Sheds up to 100 square feet built alongside a single-family home skip the sealed design-professional plan requirement, but the permit itself is still mandatory.
Section 105.4.2. Plans. No permit will be issued for construction, alteration, repair, addition, or modification unless the plans and specifications have been professionally prepared by and have the signature and seal of the appropriate design professional, expert in that discipline, as defined by the professional registration and licensing laws of the State of Delaware, licensed by the City of Wilmington, and registered with the State Board of Architects or registered with the Delaware Association of Professional Engineers except:
(a)Any single family dwellings, and any sheds (100 sq/ft), storage buildings and garages incidental to such dwellings, not exceeding 2 ½ stories and 1,500 square feet.(b)Alterations to any building, the cost of which does not exceed $25,000.00, do not require change of use, structural changes involving design or change of structural beams, support, columns or slabs, do not affect other safety features of the structure, and alterations do not, as required by the building official, endanger the life or health of the building's occupants. Sealed and signed plans are required for any/all commercial roofing projects.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72).
Full Breakdown
The city's adopted building code (IBC 2018 as locally amended) does not list sheds among the permit-exempt work items in Section 105.2, so any accessory shed needs a permit from the Department of Licenses and Inspections before construction starts. Section 105.4.2 waives only the requirement for sealed, signed plans from a Delaware-licensed architect or engineer, and only for a shed of 100 square feet or less built incidental to a single-family dwelling; larger sheds, storage buildings, or garages still need professionally sealed plans. Permits generally go to licensed general contractors, though an owner may pull a permit directly for work costing under $10,000.
Violations & Fines
Building without a required permit is a strict-liability code violation: fines run $250 to $1,000 for a first offense, $500 to $2,500 for a second, and $1,000 to $5,000 for a third or later offense, with community service sometimes substituted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a 100-square-foot shed need a permit in Wilmington?
Can a homeowner pull the shed permit themselves?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wilmington
How Wilmington compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Wilmington to another location·View the Delaware accessory structures overview
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