How Shreveport Handles Accessory Structures: A Practical Guide

Shreveport maintains 152 local ordinances across all categories, and 4 of those deal specifically with accessory structures. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Shreveport falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

ADU Rules

Shreveport's UDC allows one accessory dwelling unit per lot under Section 6.1.O, whether attached to the main house, built into an existing garage, or fully detached, including manufactured or shipping-container units. Detached ADUs are limited to the rear yard, capped at 60% of the main home's floor area or 1,800 square feet, whichever is smaller, and cannot exceed the principal dwelling's height.

Key details: ADUs per lot: One maximum. Detached ADU location: Rear yard only. Size cap: 60% of main home or 1,800 sf. Setbacks: 5 ft from lot line, 10 ft from house. Height limit: Cannot exceed principal dwelling.

Building a second ADU on one lot, placing a detached unit outside the rear yard or inside the five-foot lot-line or ten-foot building setback, or exceeding the 1,800-square-foot or 60% floor-area cap violates UDC Section 6.1.O, enforced by the Zoning Administrator under Article 19 with a Code of Ordinances Section 1-14 fine of up to $1,000.00 or 60 days imprisonment per day the violation continues.

Tiny Homes

Shreveport zoning sets no minimum dwelling floor area, so a small permanent house is legal wherever single-family homes are. A tiny house on wheels is treated as a travel trailer and cannot be occupied outside an approved park.

Key details: Minimum House Size: None set by zoning. Smallest Lot: 7,000 square feet in R-1-7. ADU Size Cap: 1,800 sq ft or 60%. ADU Setback: Five feet from lot line. Tiny House on Wheels: Approved park only.

Occupying a travel trailer on residential property that is not zoned for it violates section 54-3 and draws a citation punishable under section 1-14 by a fine up to $1,000, up to 60 days, or both.

Garage Conversions

The space above a Shreveport detached garage's parking spaces cannot include a kitchen or sleeping area under the UDC, only an office or recreation room, unless it is approved as an accessory dwelling unit through an administrative special use permit. Only one detached garage is allowed per lot.

Key details: Kitchen/sleeping area: Barred without ADU approval. Allowed uses without permit: Office or recreation room. ADU path: Administrative special use permit. Garages per lot: One detached garage. Front setback: 5 feet minimum.

Converting the space above a detached garage into livable space with a kitchen or sleeping area without first obtaining accessory dwelling unit approval is enforced as an unpermitted use under Section 7.3.N.2.b; code enforcement can require the owner to remove the kitchen and sleeping accommodations or complete the administrative special use process to legalize it as an ADU, and continued unpermitted occupancy can bring civil citations under the city's standard UDC enforcement track.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Shreveport actively enforces its garage conversions requirements.

Shed & Carport Rules

A backyard shed in Shreveport is an accessory structure the Unified Development Code lets you build without a permit, as long as it has no permanent foundation. The UDC's accessory-use table bars sheds from the front yard entirely and requires at least five feet of clearance from every lot line, the same standard applied to detached garages and greenhouses.

Key details: Front yard: Prohibited. Setback: 5 feet from any lot line. Permit: None if no permanent foundation. Governing section: UDC § 7.4, Table 7-1. Enforcement: Zoning Administrator, Article 19.

A shed built in the front yard, closer than five feet to a lot line, or on a permanent foundation without first pulling a building permit, is a UDC violation. The Zoning Administrator issues a written correction order by certified mail; failure to comply exposes the owner to court enforcement under Article 19, with each day the shed stays out of compliance counted as a separate fineable offense.

The Bottom Line

Shreveport's accessory structures rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Shreveport is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Shreveport's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.