Akron, OH Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Combined accessory cap
- 40% of rear yard area
- Small lot floor cap
- 576 sq ft (lots ≤6,000 sq ft)
- Large lot floor cap
- 900 sq ft (lots >8,000 sq ft)
- Height limit
- 15 feet at peak
- Setback
- 3 ft from rear lot line
- Governing section
- Akron Code § 153.260(E)
Summary
Akron's Zoning Code does not set one blanket lot-coverage percentage for every property, but it caps accessory structures on residential lots. Under § 153.260(E)(6), the combined floor area of every accessory structure on a residentially zoned lot cannot exceed forty percent of the rear yard area, and each structure is separately capped by lot size and limited to fifteen feet in height.
4.An accessory structure shall not be over fifteen feet in height at its peak;5.The maximum floor area of an accessory structure on a residentially zoned lot shall not exceed the following:... 6.The maximum combined floor area of all accessory structures on a residentially zoned lot shall not exceed forty percent of the rear yard area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
Akron regulates building coverage differently depending on what is being built. 260(E) of the Zoning Code's Accessory Uses article sets the controlling limits. Subsection (E)(5) ties the maximum floor area of a single accessory structure to lot size: up to 576 square feet on lots of 6,000 square feet or less, up to 672 square feet on lots between 6,001 and 8,000 square feet, and up to 900 square feet on lots over 8,000 square feet. ' A homeowner with a shed and a detached garage cannot satisfy the per-structure table for each one separately; together they still have to fit inside forty percent of the rear yard.
Height is capped too: no accessory structure may rise 'over fifteen feet in height at its peak' under (E)(4), and (E)(2) requires at least three feet of separation from a rear lot line and six feet from any other structure. A private garage counted as an accessory use is further limited to one vehicle space per 1,500 square feet of lot in a Class U1 district (1,000 square feet in Class U2) and must sit at least twenty feet back from the street line. 504(A)(3), not as a general city standard.
Violations & Fines
Building an accessory structure that exceeds the forty-percent rear-yard cap, the per-lot floor-area table, or the fifteen-foot height limit is a Zoning Code violation under § 153.199. The Superintendent of Building Inspection can impose administrative fines of up to $100, $500, or $1,000 for a first, second, or third offense, and the City can pursue misdemeanor charges carrying up to $500 and sixty days in jail for continued noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a general lot coverage limit in Akron?
How big can my shed or detached garage be in Akron?
Does Akron limit how tall a backyard shed can be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Akron
Compare Akron to another location·View the Ohio building setbacks & zoning overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.