What's Required in Baltimore
- No building permit for a one-story detached shed or playhouse of 120 sq ft or less at a one- or two-family home (DHCD exempt-work list).
- Building permit for any larger shed: $50 over 100 sq ft, plus the $25 application fee and the 5% permit tax (BFRCBC 109).
- In a residential district a shed in the required rear yard may be no larger than 180 sq ft (Zoning Code Table 15-601).
- All accessory structures together may cover no more than 50% of the required rear yard (Zoning Code 15-501(b)).
- No accessory structure may exceed 15 ft in height or be built before the principal house (Zoning Code 15-501).
- Any wiring to the shed needs an electrical permit issued to a licensed electrician (BFRCBC 2706.2).
- In a CHAP historic district or on a landmark, CHAP must approve the shed before DHCD issues a permit (City Code Art. 6, 8-2).
Do You Need a Permit for a Shed in Baltimore?
Not for a small one. The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), which issues building permits for Baltimore City, publishes a list of work exempt from permit that includes one-story detached tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar structures with a floor area of no more than 120 square feet at one- and two-family homes. A 10x12 shed is exactly 120 square feet and stays exempt; a 10x14 or 12x12 needs a building permit. The city keeps the building code's 120 square foot item and marks the residential code's larger 200 square foot shed exemption Not Adopted, so the bigger number you may read online does not apply inside the city.
Exempt from the building permit does not mean exempt from zoning. In a residential district the Zoning Code lets a shed sit in the required rear yard only if it is no more than 180 square feet, all accessory structures together may cover no more than 50% of the required rear yard, and no accessory structure may exceed 15 feet in height or go up before the house it serves. Wiring a shed is electrical work that only a licensed electrician can permit. In a CHAP historic district, DHCD warns that some minor work that would not otherwise require a permit will require one there.
Baltimore Shed Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| One-story shed of 120 sq ft or less (a 10x12) behind a house | None | DHCD exempt-work list; BFRCBC 105.2 item 1 |
| 12x14 shed (168 sq ft) in the rear yard | Building permit: $50 + $3 tax + $25 application = $78 | BFRCBC 109.6.1(b), 109.7, 109.5.7 |
| Shed over 180 sq ft in the required rear yard | Not a permitted rear-yard encroachment; ask Zoning first | Zoning Code Table 15-601 |
| Shed taller than 15 feet | Over the accessory-structure height cap | Zoning Code 15-501(c) |
| Shed in a required front or side yard | Not listed as a permitted encroachment there | Zoning Code Table 15-601 |
| Shed with a light and an outlet circuit | Electrical permit by a licensed electrician, $6 per circuit | BFRCBC 109.6.2(b), 2706.2 |
| Any shed in a CHAP historic district or on a landmark | Building permit after CHAP approval | City Code Art. 6, 8-2(a)(4) |
How Much Does a Shed Permit Cost in Baltimore?
Very little. Section 109 of the Building, Fire, and Related Codes of Baltimore City sets a flat fee for structures accessory to a house: $25 for a structure of 100 square feet or less and $50 for one over 100 square feet. Every application for a one- or two-family dwelling also pays a nonrefundable $25 application fee when no plan review is needed ($125 when it is), and every permit carries a 5% Building Code Permit Tax rounded up to the next whole dollar. For a 12x14 shed that is $50, plus $3 of tax (5% of $50 is $2.50, rounded up), plus the $25 application fee: $78. Skipping the permit is the expensive route: the penalty surcharge for work done without one is the greater of $1,000 or 50% of the permit fee.
How Do You Apply?
Apply online in DHCD's E-Permits portal under the One and Two Family Combo Permit category, or at the kiosk at 417 E Fayette St. DHCD's drawings matrix lists accessory structures among the permits that need scaled drawings, so upload a sketch of the shed and a site plan showing its size and where it sits on the lot. A permit expires if work does not start within 180 days of issue. One common mix-up: Baltimore County's Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections is a separate county agency. A Baltimore City address files with DHCD.
How to Get a Shed Permit in Baltimore
Measure the footprint
One story and 120 sq ft or less at a house: no building permit. Anything larger needs a permit, and over 180 sq ft cannot sit in the required rear yard.
Check zoning and historic status
Keep the shed in the rear yard, under 15 ft and within the 50% rear-yard coverage limit. Check whether the house is in a CHAP district.
Apply in E-Permits
Create an account and choose the One and Two Family Combo Permit. Upload a scaled sketch and a site plan showing the shed on the lot.
Pay the fees
The $25 application fee is paid up front; the $50 permit fee and 5% tax are paid before issue. Online e-check payments carry no card fee.
Build and get inspected
Start within 180 days of issue and schedule inspections in E-Permits by 2:30 P.M. the day before. Add an electrical permit if the shed gets power.