What's Required in San Antonio
- One-story detached sheds of 300 square feet or less need no building permit.
- Larger sheds are filed on the BuildSA Residential Improvements Permit Application with a site plan.
- Two-story accessory structures, or those over 1,000 square feet, need a Residential Building Permit with plan review.
- Sheds taller than 30 inches sit at least 5 feet from side and rear lines, or 3 feet with no projecting features.
- Accessory structures are allowed only in the side or rear yard.
- Permitted sheds need a framing inspection, a final inspection and a foundation engineer's letter of inspection on file at completion.
- Electrical or plumbing work needs separate permits from licensed trade contractors.
- Altered shipping containers used as sheds always need a permit.
Do you need a permit for a shed in San Antonio?
Not if it is small. City Code Section 10-6(e)(1)a exempts one-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses when the floor area does not exceed 300 square feet. A 10x12 (120 sq ft) or 12x24 (288 sq ft) storage shed therefore needs no building permit. Above 300 square feet you file a building permit with the Development Services Department (DSD) on the BuildSA portal, using the Residential Improvements Permit Application. A shed that is two stories, or an accessory structure over 1,000 square feet, moves to the full Residential Building Permit with plan review (IB 101). An altered shipping container used as a shed or storage unit needs a permit at any size.
How much is a shed permit in San Antonio?
DSD's FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule (revised September 2026) prices accessory structures under 1,000 square feet by size: $172.50 for 0–500 sq ft and $488.80 for 501–1,000 sq ft. A structure that stays unfinished, with exposed studs, no insulation and no sheetrock, pays a flat $150.00 instead, which is where most storage sheds land. Two 4% surcharges are added to the schedule amounts, plus an $11.50 convenience fee if staff process a paper application and a 3% charge on card payments.
- 12x30 unfinished storage shed (360 sq ft): $150.00 + 4% + 4% = $162.00 filed online.
- 20x20 insulated, finished workshop (400 sq ft): $172.50 + 4% + 4% = $186.30.
- Wiring either one adds a separate electrical permit pulled by a licensed electrician: $57.50 base plus small per-item charges.
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 12x12 or 10x16 storage shed, one story | None | Exempt up to 300 sq ft (10-6(e)(1)a) |
| Shed of 301–999 sq ft left unfinished | Building permit, $150.00 | Flat fee for unfinished projects under 1,000 sq ft |
| Finished or insulated shed up to 500 sq ft | Building permit, $172.50 | 0–500 sq ft row |
| Finished shed of 501–1,000 sq ft | Building permit, $488.80 | 501–1,000 sq ft row |
| Two-story shed or barn, any size | Residential Building Permit + plan review | IB 101 |
| Shipping container converted to storage | Building permit | All altered containers (IB 540) |
| Adding lights or outlets | Electrical permit, licensed electrician | $57.50 base + items |
Where can a shed go on a San Antonio lot?
The exemption covers the building permit only; zoning still applies. Unified Development Code Section 35-370(b) requires accessory structures taller than 30 inches to sit at least 5 feet from side and rear property lines; in residential districts that drops to 3 feet if the shed has no eaves, cornices or similar projecting features. Accessory structures are allowed only in the side or rear yard of single-family and mixed residential districts, all accessory structures together may cover no more than 50 percent of the side and rear yards, and their total floor area is capped at 2,500 square feet. You also certify on the application that nothing is built over an easement. In a historic, neighborhood conservation or corridor district, design and material rules can apply even to permit-free work.
Who can pull the permit?
You can, if you will own the home for 12 months after the project is finished; the application has you attest to that under City Code 10-115(a)(1). A city-registered home improvement contractor may pull permits for accessory structures under 400 square feet; larger work goes to a registered residential building contractor.
How to Get a Shed Permit in San Antonio
Measure the floor area
Add up the shed's floor area and count its stories. One story and 300 square feet or less means no building permit.
Check zoning and placement
Use the city's One Stop map to confirm your zoning district, then place the shed in the side or rear yard at least 5 feet from side and rear lines, or 3 feet if it has no eaves.
Draw a site plan
Show the property lines, easements, existing buildings and the shed with its distances to each line.
Apply on BuildSA
Submit the Residential Improvements Permit Application with the site plan and pay the flat fee plus surcharges once DSD reviews it.
Pass inspections
Schedule the framing and final inspections online, where scheduling is free, and upload the foundation engineer's letter of inspection to close the permit.