How Much Does a Shed Permit Cost? 30 Cities Compared

Short answer: the city's own worked example for a shed that needs a permit runs from $71 in Kansas City to $2,427 in San Diego across the 30 largest U.S. cities we cover, and the median is $243. Eight are under $150: Albuquerque, Baltimore, Fort Worth, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Louisville, New York, St. Louis. Eight are $150 to $299: Charlotte, Cincinnati, Houston, Miami, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Antonio. Eight are $300 to $699: Chicago, Dallas, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Sacramento, San Jose, Tucson. Six are $700 or more: Long Beach, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle. Seventeen cities price the permit on the shed's value, six charge a flat line, six price it by square footage and San Jose bills hours, and nine add a separate zoning or planning fee. Most of the 30 exempt a small shed from the building permit altogether; for the size limit in each city see What Size Shed Can You Build Without a Permit? 30 Cities Compared. This page covers the other half of the question: what the city charges once your shed is big enough to need one. We read each city's fee schedule, exemption list and licensing rule and recorded the city's own reading.

8 / 8 / 8 / 6cities whose own permitted-shed example is under $150 / $150 to $299 / $300 to $699 / $700 or more

$71–$2,427the page's own total for a shed that needs a permit, Kansas City to San Diego; the median is $243

9cities charge a separate zoning or planning fee on top of the building permit: Portland, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Albuquerque and Long Beach

4cities permit every shed and have no size exemption at all: Miami, Jacksonville, Fort Worth and Tucson

Every row links to the city page that quotes the rule, so you can read the source language yourself. The table sorts by any column.

All 30 cities

City	Permitted shed	The city's own example	How the fee is priced	Zoning or planning fee on top	Who may pull it	Schedule the city cites, and notes
Albuquerque, NM	Under $150 ⚠	About $92 for a 140 sq ft shed valued at $4,899 ($55.63 permit + $36.16 plan review), before the zoning review fee of $25 to $45. A 240 sq ft shed is about $138.	UAC Table 112-A on a valuation of $34.99 per sq ft, multiplied by the 0.50 residential modifier ($23.50 minimum), plus 65% plan review.	A zoning review fee is added: $25 on the Building Safety handout, $45 on the 2025 General Planning Fee Schedule.	A homeowner's permit needs a notarized Homeowner's Affidavit, one per owner in a 12-month period. Leased homes need a licensed GB-2 or GB-98 contractor.	2024 Uniform Administrative Code Table 112-A; Building Safety fee handout; IDO 5-11(C)(4) Exempt up to 120 sq ft. An electrical permit is a $47 administrative charge plus $1.50 per outlet. A drainage plan is needed over 500 sq ft.
Baltimore, MD	Under $150 ⚠	$78 for a 12x14 shed: $50 accessory fee + $3 permit tax (5% rounded up) + $25 application fee.	Flat accessory line in Sec. 109 of the city codes: $25 for 100 sq ft or less, $50 over 100 sq ft.	No zoning fee stated. Zoning limits a rear-yard shed to 180 sq ft and 15 ft.	The building code lets the owner or lessee apply, but DHCD says work on one- and two-family homes requires an MHIC-licensed contractor.	Building, Fire, and Related Codes of Baltimore City 2024 Sec. 109.6.1(b), 109.7, 109.5.7 Exempt up to 120 sq ft; the residential code's 200 sq ft exemption was not adopted. The application fee is $125 when plan review is needed. An electrical permit is $6 per circuit and goes to a licensed electrician.
Charlotte, NC	$150 to $299 ⚠	About $239 for a contractor-built 12x16 shed at $8,000: County permit $123.65 + City LDIRL review $115. An owner builder pays $60 plus $45 per inspection trip to the County instead of the table fee.	Mecklenburg County LUESA valuation table ($59.70 for the first $3,000, then $12.19 per $1,000) plus a $3 technology charge.	City LDIRL review is $65 zoning + $50 stormwater for a shed over 12 ft. A shed 12 ft or less in every dimension needs only a City zoning use permit.	Owners whose name is on the deed and who live in the home may pull a County homeowner permit. A general contractor license is needed only at $40,000 or more.	LUESA Fee Ordinance (rev. 2026-07-01); City FY2026 residential zoning fees; UDO 17.1.D No County building permit up to 12 ft in every dimension, mean roof height included. The City review takes about 15 days and must be approved first. Wiring needs an electrical permit.
Chicago, IL	$300 to $699 ⚠	$602 minimum for a shed over 150 sq ft; the area formula gives only about $33 for a 12x16, so the minimum controls. A $600 non-refundable deposit is due at submission. An exempt shed pays $0. Architect or engineer drawings are extra.	Plan-based fee: construction factor times scope factor times area (Table 14A-12-1204.3, Group U), so the $602 minimum controls.	Zoning review comes before DOB review; no zoning fee is stated.	An individual may act as general contractor on their own primary residence once per calendar year. Wiring needs a Chicago-licensed electrical contractor.	Table 14A-12-1204.3(3) Group U; 2026 fee tables; DOB list of work not requiring a permit Exempt up to 150 sq ft and 15 ft with no plumbing. An electrical express permit is $75 or $150. A frame garage up to 600 sq ft has its own flat $500 express permit.
Cincinnati, OH	$150 to $299	About $246 for a 10x12 shed valued up to $4,000: $173 permit + $49 processing + about $24 surcharges. A built-on-site $8,000 shed is about $366.	Valuation schedule effective 2026-07-01 for 1-3 family: $173 up to $4,000, $203 at $5,000, $281 at $8,000, $336 at $10,000, plus a $49 processing fee.	A shed under 100 sq ft skips the building permit but needs a $158.55 Zoning Certificate of Compliance. No zoning fee is stated for a permitted shed.	Owners may pull the permit on a 1-3 family home they own and will live in for at least a year, with a notarized statement. Otherwise a registered contractor.	Cincinnati B&I fee schedule (eff. 2026-07-01); Cincinnati Building Code 1101-17.1(12); Zoning 1421-01 Exempt only up to 100 sq ft and 8 ft; the state code's 200 sq ft does not apply. Surcharges add about $11 per $100 of fee. An electrical permit from the Inspection Bureau, Inc. is $121.20. Tier 1 same-day review covers sheds under 400 sq ft.
Dallas, TX	$300 to $699 ⚠	About $397 for a 240 sq ft shed: $256.80 at $1.07 per sq ft + $125 inspection + $15 technology fee. If the department also charges its $577 minimum plan review the total is about $974.	Chapter 52 Table A-I at $1.07 per sq ft up to 700 sq ft (Texas law bars value-based residential fees), plus a $125 inspection fee per trade.	No zoning fee stated. Zoning setbacks and the accessory floor-area limit apply to every shed.	A homestead owner may act as contractor only for portable accessory buildings. A permanent shed over 200 sq ft goes through a contractor registered with the city.	Chapter 52 Sec. 303.2.1.1 and Table A-I; Planning and Development fee schedule eff. 2025-07-01 Planned development, special use permit or deed-restricted areas add 10% of the permit fee. A failed inspection adds a $75 reinspection fee. Electrical goes to a registered Master Electrician or an exam-qualified homeowner.
Fort Worth, TX	Under $150	$110.96 for a shed up to 175 sq ft: $61.01 + $33.08 application fee + $16.87 technology fee. A 200 sq ft shed is $156.95 and a 400 sq ft workshop $196.95.	Group U table by square footage under Fee Ordinance 26-28781: $61.01 up to 175 sq ft, then $102.00 plus $0.20 per added sq ft (Texas LGC 214.907 bars value-based residential fees).	No zoning fee stated. A Board of Adjustment variance for an oversized shed is $591.	Owner-occupants with a homestead permit may pull it. Otherwise a building contractor registered with the city ($178 a year) must.	Fee Ordinance 26-28781 (adopted 2026-09-15, eff. 2026-10-01); Administrative Code 105.2 Every shed needs a permit; there is no size exemption, and zoning caps size by lot at 120, 200 or 400 sq ft. No plan review deposit is charged for accessory structures at a house. Building first adds an investigation fee equal to the permit fee.
Houston, TX	$150 to $299	About $213 for a 200 sq ft shed: roughly $143 permit fee + $36 plan review + $33.56 admin. A 320 sq ft workshop is about $296. An exempt shed pays $0.	Square-footage tier on the 2026 one- and two-family table ($47 base plus $5.36 per 8.17 sq ft after the first 57.16, $91.06 minimum); Texas HB 852 bars value-based residential fees.	Houston has no zoning, so no zoning fee. Deed restrictions and floodplain rules still apply.	The owner, an agent or a contractor may buy the building permit; Houston does not license general contractors. Electrical goes only to registered master electricians.	2026 Building Code Enforcement fee schedule (one- and two-family table); Residential Permitting 101 Plan review is 25% of the permit fee and non-refundable. The electrical minimum is $91.06 and the plumbing minimum $97.56, each plus the admin fee. Floodplain lots may need a separate development permit.
Indianapolis, IN	$300 to $699	$630 for a 12x20 shed over 200 sq ft: $140 Improvement Location Permit + $490 structural permit ($40 application + $150 plan review + $300 issuance). With a lighting circuit ($169 electrical) it is about $799.	Flat DBNS fee schedule of 2026-01-05: ILP plus a structural permit for an accessory Class 2 structure of 200 to 1,000 sq ft.	A separate zoning Improvement Location Permit is charged: $32 application + $108 = $140.	Any individual who owns the parcel may get the structural permit for work done personally, with a Statement of Intent. Electrical needs a licensed contractor or a board-approved owner-occupant.	DBNS fee schedule of 2026-01-05; Sec. 536-201(b)(17) as amended by G.O. 38, 2025; Zoning Ord. 740-801.A.3.g Exempt up to 200 sq ft if not on a permanent foundation and with no wiring. The schedule has no line under 200 sq ft, so a small shed that loses its exemption gets a subtype at intake (budget $490, $290 best case). No drainage permit is needed.
Jacksonville, FL	Under $150	$85 for a small shed (not over 150 sq ft and $5,000, no final inspection): $45 BID fee including plan review + $15 Development Services fee + $25 debris fee. One inspection is $125; bigger sheds are about $265 at the minimums.	Flat shed lines in Ordinance Code Sec. 320.409, published on the city fee page.	No separate zoning fee. A $15 Development Services fee is in the total, and a zoning check applies to placement.	Yes for an owner who owns and lives in the home; the Property Owner Disclosure Statement is handed over at the appointment. A contractor files in JaxEPICS.	Ordinance Code Sec. 320.409 (city fee page) Every shed needs a permit; there is no size exemption. Florida adds 1% and 1.5% surcharges (each $2 minimum) that are not in these totals. A job of $5,000 or more needs a recorded Notice of Commencement. Wiring or plumbing is a separate trade permit.
Kansas City, MO	Under $150	$70.99 for a $5,000 shed ($58 + 3 x $4.33). An $8,000 shed is $83.98. Wiring adds a separate electrical permit, $52 for a job of $1,000 or less.	Sec. 18-20(b)(2) valuation table shared by building and trade permits: $52 up to $1,000, $58 to $2,000, then $4.33 per $1,000.	No zoning fee stated. Zoning separately caps a non-garage shed at a 200 sq ft footprint and 10 ft.	An owner who lives in a single-family home may pull the permits and do the work, including wiring, with family or friends.	KC Code 18-20(b)(2); 18-16(b)(1)a; Zoning 88-305-02-D Exempt up to 200 sq ft of projected roof area, eaves included. There is no separate plan review fee for one- and two-family work. Starting without a permit triples the fee.
Long Beach, CA	$700 or more ⚠	About $931 for a 150 sq ft shed ($10,661 valuation): permit $293 + plan check $249 + zoning plan check $237 + $115 processing + small state fees. A 250 sq ft shed is about $1,212.	Valuation at $71.07 per sq ft (IB-077): $149 for the first $2,000 plus $16 per $1,000 to $20,000, plus 85% plan check.	A zoning plan check of 0.5% of valuation ($310 minimum, capped at 95% of the building plan check) is charged and included in the total.	A CSLB-licensed contractor with a Long Beach business license, or the homeowner of a one- or two-family home under IB-029.	IB-077 minimum valuations; IB-002 over-the-counter review; LBMC 18.04.020.B.2 Exempt up to 120 sq ft, 8 ft tall and no utilities. An accessory building is capped at 300 sq ft or 5% of the lot. Power adds an electrical permit from a $100 minimum.
Los Angeles, CA	$300 to $699	About $366 for a $5,000 shed: permit $217.72 + plan check $148.38 per the city fee calculator, surcharges included. A $15,000 shed is about $683. Credit cards add 2.7%.	Valuation-based permit fee with plan check at 90% of the permit fee, plus surcharges on both.	No zoning fee stated. Zoning setbacks and location rules apply to every shed.	Owner-builders may sign after initialing the Owner-Builder Declaration. An owner needs 12 months of residence to pull electrical or plumbing permits.	LAMC 91.106.2 item 1 (2026 Los Angeles Building Code); LADBS Permit Fee Calculator There is no size exemption: work valued at $2,500 or less is exempt. Simple wood-frame sheds get Counter Plan Check in about 45 minutes. Wiring or plumbing needs its own permit.
Louisville, KY	Under $150	$75 for a 240 sq ft shed over 200 sq ft: 240 x $.13 = $31.20, raised to the $75 minimum. Any shed up to about 576 sq ft pays $75.	Per sq ft at $.13 for utility buildings (LMCO 150.096) with a $75 minimum permit fee.	No zoning fee stated. Land Development Code setbacks apply to every shed.	How an owner without a contractor license files a building permit for a large shed is not stated in any document the page reached. A homeowner may wire their own home with a notarized certification.	LMCO 150.096 fee schedule (revised 2024-02-06); Kentucky Residential Code R105.2 Exempt up to 200 sq ft, one story. Permitted work that disturbs soil needs an MSD form. An electrical permit is $75 up to $750 of work and $100 above.
Miami, FL	$150 to $299 ⚠	About $154 for a $6,000 shed kit: the $110 minimum + $40 application fee + $4 state surcharges, before a county surcharge the code does not quantify. A $30,000 shed is about $194.	City Code 10-18: 0.50 of estimated construction cost with a $110 minimum ($45 under $2,500), plus a $40 application fee.	No zoning fee stated. Miami 21 limits a shed to 200 sq ft or 10% of the house floor area. An up-front fee of $2.80 per $1,000 is 80% credited.	Owner-builders may file under FS 489.103(7) for a one- or two-family home they occupy and will not sell or lease; they must appear in person.	City Code 10-18 as amended by Ord. 14439; City Code 10-5(b); Miami 21 5.3.1 No size exemption exists. Sheds are exempt from the solid waste surcharge. Electrical or plumbing for the shed is each at least $110 plus $40. Hurricane-zone product approvals (NOA) are required.
Milwaukee, WI	$150 to $299	About $188 for a 200 sq ft shed: $90 at $0.45 per sq ft + $75 plan review + $2.64 surcharge + $20 processing. A permitted 150 sq ft shed costs more, $248.60.	Flat fees from MCO 200-33: $175 plus $50 review up to 150 sq ft, then $0.45 per sq ft plus $75 review.	No zoning fee stated. Zoning keeps a shed out of the front yard and caps it at 14 ft.	An owner who lives in the home can pull the permit and do the work without a contractor license.	MCO 200-33 (DNS fee schedule); MCO 200-24-1.5-c; table 295-505-3 Exempt up to 150 sq ft if 3 ft or more from every lot line; a closer shed needs a permit even at 150 sq ft or less. DNS adds a 1.6% surcharge. An electrical permit is $100 minimum plus $25 processing from a licensed contractor.
Minneapolis, MN	$300 to $699	About $311 for a 240 sq ft shed valued at $6,000: $186.60 permit + $121.29 plan review + $3.00 state surcharge. If the reviewer waives plan review it is about $190.	Valuation: $104.20 for the first $2,000 plus $20.60 per $1,000 ($84.20 minimum), plus 65% plan review and a 0.0005 state surcharge.	No zoning fee for a standard shed. A $240 administrative application applies only to a shed 13 to 16 ft tall or accessory buildings over 800 sq ft.	Not stated for the building permit. The page says no state contractor license is required to hire someone.	Minneapolis building permit fee schedule; Minn. R. 1300.0120 subp. 4 Exempt up to 200 sq ft, one story. Wiring goes through the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, where the smallest homeowner permit is $55 + $25 + $1. Starting early may double the fees.
New York, NY	Under $150	About $149 to file a $12,000 shed that must be permitted: the $130 minimum covers the first $5,000 of job cost plus $2.60 per $1,000 above it. An exempt shed pays $0 to DOB. The PE or RA who prepares the filing is extra.	DOB alteration filing under Table 28-112.2 at a 1-3 family home: $130 minimum for the first $5,000, then $2.60 per $1,000.	No zoning fee stated. Zoning Resolution rear-yard rules apply even to an exempt shed.	An exempt shed can be installed by the owner. A shed that needs a permit is filed by a PE or RA, and the work permit goes to a Registered General Contractor.	Admin. Code Table 28-112.2 (L.L. 128 of 2024); 1 RCNY 101-14 Table 1 item 1; DOB Fences and Backyard Sheds page Exempt up to 120 sq ft and 7 ft 6 in, 3 ft from lot lines, one shed per tax lot. Power to the shed needs a separate electrical permit from a Licensed Master Electrician.
Philadelphia, PA	$150 to $299 ⚠	$189 for a zoning permit for a shed up to 130 sq ft in a side or front yard ($25 filing fee up front, $164 on approval). A building permit for a shed over 200 sq ft would add about $82.50 for 240 sq ft, but only once a variance is in hand. A rear-yard shed up to 130 sq ft pays $0.	Flat zoning fee of $189 for residential new construction; the building permit is $75 for the first 500 sq ft plus $56 per extra 100 sq ft.	A separate zoning permit is charged for a shed in a side or front yard: $189, with the $25 filing fee applied to it.	An owner who lives in the building may do the work only if no electrical or plumbing permit is needed. Electrical work needs a licensed electrical contractor.	L&I zoning fee summary PZ_008 (July 2026); L&I fee summary (eff. 2026-10-01); shed FAQ PG_011 Sheds over 130 sq ft at a 1-2 family home are not permitted by the Zoning Code, so L&I issues a refusal and only a ZBA variance helps; the variance cost is not stated. An electrical permit is $25 per $1,000 with a $63 minimum plus $7.50.
Phoenix, AZ	$700 or more ⚠	About $746 for a 240 sq ft shed: permit fee $373 + 100% plan review $373. A 320 sq ft shed is about $866. An exempt shed (200 sq ft or less, no utilities) pays $0.	Table A of the 2026 Development Fee Schedule on a valuation of $69.64 per sq ft (240 sq ft = $16,714).	A $98 plot plan review is listed for single-family permits; whether it is charged on a shed depends on how the counter logs the application.	Owner-occupants may build under ARS 32-1121.A.5 if the home will not be sold or rented within a year. Otherwise use an ROC-licensed contractor.	Development Fee Schedule Appendix A.2 (eff. 2026-01-20); 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code 105.2 The city uses the higher of its calculation and your contract price. Unaltered shipping containers up to 320 sq ft are also exempt. Building without a permit costs an investigation fee of $250 or the permit fee, whichever is greater.
Pittsburgh, PA	$150 to $299 ⚠	$191.50 for an $8,000 shed over 200 sq ft: $130 minimum base fee + $2 technology + $4.50 state fund + $5 digital record + $50 zoning review minimum. The same total holds up to about $21,600 of value.	Valuation: PLI residential base fee of $6.00 per $1,000 with a $130 minimum, plus a zoning review fee of $1.00 per $1,000 ($50 minimum).	A separate zoning review fee is charged by City Planning: $1.00 per $1,000, $50 minimum.	PLI lets the homeowner do the work on a primary residence. Anyone doing permitted electrical work needs a city electrical trade license.	PLI 2026 fee schedule; City Planning zoning fee schedule; Zoning Code 912.04 Forty percent of the base fee is due, non-refundable, at application. An electrical permit is about $142.
Portland, OR	$700 or more ⚠	About $835 for a 240 sq ft shed declared at $12,000: permit $359.95 + plan review $233.97 + Development Services fee $73.14 + 12% state surcharge $43.19 + zoning inspection $125. A 400 sq ft workshop at $30,000 is about $1,309.	Valuation-based building permit (new sheds valued at 50% of the ICC utility figure, or the stated value if greater), $167 minimum, plus 65% plan review.	A $125 zoning inspection is in the total. A zoning permit for an exempt shed is optional at $48.	Owners may build their own shed; a hired contractor's CCB number goes on the application. Owner electrical work needs an owner-occupied home not sold or rented within six months.	PP&D building, plan review and Development Services fee schedules; Oregon 12% surcharge; Zoning Code 33.110 Exempt up to 200 sq ft and 15 ft. The first electrical branch circuit is $194.88 with the surcharge. Starting early adds an investigation fee of at least $167.
Sacramento, CA	$300 to $699 ⚠	About $508 for a 10x14 shed built by the owner ($9,750 valuation): permit $308 + plan review $129 + surcharges $71.32. A 12x20 contractor-built workshop is about $679 before Planning fees and about $1,074 with them.	Residential New Building permit on a valuation of $69.64 per sq ft or the contract price if higher, plus technology, General Plan, green building and strong motion surcharges.	Planning fees come on top: a $132 Site Plan and Design Review exemption form fee and Planning review at 15% of plan review with a $263 minimum.	Property owners may pull the permit with an owner-builder verification. State law requires living in the home for the 12 months before the work is completed.	2026 residential fee sheet (CDD-0245 valuation); CDD-0417 accessory structures handout; CDD-0025 A contractor applicant also pays a business operations tax. Construction Excise Tax and Fire Department fees ($260 + $294 + $176) may be routed on a storage shed; ask at intake. A minor electrical permit is $105.
San Antonio, TX	$150 to $299	$162.00 for an unfinished shed over 300 sq ft filed online ($150.00 flat + two 4% surcharges). A finished 400 sq ft workshop is $186.30.	Flat fee by size on the FY 2027 schedule: $150.00 unfinished, $172.50 for 0 to 500 sq ft, $488.80 for 501 to 1,000 sq ft.	No zoning fee stated. UDC setbacks and the side or rear yard rule apply to every shed.	Owners may file if they will own the home for 12 months after the project is finished (City Code 10-115(a)(1)); otherwise a city-registered contractor.	FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule (revised Sept. 2026); City Code 10-6(e)(1)a Exempt up to 300 sq ft. A paper application adds an $11.50 convenience fee and card payments add 3%. A foundation engineer's letter of inspection is needed to close the permit. An electrical permit is $57.50 base plus items.
San Diego, CA	$700 or more ⚠	About $2,427 for a 200 sq ft workshop with one inspection hour: $1,501.42 plan check + $737.00 General Plan Maintenance Fee + $12.16 mapping fee + $176.84 inspection. Two inspection hours is about $2,604.	Flat Garage and Storage plan check line of IB 501 Table 501C ($1,501.42 per building) plus inspection billed at $176.84 per hour.	No separate zoning fee. The $737.00 General Plan Maintenance Fee is charged on plan-reviewed work and is in the example.	Owner-builders may file with the signed Owner-Builder Verification Form DS-3042 after living in the home for 12 months. Tenants cannot sign it.	IB 501 Table 501C; SDMC 129.0203(a)(1); IB 100 Exempt up to 120 sq ft of projected roof area. The state strong-motion and building standards fees and a $17.11 collection charge are small extras. Wiring is a no-plan Simple Permit filed online.
San Francisco, CA	$700 or more ⚠	About $1,460 for a 150 sq ft shed valued near $10,650: DBI plan review about $565 + issuance about $343 + Planning's building-permit fee about $550. A 250 sq ft workshop is about $2,090.	DBI Table 1A-A (eff. 2026-07-12): plan review $310 for the first $2,000 plus $28.35 per $1,000, issuance $266 plus $8.56 per $1,000, on $71 per sq ft.	Planning's building-permit application fee is charged on top: $504 for work under $10,000, or $516 plus 5.274% of cost above $10,000.	Property owners may pull the permit and do the work, or hire a licensed B contractor. An owner may pull electrical only for a stand-alone single-family house they occupy and wire themselves.	DBI Table 1A-A; DBI cost schedule; Planning Department building-permit fee One detached storage shed per lot is exempt. An electrical permit for up to 10 outlets is $305. Habitable use is never exempt.
San Jose, CA	$300 to $699 ⚠	About $585 for a simple prefab shed in Tier 1: $211 processing + $210 inspection tier + $162.50 plan check. A site-built workshop in Tier 2 is about $740.	Hourly schedule: $211 processing, building permit billed at $315 per hour of inspection time in tiers (40 to 250 minutes), plan check at $325 per hour.	No zoning fee stated. Title 20 zoning rules apply whether or not a permit is issued.	The owner may pull the permit. The owner-builder exemption needs 12 months of residence and work done before sale.	FY2026-27 Schedule of Fees and Charges (eff. 2026-07-01); SJMC 24.02.120 Exempt up to 120 sq ft. A permitted shed is not an online permit type and is filed at the Permit Center. Work without a permit costs two times the plan review and inspection fees. Residential electrical permits are $315 per hour.
Seattle, WA	$700 or more	About $701 for a 10x14 shed ($472.20 index + 40% plan review + 5% technology fee + $6.50 state fee = $700.63). A 12x16 shed is about $788.	Table D-1 index on a value of $72.18 per sq ft: permit at 100% of the index plus 40% plan review for an STFI permit.	No zoning fee stated. The 12 ft height cap and setbacks apply whether or not a permit is needed.	Not stated for the building permit. The page says owner-occupants may do their own wiring.	2026 SDCI Fee Subtitle Table D-1; Director's Rule 5-2025; SRC R105.2 item 3 Fees rose 18% on 1/1/2026. A shed that does not qualify for STFI (over 750 sq ft, long spans, critical area) pays 100% plan review, about $1,120 for a 12x16. An electrical permit starts at $105.12 plus a $55.48 admin fee.
St. Louis, MO	Under $150 ⚠	$85 for a $6,000 prefab shed over 120 sq ft ($25 application + $60 permit fee). An $8,000 shed is $105 and a $12,000 shed $145. Card payments add 2.55%.	Building Division fee table on estimated cost: $44 to $55 up to $3,000, then $10 per $1,000 or fraction above that.	No zoning fee stated. Zoning side-yard and front-yard-line rules apply to every shed.	An owner-occupant can register an account, draw the plans and have the permit issued in the owner's name. Wiring needs a licensed contractor or a tested owner-occupant.	Building Division fee table and Permit Cost Estimator; Ord. 70795 Sec. 105.2 item 26 Exempt only up to 120 sq ft and under 12 ft, anchored to a 4 in concrete slab. An electrical permit is $85 ($25 + $60). Starting early adds a $30 to $90 surcharge.
Tucson, AZ	$300 to $699 ⚠	About $359 for a 240 sq ft shed ($7,094 valuation): permit $227.15 + 50% plan review $113.58 + 1% filing fee $18.54. The page estimates about $108 for a site-plan-only shed.	Valuation table: detached storage at $29.56 per sq ft; permit $89.45 for the first $2,000 plus $22.95 per $1,000; plan review 50%; 1% filing fee.	Zoning and engineering review is part of the permit. A Design Development Option for setback or height relief is $278.07.	A homeowner or contractor may apply. Owner-builders file the Owner/Builder Affidavit under A.R.S. 32-1121.A.5 and must not sell or rent the home for a year.	PDSD FY27 fee schedule (eff. 2026-07-01); Construction Valuation Table Every shed needs a permit; there is no size exemption. A detached shed under 200 sq ft with no utilities needs only a site plan and zoning review, with no building inspections. A shed in a Historic Preservation Zone also needs design review.

The status is the band of the city's own worked example for a shed that needs a permit: the total the page states for the cheapest shed it prices on the ordinary path, including every city fee the example bundles (the building permit, plan review, surcharges and any zoning or planning line the page folds into the total). A lower figure the page gives only if a reviewer waives a step, a variance is granted or a fee is unpublished is noted in the cell, not used. The shed or value the example assumes differs by city, and the cell says what it is, so compare the cell, not only the band. A zoning or planning fee that the page names but leaves out of its total is described in the zoning column. The fee-basis column sorts a flat shed or accessory line first, then a valuation table, then square-footage tiers, then hourly or itemized pieces. The zoning column sorts cities with no fee stated first, then a separate zoning or planning fee, then zoning review inside the permit, then unclear. The who-pulls-it column sorts an owner first, then limited or conflicting, then licensed contractor only, then not stated. A flag marks a row where the city's own documents disagree or the page calls a figure an estimate or says to confirm it. Download the table as CSV.

What the comparison shows

The city's own example is under $150 in 8 cities and $700 or more in 6

Under $150: Kansas City $71, Louisville $75, Baltimore $78, Jacksonville $85, St. Louis $85, Albuquerque $92, Fort Worth $111 and New York $149. $150 to $299: Miami $154, San Antonio $162, Milwaukee $188, Philadelphia $189, Pittsburgh $192, Houston $213, Charlotte $239 and Cincinnati $246. $300 to $699: Minneapolis $311, Tucson $359, Los Angeles $366, Dallas $397, Sacramento $508, San Jose $585, Chicago $602 and Indianapolis $630. $700 or more: Seattle $701, Phoenix $746, Portland $835, Long Beach $931, San Francisco $1,460 and San Diego $2,427. The median is $243. The examples are not the same shed. Kansas City prices a $5,000 shed, Los Angeles a $5,000 one, St. Louis and Miami a $6,000 kit, Minneapolis a 240 sq ft shed valued at $6,000, Cincinnati a shed valued up to $4,000, Charlotte and Pittsburgh an $8,000 shed, Portland a 240 sq ft shed declared at $12,000, Albuquerque, Sacramento and Seattle 140 sq ft sheds, Long Beach and San Francisco 150 sq ft sheds, Baltimore a 12x14, Jacksonville a small shed under 150 sq ft and $5,000, Fort Worth a shed up to 175 sq ft, Houston, Milwaukee and San Diego 200 sq ft sheds, Phoenix, Tucson, Dallas, Louisville and Indianapolis 240 sq ft sheds and San Antonio a 360 sq ft unfinished shed. New York's $130 is the minimum filing fee (a $12,000 shed files for about $149), and Philadelphia's $189 is the zoning permit for a small shed in a side or front yard. Five examples sit at a stated minimum fee: New York $130, Miami $110, Louisville $75, Pittsburgh $130 and Chicago $602. Of the six at $700 or more, five are on the West Coast (Seattle, Portland, Long Beach, San Francisco and San Diego) and one is Phoenix; San Diego's $2,427 is mostly a flat $1,501.42 plan check line and a $737.00 General Plan Maintenance Fee.

17 cities price the permit on the shed's value, 6 charge a flat line, 6 price by square footage

A valuation table sets the fee in New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle, Miami, Portland, Charlotte, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Sacramento, Tucson, Kansas City, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Albuquerque and Long Beach. The valuations differ: $72.18 per sq ft in Seattle, $71.07 in Long Beach, $71 in San Francisco, $69.64 in Phoenix and Sacramento, $34.99 in Albuquerque and $29.56 in Tucson; Portland values a new shed at 50% of the ICC utility figure; Kansas City, St. Louis and Pittsburgh work from the stated cost ($4.33, $10 and $6.00 per $1,000 of cost). A flat shed or accessory line is used in San Antonio, San Diego, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Indianapolis and Baltimore: Baltimore charges $50 for a shed over 100 sq ft, Jacksonville $85 for a small shed, San Antonio $150.00 for an unfinished one, Indianapolis $140 plus $490 and San Diego a $1,501.42 plan check line. Square-footage pricing is used in Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Milwaukee and Louisville: Houston's tier table, Dallas's $1.07 per sq ft, Fort Worth's $61.01 up to 175 sq ft, Milwaukee's $0.45 per sq ft above 150 sq ft, Louisville's $.13 per sq ft with a $75 minimum and Chicago's area formula, where the $602 minimum controls. Dallas cites Texas law barring value-based residential fees, and Houston and Fort Worth cite it too. San Jose is the one hourly schedule: San Jose bills $211 processing, $315 an hour of inspection time and $325 an hour of plan check.

9 cities add a separate zoning or planning fee on top of the building permit

Nine pages name a zoning or planning charge that sits beside the building permit: Portland, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Albuquerque and Long Beach. The amounts are Portland's $125 zoning inspection (included in its $835), Philadelphia's $189 zoning permit, Charlotte's $65 zoning and $50 stormwater review (a shed 12 ft or less pays only a City zoning use permit, $330 on the FY2025 sheet), Indianapolis's $140 Improvement Location Permit, San Francisco's $504 or more from Planning (about $550 in its example), Sacramento's $132 exemption form fee and Planning review at 15% of plan review with a $263 minimum (left out of its $508), Pittsburgh's $1.00 per $1,000 with a $50 minimum, Albuquerque's $25 or $45 zoning review (left out of its $92) and Long Beach's zoning plan check of 0.5% of valuation ($237 in its example). Tucson folds zoning review into the permit. Two more cases are unclear: Phoenix lists a $98 plot plan review that may or may not be charged on a shed, and Cincinnati charges a $158.55 Zoning Certificate of Compliance on a shed under 100 sq ft that skips the building permit, with no zoning fee stated for a permitted shed. The other 18 pages state no zoning fee; they still apply setbacks, height caps and lot coverage, but without a priced filing.

Plan review, surcharges and fixed add-ons are often most of the total

Plan review is a share of the permit fee in several cities: 25% in Houston, 40% in Seattle, 50% in Tucson, 65% in Albuquerque, Minneapolis and Portland, 85% in Long Beach (plus the zoning plan check), 90% in Los Angeles and 100% in Phoenix, where it doubles a $373 permit fee to $746. Milwaukee charges a flat $50 or $75 review and San Diego a $1,501.42 plan check line. Surcharges add to the base: Portland's 12% state surcharge ($43.19 on its example), two 4% surcharges in San Antonio, 1.6% in Milwaukee, 5% plus $6.50 in Seattle, about $11 per $100 of fee in Cincinnati, a 0.0005 state surcharge in Minneapolis, four percentage-based surcharges in Sacramento ($71.32 on its $508) and $4 of state surcharges in Miami on top of a county surcharge the code does not quantify. Jacksonville's $85 leaves out Florida's 1% and 1.5% surcharges. The biggest fixed add-ons are San Diego's $737.00 General Plan Maintenance Fee (about 30% of its $2,427), Dallas's possible $577 minimum plan review (which would take its $397 to about $974), Chicago's $602 minimum for a shed whose area formula gives $33, and the Fire Department fees in Sacramento ($260 + $294 + $176) that may be routed on a storage shed. New York's filing fee is only the DOB part: a PE or RA's fee to prepare the filing is extra.

Wiring adds its own permit on 20 pages that price it; 4 cities permit every shed

Most pages say a light or outlet in the shed needs an electrical permit even when the shed itself is exempt, and 20 put a price on it: Albuquerque ($47 administrative charge plus $1.50 per outlet), Baltimore ($6 per circuit), Chicago ($75 or $150), Cincinnati ($121.20 from the Inspection Bureau, Inc.), Houston ($91.06 minimum), Indianapolis ($169), Kansas City ($52), Long Beach ($100 minimum), Louisville ($75 up to $750 of work, $100 above), Miami (at least $110 plus $40), Milwaukee ($100 minimum plus $25), Minneapolis ($55 + $25 + $1 on the state homeowner form), Philadelphia ($63 minimum plus $7.50), Pittsburgh (about $142), Portland ($194.88), San Antonio ($57.50 base), Sacramento ($105), Seattle ($105.12 plus a $55.48 admin fee), San Francisco ($305) and St. Louis ($85). Four cities have no size exemption at all, so every shed there needs a permit: Miami, Jacksonville, Fort Worth and Tucson. Los Angeles has no size rule either but exempts work valued at $2,500 or less. Their examples are Jacksonville $85, Fort Worth $111, Miami $154 and Tucson $359 (a 240 sq ft shed). For the size limit in the other 26 cities, see the size exemption page.

Who may pull it: the owner in 23 cities, licensed contractors only in 2

Twenty-three pages say an owner may pull the building permit, usually with a condition: Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Miami, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Sacramento, Fort Worth, Milwaukee, Tucson, Kansas City, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Albuquerque and Long Beach. The conditions include 12 months of residence in San Jose, San Diego and Sacramento, owning the home for 12 months after the project in San Antonio, living in the home for a year in Cincinnati, not selling or renting for a year in Phoenix and Tucson, not selling or leasing in Miami, one homeowner permit per 12 months in Albuquerque, once a calendar year in Chicago and owner-occupancy in Jacksonville, Charlotte, Kansas City, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. Two pages say licensed contractors only for the permitted shed: New York and Dallas. New York files a shed that needs a permit through a PE or RA and issues the work permit to a Registered General Contractor; Dallas lets a homestead owner act as contractor only for portable accessory buildings, so a permanent shed over 200 sq ft goes through a contractor registered with the city. Philadelphia and Baltimore are limited or conflicting: Philadelphia's owner may do the work only if no electrical or plumbing permit is needed, and Baltimore's code lets an owner apply while DHCD says an MHIC-licensed contractor is required. Seattle, Minneapolis and Louisville do not say who may pull the building permit. Electrical and plumbing are narrower: Chicago, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh limit electrical work to licensed electrical contractors or trade-licensed workers, and Houston issues electrical permits only to registered master electricians.

Where the city's documents disagree or the page calls the figure an estimate

Albuquerque: zoning review is $25 in one city document and $45 in another, and the $34.99 valuation may rise for applications from 2026-07-01. Baltimore: the building code lets the owner or lessee apply, while DHCD says one- and two-family construction needs an MHIC-licensed contractor. Charlotte: the $330 zoning use permit for a shed 12 ft or less is the FY2025 figure, and the FY2026 sheet was not found. Chicago: the scenario table lists $300 but the 2026 tables state a $602 minimum, which the page budgets. Dallas: Chapter 52 has no shed fee line, so the $397 is an estimate. Long Beach: the fees are those in force before 2026-10-01, with a new schedule approved on 2026-09-08. Miami: the rate is printed as 0.50 with no percent sign and read as 0.5%, and the county surcharge is unquantified. Philadelphia: the building code exempts sheds to 200 sq ft but L&I's FAQ says sheds over 130 sq ft are not permitted by zoning, so the building fee applies only after a variance. Phoenix: the $98 plot plan review may or may not apply to a shed. Pittsburgh: PLI says 200 sq ft is exempt, City Planning's FAQ says 120, and attached 1-2 family houses may fall in the commercial category with a $605 minimum. Portland: the example uses a declared $12,000 valuation because the ICC table is paid. Sacramento: one handout says a permit is needed at 120 sq ft or greater while the exempt list says not greater than 120, and the $508 leaves out Planning fees. San Diego: a 2.5-hour impact-fee assessment charge may or may not apply to a shed. San Francisco: DBI's FAQ says 120 sq ft and 10 ft, while its summary page and the code say 100 sq ft and 8 ft. San Jose: the Building Official can adjust the tier, so the totals are published arithmetic, not a quote. St. Louis: the ordinance printed $6 per $1,000, the Division charges $10, and the web list still says 50 sq ft. Tucson: PDSD does not publish its fee for a site-plan-only shed, so the page's $108 low end is an estimate. The table flags these rows rather than resolving them.

Method

The 30 cities are the ones whose BuildPermitGuide pages have been rewritten from primary sources as of October 2026: the city's adopted code and exemption list, its permit page or bulletin, its current fee schedule or ordinance and its contractor and owner-builder rules, each fetched and quoted on the city's shed permit page. The status in the table is the band of the city page's own worked example for a shed that needs a permit, using the total the page states for the cheapest shed it prices on the ordinary path and every city fee the example bundles; the shed size or value differs by city and the cell says what it is. Where a page also gives a lower figure that depends on a reviewer's waiver, a variance or a fee the city does not publish, the cell notes it and the status does not use it. The pricing, zoning and owner columns are the page's fee section and scenario table, and the owner counts come from its licensing paragraph. Contractors' own prices, engineers' and architects' drawing fees and the cost of an outside inspection agency are never included. Nothing in this table is taken from a model code or another city's schedule; where a city's documents disagree or a page calls a figure an estimate, the row carries a flag instead of a resolution. Each city page carries the date its sources were last verified, and the change log records when a cited document changes.

Use this data. The table and CSV are published under CC BY 4.0. Cite it as:

BuildPermitGuide, “How Much Does a Shed Permit Cost? 30 Cities Compared” (2026), https://buildpermitguide.com/research/shed-permit-fees/

Questions, corrections or a city you want added: contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Across the 30 largest cities we compared, the city's own worked example for a shed that needs a permit runs from $71 in Kansas City to $2,427 in San Diego, and the median is $243. Eight are under $150 (Kansas City, Louisville, Baltimore, Jacksonville, St. Louis, Albuquerque, Fort Worth and New York), eight are $150 to $299, eight are $300 to $699 and six are $700 or more (Seattle, Phoenix, Portland, Long Beach, San Francisco and San Diego). The shed size and value in each example differ, and contractors' prices and drawing fees are not included.

Seventeen cities price it on the shed's value, using a valuation per square foot or the stated cost. Six charge a flat line (Philadelphia, San Diego, San Antonio, Jacksonville, Indianapolis and Baltimore), six price by square footage (Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Milwaukee and Louisville) and San Jose bills hours. Dallas cites Texas law barring value-based residential fees, and Houston and Fort Worth cite it as well.

That depends on the size or value limit, which is in the size exemption page linked above. Four cities have no size exemption and require a permit for every shed: Miami ($154 for a $6,000 kit), Jacksonville ($85), Fort Worth ($110.96) and Tucson (about $359 for a 240 sq ft shed). Los Angeles exempts work valued at $2,500 or less rather than a size. Cincinnati and Charlotte exempt some small sheds from the building permit but still ask for a zoning filing ($158.55 in Cincinnati for a shed under 100 sq ft; $330 in Charlotte on the FY2025 sheet for a shed 12 ft or less), and Philadelphia charges $189 for a zoning permit when a small shed goes in a side or front yard.

Nine cities charge a separate zoning or planning fee (Portland, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Albuquerque and Long Beach). Plan review adds 25% to 100% of the permit fee in several cities, and surcharges add from 1.6% (Milwaukee) to 12% (Portland). A powered shed needs an electrical permit, which 20 pages price from $47 or $52 in Albuquerque and Kansas City to $305 in San Francisco.

They are the only two cities over $1,000 in the table. San Diego charges a flat $1,501.42 plan check line, a $737.00 General Plan Maintenance Fee and hourly inspection at $176.84, which makes about $2,427 for a 200 sq ft workshop with one inspection hour. San Francisco charges DBI plan review and issuance on a valuation of $71 per square foot, plus Planning's building-permit fee of about $550, for about $1,460 on a 150 sq ft shed. Across the six California cities the example runs from $366 in Los Angeles to $2,427 in San Diego.

Twenty-three pages say an owner may pull the building permit, usually if they live in the home and will not sell or rent it within a set period (12 months in several cities). New York and Dallas allow only licensed or registered contractors for a shed that needs a permit, Philadelphia and Baltimore are limited or conflicting, and Seattle, Minneapolis and Louisville do not say. Electrical work is narrower: Chicago, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh limit it to licensed electrical contractors or trade-licensed workers.

By square footage or a flat schedule rather than by value. Houston's tier table gives about $213 for a 200 sq ft shed, Dallas's $1.07 per square foot gives an estimated $397 for 240 sq ft (about $974 if the $577 minimum plan review is charged), Fort Worth's Group U table gives $110.96 for a shed up to 175 sq ft, and San Antonio's flat schedule gives $162.00 for an unfinished shed over 300 sq ft. Dallas and Fort Worth cite Texas Local Government Code 214.907 and Houston cites the 2019 bill behind it, HB 852.

The city pages behind this table

Each page quotes the code section, exempt-work list and fee schedule it relies on and records the date they were last verified.