What's Required in Phoenix
- No building permit for a one-story storage shed of 200 sq ft or less with no utilities (2024 PBCC 105.2; Permit Guide TRT 00823)
- Unaltered shipping containers up to 320 sq ft are also exempt if they comply with the Zoning Ordinance
- Any electrical or plumbing run to an exempt shed needs its own permit
- Sheds over 200 sq ft: building permit on valuation ($69.64/sq ft, U occupancy VB) plus 100% plan review; $98 plot plan review may apply
- Minimum 3 ft setback from side and rear property lines; 0 ft along a fully dedicated alley (Zoning 706.B)
- Not permitted in the required front yard or between the house and the street without a use permit
- Height in a required yard: 8 ft within 5 ft of a street-side lot line, otherwise 15 ft; more needs a use permit
- All detached structures count toward lot coverage
- Owner-occupants may do the work themselves under ARS 32-1121.A.5; otherwise use an ROC-licensed contractor
Do You Need a Permit to Build a Shed in Phoenix?
Not for a small one. The 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code, in effect since August 1, 2025, exempts one-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, non-cantilevered shade structures and similar uses with a floor area of 200 square feet or less, and it extends the same exemption to unaltered intermodal shipping containers up to 320 square feet. The exemption is conditional: the structure must still comply with the Zoning Ordinance, and the city's Residential Single-Family Construction Permit Guide lists detached structures larger than 200 square feet among the projects that need a permit and limits the exemption to structures without utilities. Run power or water to an exempt shed and the electrical or plumbing work needs its own permit.
Phoenix Shed Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Prefab or site-built shed, 200 sq ft or less, no electrical or plumbing | None | 2024 PBCC 105.2 Building item 1; Permit Guide TRT 00823 |
| Same shed with a light, outlet or hose bib | Electrical or plumbing permit for the utility work | Permit Guide: exemption is for structures without utilities |
| Shed over 200 sq ft (for example 12x20) | Building permit, plan review and plot plan | 2024 PBCC 105.2; Table A fee on valuation |
| Unaltered shipping container up to 320 sq ft | None (zoning rules still apply) | 2024 PBCC 105.2 Building item 1 |
| Shed in the front yard or between the house and the street | Not allowed without a use permit | Zoning Ordinance 706.B (2024 ADU text amendment) |
| Shed closer than 3 ft to a side or rear property line | Not allowed (0 ft only along a dedicated alley) | Zoning Ordinance 706.B.2 |
| Shed taller than 8 ft within 5 ft of a street-side lot line, or over 15 ft anywhere in a required yard | Use permit required | Zoning Ordinance 706.B.3 |
How Much Does a Shed Permit Cost in Phoenix?
Zero for an exempt shed. When a permit is needed, the city prices it on valuation, not on what you paid. The 2026 Development Fee Schedule (Appendix A.2, effective January 20, 2026) says permit fees are based on building square footage times the standard rate for the occupancy, and the Miscellaneous Construction valuation guide sends both site-built and pre-built sheds to U occupancy, new construction. The city's Building Valuation Table lists Type VB utility buildings at $69.64 per square foot. A 12x20 shed is 240 square feet, so its valuation is 240 x $69.64 = $16,714. Table A charges $303 on the first $10,000 plus $10 for each additional $1,000 or fraction, so the permit fee is $303 + 7 x $10 = $373. Residential plan review is 100% of the permit fee when the valuation is under $50,000, another $373, for a total of about $746. A 16x20 shed (320 square feet) values at $22,285, which gives a $433 permit fee and $433 plan review, about $866. The schedule also lists a $98 plot plan review for single-family permits; whether it is charged on an accessory structure depends on how the counter logs your application, so budget for it. The higher of the city's calculation and your own contract price is used.
Where Can a Shed Go?
The Zoning Ordinance, as amended by the 2024 ADU text amendment, keeps accessory structures out of the required front yard and out of the space between the house and the street unless a use permit is approved. Sheds must sit at least 3 feet from a side or rear property line, with no setback needed along a fully dedicated alley. Inside a required rear or side yard a shed may be 8 feet tall if it is within 5 feet of a street-side property line and 15 feet tall otherwise; a shed that meets the main house's setbacks may follow the house's height limit. Every detached structure, exempt or not, counts toward your lot coverage; the city's ADU guide says to add tool sheds and storage containers to that calculation.
Who Files and What They Submit
Residential permits are filed in the SHAPE PHX portal. Arizona's contractor statute lets an owner build on property intended solely for the owner's occupancy, and the city's residential application carries a checkbox citing ARS 32-1121.A.5 for exactly that; if the home will be sold or rented within a year, hire an ROC-licensed contractor. The submittal for a permitted shed is the Residential Construction Permit/Plan Review Application, a plot plan drawn to scale showing property lines, setbacks, easements and a lot coverage table, and construction drawings. Every permit expires 24 months after issuance under the 2024 code, and starting without a permit triggers an investigation fee of $250 or the permit fee, whichever is greater, plus a doubled permit fee.
How to Get a Shed Permit in Phoenix
Measure the floor area
200 sq ft or less with no utilities: no building permit. Larger, or with power or water: file.
Check zoning placement
3 ft from side and rear lines, out of the front yard, within the 8 ft or 15 ft height limit, and inside your lot coverage allowance.
Draw the plot plan
To scale, with property lines, easements, all structures, setbacks, heights and a lot coverage table, per the city's Plot Plan example.
Apply in SHAPE PHX
Upload the Residential Construction Permit/Plan Review Application, plot plan and shed drawings; pay the plan review fee at intake.
Pay the permit fee, build and inspect
Permit fee on Table A after approval. Post the permit, keep approved plans on site, and request inspections before 2 p.m. the prior business day.