What's Required in San Diego
- No building permit for a one-story detached shed or playhouse with a projected roof area of 120 sq ft or less (SDMC 129.0203(a)(1))
- Larger sheds file a Building Construction application online with a site plan and construction plans
- Electrical, plumbing or mechanical work in any shed needs its own permit (SDMC 129.0203(b))
- Owner-builders upload the signed Owner-Builder Verification Form DS-3042; tenants cannot sign it
- Non-habitable accessory buildings may not be used for living or sleeping (SDMC 131.0448)
- All non-habitable accessory buildings except garages are capped at 25 percent of the lot's allowable gross floor area
- A shed in a required side or rear yard must meet SDMC 131.0461(a)(12): lot 10,000 sq ft or less, 15 ft height, 30 ft length, 525 sq ft
- Designated historical resources, historic districts and environmentally sensitive lands lose the exemption
Do You Need a Permit for a Shed in San Diego?
Not for a small one. San Diego Municipal Code section 129.0203(a)(1) exempts one-story detached accessory buildings used as tool and storage sheds or playhouses when the projected roof area is 120 square feet or less, and the Development Services Department (DSD) handout says the same thing the other way round: storage sheds or playhouses over 120 sq ft in projected roof area require a permit. Two things people miss. First, the measurement is roof area, not floor area, so a 10 by 12 shed with eaves can land over the line. Second, the exemption covers only the building permit: section 129.0203(b) says it is not an exemption from electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits, so a light, an outlet or a hose bib inside the shed needs its own permit whatever the shed's size. The exemption also falls away on a designated historical resource, in a historic district, or on a lot with environmentally sensitive lands.
San Diego Shed Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| One-story storage shed or playhouse, roof area 120 sq ft or less, no utilities | None | SDMC 129.0203(a)(1); DSD When is a Permit Required handout |
| Shed with more than 120 sq ft of roof area | Building permit with plan review (Garage/Storage fee line) | SDMC 129.0202; IB 501 Table 501C |
| Any shed getting a light, outlet or circuit | Electrical permit, filed online as a Simple Permit | SDMC 129.0203(b), 129.0302; IB 103 |
| Shed with a laundry tub, sink or half bath | Plumbing permit | SDMC 129.0402; SDMC 131.0448(b) |
| Shed placed inside the required side or rear yard | Allowed without a variance only if the lot is 10,000 sq ft or less and the shed stays under 15 feet, 30 feet long and 525 sq ft | SDMC 131.0461(a)(12) |
| Shed on a lot with a designated historical resource or in a historic district | Historical review before work; exemption does not apply | SDMC 129.0203(a); IB 581 |
| Shed you want to sleep in | Not a shed: file it as an ADU | SDMC 131.0448(b), 141.0302 |
How Much Does a Shed Permit Cost in San Diego?
Zero for an exempt shed. A shed that files is priced on Information Bulletin 501, Table 501C, under Garage/Storage for a single dwelling unit, duplex or townhome: a $1,501.42 plan check fee per building, with inspection billed hourly at the DSD rate of $176.84 per hour. Because the project is plan-reviewed, DSD also collects the General Plan Maintenance Fee of $737.00 once at application and a $12.16 mapping fee. So a 200-square-foot workshop that needs one inspection hour comes to about $1,501.42 + $737.00 + $12.16 + $176.84 = $2,427.42; two inspection hours makes it about $2,604. Small extras land on the invoice: the state strong-motion fee at 13 cents per $1,000 of valuation, the state building standards fee of $1 per $25,000, and a $17.11 collection charge. IB 501 also lists a 2.5-hour impact-fee assessment charge on building permit projects; ask DSD whether it is applied to an accessory building.
Who Pulls a San Diego Shed Permit and How Long It Takes
Applications are online only, through the DSD portal (aca-prod.accela.com/SANDIEGO) under Building Construction. A licensed contractor can file, or you can file as an owner-builder: California Business and Professions Code 7044 lets a homeowner improve a principal residence they have lived in for 12 months, and DSD requires the signed Owner-Builder Verification Form DS-3042, notarized if you are not present. Tenants cannot sign it. IB 100 puts accessory structures in the single-dwelling Short review category, with an estimated 8 business days for the first review and 6 for a recheck. Once issued, the permit is void if not used within one year and expires three years after issuance.
Zoning Rules That Apply Even to a Permit-Free Shed
Section 131.0448 caps all non-habitable accessory buildings, garages excluded, at 25 percent of the lot's allowable gross floor area, lets them carry lighting, laundry hookups and a half bathroom, and bars using them for living or sleeping. A shed may sit in the required side or rear yard only under the limits in 131.0461(a)(12) listed above; otherwise it observes the zone's setbacks. Mechanical equipment such as an air conditioner placed in a side or rear yard must stay 4 feet from the property line.
How to Get a Shed Permit in San Diego
Measure the projected roof area
At 120 sq ft or less with no utilities, no building permit is needed. Over that, or with any wiring or plumbing, you file.
Check zoning on ZAPP
Confirm setbacks, the 25 percent accessory-building cap, and whether the lot is historic, coastal or environmentally sensitive.
Apply online
Open a Building Construction application on the DSD portal with a site plan, construction plans, the DS-345 contacts form and DS-3042 if you are the owner-builder.
Pay plan check and wait for review
The $1,501.42 plan check and $737.00 General Plan Maintenance Fee are due before review; expect about 8 business days for the first review.
Pay inspection fees, build, and call for inspection
Inspection is billed hourly at $176.84 and invoiced at issuance; schedule online or at 858-581-7111 before covering any work.