What's Required in San Jose
- One-story detached sheds of 120 sq ft or less need no building permit (SJMC 24.02.120.A.1)
- Sheds over 120 sq ft or with a second story need a building permit with plans filed through the Permit Center
- Any electrical, plumbing or mechanical work in a shed needs a separate trade permit even when the shed is exempt (SJMC 24.02.120.B)
- Accessory buildings are limited to 12 ft (16 ft at the peak of a sloped roof), one story, and 650 sq ft cumulative on the lot (Table 20-70)
- Front setback 60 ft; corner lots keep 10 ft from the street-side line; 6 ft separation from other buildings
- Accessory buildings may cover at most 30 percent of the rear yard, 40 percent with other accessory structures
- No living space, sleeping quarters or conditioned space in an accessory building; two plumbing connections at most
- A permit expires if work does not start within 12 months or stops for 180 days
Do You Need a Permit for a Shed in San Jose?
Not for a small one. San Jose Municipal Code section 24.02.120 exempts one-story detached accessory buildings used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed 120 square feet. A 10 by 12 shed sits exactly on the line and is still exempt; anything larger, or a second story, needs a building permit from the Building Division. Two things the exemption does not cover: the same code section says separate plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits are still required for exempt items, so a light, an outlet or a hose bib in the shed needs its own trade permit, and the zoning rules in Title 20 apply whether or not a building permit is issued.
San Jose Shed Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| One-story storage shed, 120 sq ft or less, no wiring or plumbing | No building permit | SJMC 24.02.120.A.1; zoning setbacks and the 650 sq ft accessory cap still apply |
| Shed over 120 sq ft, or two stories | Building permit | SJMC 24.02.100; processing $211 (Storage Shed line) plus inspection fee and plan check |
| Exempt shed with a light, outlet or circuit | Electrical permit | SJMC 24.02.120.B: trade permits still required for exempt items |
| Shed with a sink or hose bib | Plumbing permit | SJMC 24.02.120.B; an accessory building is limited to two plumbing connections (Table 20-70 note 7) |
| Shed taller than 12 ft (16 ft at the peak of a sloped roof) or over 650 sq ft of accessory buildings | Special use permit from Planning | SJMC 20.30.500 Table 20-70; 20.30.530 |
| Shed on a corner lot within 10 ft of the street-side property line | Not allowed without Planning approval | Table 20-70 note 2 |
| Converting the shed to a bedroom or office with heat | Not an accessory building; ADU or addition rules apply | SJMC 20.200.020 via Table 20-70 note 7 |
How Much Does a Shed Permit Cost in San Jose?
Zero for an exempt shed. A shed that needs a permit is priced from the city's Schedule of Fees and Charges (the FY2026-27 resolution took effect July 1, 2026). Three lines add up. First, a permit processing fee of $211, the one-hour amount listed for both Storage Shed and Accessory Structure (wood). Second, the building permit itself, charged at $315 per hour of inspection time in tiers: Tier 1 is 40 minutes, Tier 2 is 70 minutes, Tier 3 is 130 minutes and Tier 4 is 250 minutes, invoiced at the minutes times the hourly rate. Third, plan check at $325 per hour with a 30-minute minimum for over-the-counter review. A simple prefab shed that lands in Tier 1 therefore comes to about $211 + $210 + $162.50, roughly $585; a site-built workshop in Tier 2 is about $211 + $367.50 + $162.50, roughly $740. The schedule lets the Building Official adjust the assessment when the scope is significantly more or less than the table assumes, so treat these as the published arithmetic, not a quote. Start work without a permit and the schedule charges two times the cost of plan review and inspection on top.
Where Can the Shed Go?
Zoning Table 20-70 sets the placement rules for accessory buildings in residential districts: no side or rear setback for a shed on an interior lot, but a 60-foot front setback for accessory buildings other than garages, a 12-foot height limit (a sloped roof may reach 16 feet if it is 12 feet at mid-slope), one story, and a cumulative cap of 650 square feet for all accessory buildings and structures on the lot. The shed must sit at least 6 feet from every other building, and accessory buildings may cover no more than 30 percent of the rear yard (40 percent with other structures). An accessory building may not contain living space or sleeping quarters. Fire and life safety rules can push a shed farther from the property line, so confirm the wall-to-line distance with the plan reviewer.
Who Pulls the Permit and How
You can. California's owner-builder exemption lets a property owner do the work personally or hire licensed subcontractors, and a homeowner improving a principal residence is exempt from contractor licensing if they have lived there 12 months and the work is done before sale. Any contractor you hire must hold a state license; only jobs under $1,000 that need no permit are open to unlicensed handymen. A permitted shed is not on SJPermits.org's list of online permit types, so it is filed through the Permit Center with a site plan showing property lines and the distance to other buildings. The permit expires if work does not start within 12 months or stops for 180 days.
How to Get a Shed Permit in San Jose
Measure against the 120 sq ft line
One story, 120 sq ft or less and no utilities means no building permit. Larger, or with power or water, means you file.
Check zoning placement
Confirm height, the 650 sq ft accessory cap, rear-yard coverage, the 60 ft front setback and 6 ft building separation from Table 20-70 before drawing plans.
File at the Permit Center
A permitted shed is not an online permit type; submit a site plan and construction drawings with the building permit application at 200 E. Santa Clara St. or through SJPermits with SJePlans upload.
Pay processing, permit and plan check fees
Expect $211 processing, a tiered inspection fee at $315 per hour and plan check at $325 per hour (30-minute minimum over the counter).
Call for inspections
Foundation, framing and final inspections are scheduled on SJPermits.org; cancel by 2 pm two business days ahead to avoid being charged.