What's Required in Houston
- One-story detached accessory structures of 120 sq ft or less need no building permit (Residential Permitting 101; Top 10 sheet)
- Larger sheds file a residential building permit through iPermits with plan review (10 business days) and inspection
- Any electrical, plumbing or mechanical work in a shed requires a trade permit regardless of shed size
- Electrical permits are issued only to TDLR-licensed master electricians registered with the city
- Plumbing permits go to registered master plumbers, or to a homeowner under the homestead homeowner's plumbing permit
- A structure less than 5 ft from the property line needs a one-hour fire-rated wall on that side
- Deed restrictions are enforced by the city; confirm them before building (Harris County Clerk)
- Floodplain lots may need a floodplain development permit even for exempt structures
Do You Need a Permit for a Shed in Houston?
Not for a small one. Houston Public Works lists one-story detached accessory structures with a floor area of 120 square feet or less among the projects that need no building permit, and the Building Code Enforcement "Top 10" sheet says the same thing in plainer words: residential accessory structures such as storage sheds less than 120 square feet are exempt. Go over 120 square feet, add a second story, or run power or water to it, and you are back in the permit system: any work to install mechanical, electrical or plumbing equipment requires a permit regardless of the building's size. Houston has no zoning, but it does enforce deed restrictions, so the city asks you to confirm your subdivision's restrictions before you build.
Houston Shed Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| One-story storage shed, 120 sq ft or less, no utilities | None | Residential Permitting 101, building permit exemptions; Top 10 sheet item 2(d) |
| Shed over 120 sq ft, or two stories | Residential building permit with plan review (10 business days) | Residential Addition Permit (HPWCODE 1134) |
| Any shed with lights, outlets or a circuit | Electrical permit by a registered master electrician | Top 10 sheet item 1; HPC Circuit Panel and Outlet permits |
| Shed with a sink, hose bib or drain | Plumbing permit by a registered master plumber, or the homeowner homestead permit | HPC Homeowner's Plumbing Permit |
| Shed less than 5 ft from the property line | One-hour fire-rated wall on that side (reviewed with the permit) | Residential Permitting 101, basic code requirements |
| Shed on a lot in the floodplain | Floodplain development permit may be needed even when no building permit is | Residential Permitting 101, important notes |
| Shed in a Houston historic district | Certificate of Appropriateness before construction | Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission |
How Much Does a Shed Permit Cost in Houston?
Zero for an exempt shed. A shed that files is priced on the 2026 Building Code Enforcement fee schedule's one- and two-family residential table, which charges by square footage rather than by job value (Texas HB 852 bars cities from valuation-based residential fees). For ordinary wood-frame construction (Type VB), the table's second tier is a $47.00 base charge plus $5.36 for each additional 8.17 square feet after the first 57.16 square feet, subject to the $91.06 minimum permit fee, plus the $33.56 administrative fee and a non-refundable plan review fee of 25 percent of the permit fee. A 200-square-foot shed therefore comes to about $143 in permit fee, $36 in plan review and $33.56 admin, roughly $213 total; a 320-square-foot workshop is about $296. Electrical and plumbing permits are separate: the electrical minimum is $91.06 and the plumbing minimum $97.56, each plus the admin fee.
Who Pulls a Shed Permit in Houston?
Houston does not license general contractors, and the building permit may be purchased by the owner, agent or contractor. Trade permits are different: electrical permits are issued only to master electricians licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and registered with the city, and plumbing permits go to master plumbers licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners and registered with the city, except that a homeowner who owns, occupies and has homesteaded the property may pull a homeowner's plumbing permit for work they do themselves. Applications are electronic through iPermits, with a signed Declaration in Support of Application that is checked against Harris County Appraisal District ownership records.
What the Plan Reviewer Looks For
A shed that needs a permit is filed like any residential accessory structure: a survey or site plan showing property lines, easements and building setback lines, plus plans for the structure. The city's basic-requirements list flags a one-hour fire-rated wall where a building sits less than 5 feet from the property line, and the Top 10 sheet reminds you that trees within the building setback line are protected. None of this is a zoning review, because Houston has none; it is building code, platting and deed-restriction compliance.
How to Get a Shed Permit in Houston
Measure against the 120 sq ft line
One story, 120 sq ft or less, no utilities: no building permit. Otherwise file.
Check deed restrictions and the floodplain
Houston enforces deed restrictions and has no zoning; confirm restrictions with the Harris County Clerk and check the Floodplain Management Office if the lot is in the floodplain.
Apply in iPermits
Building permit application, signed Declaration in Support (validated against HCAD records), survey or site plan, and plans. Owner, agent or contractor may apply; no GC license exists in Houston.
Pay the fee
Square-footage tier fee ($91.06 minimum) plus $33.56 admin and a 25 percent plan review fee; a 200 sq ft shed is about $213.
Trade permits and inspections
Electrical by a registered master electrician, plumbing by a registered master plumber or homeowner homestead permit; inspections are requested for the next business day.