Do you need a permit for a shed in Phoenix?
It depends on the project. Phoenix exempts some sheds from a building permit and requires one for the rest1; the exemption's limit is 200 square feet, with the conditions in the city's wording below. Work that needs no building permit can still need zoning approval.
On this page
Depends on size or scope
Phoenix's rule“1. Other than storm shelters, one-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, non-cantilevered shade structures, and similar uses, provided that the floor area is not greater than [...] 200 square feet, except for unaltered Intermodal Shipping Containers not greater than 320 square feet, and the structure complies with city of Phoenix Zoning Ordinance requirements.”1
City of Phoenix, Planning & Development Department, [A] 105.2 Work exempt from permit, Building item 1, p.20
Which permits you need
| Permit | Required when | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | Detached structures over 200 sq ft | Detached structures larger than 200 square feet…2 |
Limits and conditions in Phoenix's rule
Each limit sits next to the sentence it comes from; the conditions in that sentence are part of the rule.
| Rule | Value | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Exempt up to this area | 200 square feet | …one-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, non-cantilevered shade structures, and similar uses, provided that the floor area is not greater than [...] 200 square feet…1 |
Zoning rules: separate from the building permit
A project can be exempt from one and still need the other (zoning vs building permits).
| Zoning rule | Value | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Zoning approval needed even without a building permit? | Yes | (Minimum zoning setbacks from property line must be maintained and approved plat/site plan must be approved.)2 |
Shed permit fees in Phoenix
Fee lines as Phoenix's schedule states them. A minimum or base fee is not the whole price when the line says the fee grows with project value.
| Fee | Type | As the schedule states it |
|---|---|---|
| Table A base fee, valuation $1 - $1,000 | Minimum fee | $1 - $1,000 $195 Base fee only*3 |
| Table A, valuation $1,001 - $10,000 | Based on project valuation | $1,001 - $10,000 $195 on first $1,000, plus $12 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $10,0003 |
| Table A, valuation $10,001 - $50,000 | Based on project valuation | $10,001 - $50,000 $303 on first $10,000 plus $10 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $50,0003 |
| Table A, valuation $50,001 - $200,000 | Based on project valuation | $50,001 - $200,000 $703 on first $50,000 plus $9 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $200,0003 |
| Table A, valuation $200,001 - $1,000,000 | Based on project valuation | $200,001 - $1,000,000 $2,053 on first $200,000 plus $9 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $1,000,0003 |
| Table A, valuation $1,000,001 - $10,000,000 | Based on project valuation | $1,000,001 - $10,000,000 $9,253 on first $1,000,000 plus $5 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $10,000,0003 |
| Table A, valuation over $10,000,000 | Based on project valuation | Over $10,000,000 $54,253 on first $10,000,000 plus $5 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, on the total amount of the project valuation3 |
All of Phoenix's fee lines are on the Phoenix permit page.
Arizona law that applies
- State rules on which work needs a permit in Arizona
- Homeowners doing their own work in Arizona
- Contractor licensing in Arizona
Who to ask
City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department7
Building permits
- Website
- phoenix.gov4
- Apply online
- shapephx.phoenix.gov5
- Phone
- (602) 261-80784
- [email protected]4
- Address
- 200 West Washington Street, Second Floor, Phoenix, Arizona 850036
- Hours
- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except major holidays6
- Inspections
- Online via SHAPE PHX (residential) or phone 602-495-08007
Shed permit rules in other cities
Rules differ from city to city. Compare Phoenix with 18 other cities on the national shed permit guide, or go straight to one:
- New York City, NY
- Los Angeles, CA
- Chicago, IL
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- Dallas, TX
- Jacksonville, FL
- Fort Worth, TX
- San Jose, CA
- Charlotte, NC
- Columbus, OH
- Indianapolis, IN
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Denver, CO
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Philadelphia, PA
- Austin, TX
Sources
- 2024 International Building Code Administrative Provisions (IBC Chapter 1), Phoenix amendmentsCity of Phoenix, Planning & Development DepartmentEffective August 1, 2025Checked November 7, 2026
- How to Obtain a Residential Building Permit (Residential Single-Family Construction Permit Guide, TRT 00823)City of Phoenix, Planning & Development DepartmentRevised February 2020Checked November 7, 2026
- PDD Fee Schedule, Phoenix City Code Chapter 9, Appendix A.2City of Phoenix, Planning & Development DepartmentEffective January 20, 2026Checked November 7, 2026
- Residential BuildingCity of Phoenix, Planning & Development DepartmentChecked November 7, 2026
- Help with My Home ProjectCity of Phoenix, Planning & Development DepartmentChecked November 7, 2026
- Contact Planning and DevelopmentCity of Phoenix, Planning & Development DepartmentChecked November 6, 2026
- Inspection Request/CancellationCity of Phoenix, Planning & Development DepartmentChecked November 7, 2026