Do you need a permit for a shed in Seattle?
It depends on the project. Seattle exempts some sheds from a building permit and requires one for the rest1; the exemption's limit is 120 square feet, with the conditions in the city's wording below.
On this page
Depends on size or scope
Seattle's rule“You don't need a permit to build a shed if it meets all of these criteria…”1
City of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections, What Permits Do You Need?
Which permits you need
| Permit | Required when | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | Any shed not meeting all exemption criteria; most need only STFI | All other sheds require a permit; most require only a subject-to-field-inspection permit.1 |
| Building permit | Addition/alteration permit if in or near an ECA, larger than 750 sq ft, or beams spanning more than 14 ft | You need a construction addition / alteration permit if: Your shed is in or near an ECA.1 |
Limits and conditions in Seattle'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 | 120 square feet | The total area (or “footprint”) of the shed’s roof is 120 square feet or less.1 |
| Exempt up to this area under the Residential Code | 120 square feet | 3.1. The projected roof area does not exceed 120 square feet…2 |
| Attached to the house: permit required? | Yes | The shed is not attached to a house or other building.1 |
| Field-inspection (STFI) permit: up to this area | 750 square feet | Your shed is larger than 750 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum height | 12 feet | The shed cannot be more than 12 feet tall.1 |
| Lot coverage | NR1-NR3: total coverage limited to 50-60 (percent; as written) | For neighborhood residential zones (NR1, NR2 and NR3), the total coverage is limited to 50-60.1 |
| Side and rear setback | Not within 10-15 ft of front lot line or 5 ft of side lot lines (NR zones); allowed in rear yard | You usually can’t put the shed within 10-15 feet of the front property line or within five feet of the side property lines in NR zones.1 |
What to submit
- Professional stamp rarely required1
Who can apply
- Anyone with drafting skills may prepare drawings1
Shed permit fees in Seattle
Fee lines as Seattle'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 |
|---|---|---|
| STFI permit fee / plan review fee | Based on project valuation | Permit fee 100% of DFI; plan review fee 40% of DFI3 |
| Building permit fee / plan review fee | Based on project valuation | Permit fee 100% of DFI; plan review fee 100% of DFI3 |
All of Seattle's fee lines are on the Seattle permit page.
Special areas and extra reviews
- Exempt sheds must still meet building, land use, stormwater, grading and ECA codes1
- Electrical service changes via Seattle City Light1
Who to ask
Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI)4
Building permits
- Website
- seattle.gov4
- Apply online
- services.seattle.gov5
- Phone
- (206) 684-86004
- Address
- 700 5th Ave, Suite 2000, Seattle, WA 98104 (mailing: P.O. Box 34019, Seattle, WA 98124-4019)4
- Hours
- Most staff 8 AM - 4 PM (phone or email)6
- Inspections
- Online, or 24-hour line (206) 684-89007
Shed permit rules in other cities
Rules differ from city to city. Compare Seattle with 18 other cities on the national shed permit guide, or go straight to one:
- New York City, NY
- Los Angeles, CA
- Chicago, IL
- Phoenix, AZ
- 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
- Denver, CO
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Philadelphia, PA
- Austin, TX
Sources
- Sheds - Construction and InspectionsCity of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsChecked November 7, 2026
- 2021 Seattle Residential Code, Chapter 1 AdministrationCity of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsChecked November 7, 2026
- 2026 Fee Subtitle and related documents (SMC Chapter 22.900)City of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsEffective January 1, 2026Checked November 7, 2026
- Fences - Construction and InspectionsCity of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsChecked November 7, 2026
- How Do You Get a Permit? - Construction and InspectionsCity of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsChecked November 7, 2026
- Contact Us - Hours & LocationCity of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsChecked November 6, 2026
- Construction Inspections - Construction and InspectionsCity of Seattle, Seattle Department of Construction & InspectionsChecked November 7, 2026