Shed Permit Guide · Toronto & GTA
Do You Need a Permit for a Shed in Toronto and the GTA?
Updated October 20, 2026
In Ontario, a storage shed up to 15 m² (161 sq ft) usually needs no building permit, as long as it is one storey, free-standing and has no plumbing. A backyard office, studio or workshop is treated differently, and needs a permit once it is over 10 m² (108 sq ft).
Zoning still applies to every shed, permit or not, and it is where the cities really differ: where a shed can go, how tall it can be and how close it can sit to the fence. Below is each city’s rule in plain language, with a link to the official page.
The short answer
Under the Ontario Building Code, a shed needs no building permit when all of these are true:
- It is not more than 15 m² (161 sq ft). Several cities word it as “under 15 m²”, so stay below 15 m² to be safe.
- It is one storey: no loft floor or second level.
- It stands on its own, not attached to the house, a deck, a fence or any other structure.
- It is used only for storage.
- It has no plumbing.
Backyard offices, studios and workshops
The 15 m² exemption is only for storage. A backyard office, studio, gym or workshop counts as an accessory building, which needs a permit once it is over 10 m² (108 sq ft), about 8 × 13 ft. Under 10 m² with no plumbing, it needs none.
Zoning also bans living in a shed in every city on this page, so a guest room or rental needs a different approval altogether.
Rules that apply even without a permit
A shed that needs no permit still has to meet the zoning by-law for your lot. Across the GTA, these are the rules that catch people out most:
- Where it can go. Almost every city keeps sheds out of the front yard, and Brampton and Richmond Hill allow the rear yard only.
- Height. Limits run from about 3 m (9 ft 10 in) in Brampton, Vaughan and smaller Mississauga lots to 4.5 m in Caledon, Whitby and Oshawa.
- Setbacks. Most cities ask for about 0.6 m (2 ft) from the side and rear lot lines; Toronto allows 0.3 m, and Markham and Caledon want 1.2 m.
- Size and coverage. Zoning can cap a shed below 15 m²: 10 m² on most Mississauga lots, and 10 m² in Toronto if it sits within 1.8 m of the house.
- Easements. Brampton and Markham ban sheds on easements, and the easement holder can make you move one anywhere.
Power, plumbing and a porch
- Electricity needs a notification of work with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) and an inspection, even when the shed itself needs no building permit.
- Plumbing, even a single sink, means a building permit at any size.
- A deck or covered porch built onto the shed means it is no longer free-standing, so the exemption no longer applies. Mississauga and Toronto also ban decks on top of sheds.
- Call Ontario One Call before digging for a slab or footings. Locates are free.
Shed rules by city
The permit rule is nearly the same everywhere, because it comes from the Ontario Building Code. Zoning is set by each city, so heights, setbacks and size caps differ. Always check the official page for your address before you build.
Toronto
Also covers North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke: one City of Toronto rule set.
- When you need a permit
- A storage shed under 15 m² (161 sq ft) needs no permit. A workshop, cabana or other accessory building over 10 m² (108 sq ft) does, and so does anything attached to the house or with plumbing, whatever its size.
- Zoning (By-law 569-2013)
- Not in the front yard. Up to 4.0 m (13 ft 1 in) high, or 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) if it is within 1.8 m of the house, where it is also capped at 10 m². Usually 0.3 m (1 ft) from the rear and side lot lines. All sheds together may cover up to 10% of the lot.
Mississauga
- When you need a permit
- A storage shed under 15 m², one storey, free-standing and without plumbing needs no permit. Larger sheds, and any shed with plumbing, do.
- Zoning (most residential lots)
- On a lot under 750 m² (8,073 sq ft), each shed is capped at 10 m² (108 sq ft), 3.0 m (9 ft 10 in) high and 0.61 m (2 ft) from the side and rear lot lines. Larger lots allow 20 m² each, 3.5 m high, set back 1.2 m. Never in front of the house.
On a typical city lot, zoning stops a shed at 10 m², below the 15 m² permit limit.
Brampton
- When you need a permit
- A storage shed of 15 m² or more needs a permit. Other accessory buildings, such as gazebos, cabanas and pool change rooms, need one from 10 m².
- Zoning (most residential lots)
- Rear yard only, at most two sheds, 15 m² each and 20 m² (215 sq ft) combined, up to 3.0 m (9 ft 10 in) high and at least 0.6 m (2 ft) from every lot line. Never on an easement.
Brampton’s new zoning by-law (14-2026) is under appeal, and until that is settled the stricter of the old and new rules applies. Check with Zoning Services for your lot.
Vaughan
- When you need a permit
- The city’s building permit page exempts a storage shed up to 15 m² with no plumbing, but its accessory structures page asks for a permit from 10 m². Anything attached to another structure needs a permit at any size.
- Zoning (By-law 001-2021)
- Up to three sheds, 3.0 m (9 ft 10 in) high, at least 0.6 m (2 ft) from the lot lines, and no closer to the street than the house. All sheds together may cover the lesser of 10% of the lot or 67 m² (721 sq ft).
For a shed between 10 and 15 m², confirm with the city first: its two pages disagree.
Richmond Hill
- When you need a permit
- A one-storey storage shed of 15 m² or less with no plumbing needs no permit. Other accessory buildings need one over 10 m², or at any size if attached to the house or plumbed. The flat fee is $382.30.
- Zoning (By-law 93-25)
- Rear yard only, at least 0.6 m (2 ft) from the side and rear lot lines. A sloped roof can reach 3.6 m (11 ft 10 in) at the peak with walls up to 2.44 m (8 ft); a flat roof 2.75 m (9 ft). All sheds together may cover up to 5% of the lot.
Caledon
- When you need a permit
- A shed of 15 m² or more needs a permit, and so does any other accessory building over 10 m², such as a garage, workshop or sea can. Anything attached to an existing structure counts as an addition.
- Zoning (By-law 2006-50)
- Up to 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) high, at least 0.6 m (2 ft) from the rear lot line and 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) from the side lot lines, and 1.5 m from other buildings. All sheds together may cover up to 5% of the lot. Front yards only on lots of about an acre or more.
Whitby
- When you need a permit
- A shed larger than 15 m², or more than one storey, needs a permit. Other accessory structures need one over 10 m².
- Zoning (most residential lots)
- Generally up to 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) high, in the side or back yard only, and at least 0.6 m (2 ft) from the side and rear lot lines. Windows facing a neighbour or street can call for a larger setback.
Whitby has more than one zoning by-law, so check the limits on size and lot coverage for your area.
Oshawa
- When you need a permit
- A storage shed of 15 m² or less, one storey, free-standing and without plumbing needs no permit. A larger shed does.
- Zoning (By-law 60-94)
- Generally up to 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) high, and at least 0.6 m (2 ft) from the side and rear lot lines. All sheds together are capped at the smallest of 10% of the lot, the house’s footprint or 60 m² (646 sq ft).
One older city page still lists lower coverage limits, so confirm the numbers for your lot.
Markham
- When you need a permit
- One city page exempts single-storey accessory buildings under 15 m² with no plumbing; another asks for a permit for any footprint over 10 m². For a shed between the two, call Building Standards at 905-475-4858.
- Zoning (By-law 2024-19)
- Not in the front yard or on a public easement, and at most two sheds on most lots. On a lot of 500 m² or less, each is capped at 15 m². Up to 4.0 m (13 ft 1 in) high, 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) from the side and rear lot lines (0.5 m for a wall with no door or window), and 1.8 m from other buildings.
Oakville
- When you need a permit
- A shed with plumbing, or larger than 15 m², needs a permit. If you want power in it, the town points you to the Electrical Safety Authority.
- Zoning (By-law 2014-014)
- Up to 4.0 m (13 ft 1 in) high. In the rear yard and at least 2 m from the house, it can sit 0.6 m (2 ft) from the lot lines. Sheds together may cover the greater of 5% of the lot or 42 m² (452 sq ft). North Oakville has its own by-law.
Common questions
How big can a shed be without a permit in Ontario?
Up to 15 m² (161 sq ft), as long as it is one storey, free-standing, used only for storage and has no plumbing. That is about 10 × 16 ft or 12 × 13 ft. Several GTA cities word the limit as under 15 m², so a 10 × 14 ft shed (130 sq ft) is a safe size.
Do I need a permit for a 10 × 12 shed in Toronto?
No. A 10 × 12 ft shed is 120 sq ft, about 11.1 m², under Toronto’s 15 m² limit for storage sheds. It still has to meet zoning: out of the front yard, under the height limit and set back from the lot lines. If it is a workshop or office rather than storage, the limit is 10 m², and 10 × 12 ft is over it.
Does a backyard office need a permit?
Usually, yes. The 15 m² exemption covers storage sheds only. A backyard office, studio or workshop over 10 m² (108 sq ft) needs a building permit, and running power to it needs an ESA notification and inspection.
How close to the fence can I put a shed?
In most GTA cities, about 0.6 m (2 ft) from the side and rear lot lines. Toronto allows 0.3 m on most lots, while Markham and larger Mississauga lots need 1.2 m, and so do Caledon’s side lot lines. Check your city’s row above.
Does running power to a shed need a permit?
Yes, from the Electrical Safety Authority rather than the city. Electrical work needs a notification of work with ESA before it starts and an inspection after. We arrange it for the sheds we wire.
Official sources
- Ontario 2024 Building Code, Division C, Part 1 (shed exemption)
- Ontario Building Code Act, 1992
- Electrical Safety Authority: electrical work at home
- Ontario One Call: locates for homeowners
Rules change. This guide is general information, not legal advice; confirm with your city before you build.
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