Do I need a permit for a shed in Cumberland, Maine?
In Cumberland's residential districts, a shed (an accessory building of 189 sq ft or less) can be as close as 15 feet to the side and rear lot lines but must meet the full front setback, such as 50 feet in the LDR district. Larger accessory buildings must meet the district's regular setbacks. Building permits go through the Code Enforcement Officer; the ordinance text we reviewed doesn't set a size below which no permit is needed.
| Shed definition | Accessory building of no more than 189 sq ft [1] |
| Shed side/rear setback (RR1, RR2, LDR, MDR, VMDR, IR) | 15 ft [2] |
| Front setback (LDR example) | 50 ft (full district setback) [2] |
| Front setback (MDR example) | 35 ft; rear 50 ft, side 20 ft for larger buildings [3] |
| Front setback (VMDR example) | 25 ft; rear 25 ft, side 15 ft for larger buildings [4] |
| Max height | 40 ft (all districts) [6] |
| Permit | Building permit application to the Code Enforcement Officer with site plan [7] |
What counts as a shed
Cumberland defines a shed as an accessory building of no more than 189 square feet, used for storing yard equipment and household goods [1]. An accessory structure is one subordinate and customarily incidental to the main use; a garage attached to the house is treated as part of the house [8].
Setbacks
In the residential districts, the district setback rules let sheds and driveways sit as close as 15 feet to the side and rear lot lines. The front setback still applies in full. For example:
- Low-Density Residential (LDR): front 50 ft, rear 65 ft, side 30 ft [2]
- Medium-Density Residential (MDR): front 35 ft, rear 50 ft, side 20 ft [3]
- Village Medium-Density Residential (VMDR): front 25 ft, rear 25 ft, side 15 ft [4]
- Rural Residential 1 and 2 (RR1/RR2): front 50 ft, rear 75 ft, side 30 ft, with the same 15-foot shed allowance [9]
An accessory building larger than 189 square feet (a big barn or detached garage) isn't a "shed" under the definition and must meet the full district setbacks. No structure, attached or not, may project into required setbacks [5]. Commercial districts have their own setbacks and no shed allowance.
Height and size
The height limit in all districts is 40 feet [6]. We didn't find a separate lot-coverage limit for residential districts in the text we reviewed.
Permits
Applications to the Code Enforcement Officer for a permit to erect a new building or structure must include a site plan showing the lot, buildings and drainage [7]. The ordinance doesn't state a size threshold below which a shed is exempt from a permit, so check with the Code Enforcement Office before building.
A Chapter 315 amendment adopted August 10, 2026 may not be reflected in the online text we reviewed.
See how Cumberland compares with 8+ other Maine towns on sheds & accessory buildings →
Next steps
- Confirm your zoning district with the Cumberland Code Enforcement Office (207-829-2207) and ask whether your shed needs a building permit.
- Keep the shed to 189 sq ft or less if you want to use the 15-foot side/rear setback, and keep it out of the front setback.
- Prepare a simple site plan showing the shed's size and its distance to every lot line.
- Apply to the Code Enforcement Officer before building.
Common questions
- Do I need a permit for a shed in Cumberland, Maine?
- The ordinance text we reviewed doesn't set a size below which no permit is needed. Building permits go through the Code Enforcement Officer, so check before building.
- How close to the property line can I build a shed in Cumberland, Maine?
- In the residential districts, a shed, an accessory building of 189 sq ft or less, can be as close as 15 feet to the side and rear lot lines. It must still meet the full front setback, such as 50 feet in the LDR district.
- What counts as a shed in Cumberland, Maine?
- An accessory building of no more than 189 square feet. Larger accessory buildings must meet the district's regular setbacks.
- What is the building height limit in Cumberland, Maine?
- 40 feet in all districts.
Maine building code and shoreland rules for sheds
Building code (MUBEC): The Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code adopts the 2021 International Residential Code, effective April 7, 2025. It must be enforced in towns with more than 4,000 residents. Smaller towns may choose to enforce it, but they can't adopt any other building code.
- Maine's version of the code says building permits are required "where required by municipal ordinance," and towns can exempt more work from permits.
- The residential code exempts small one-story detached accessory buildings from a building permit. Under the IRC that means up to 200 sq ft.
- Being exempt from a building permit doesn't exempt you from zoning. Setbacks, lot coverage and any land-use permit still apply. Check with your code officer.
Shoreland zone: A shed is a "structure" under the state shoreland rules, so it must meet the water setbacks: generally 100 ft from GPA great ponds and 75 ft from other waters and wetlands. It also counts toward the 20% lot-coverage cap. On a small nonconforming lot where a shed can't meet the setback, the code officer may allow one shed up to 80 sq ft and 8 ft tall, with no utilities. It has to be as far from the water as practical and never closer than the house.
What the ordinance says
- § 315-4 Definitions, Shed, Chapter 315 Zoning, Article I Title, Purpose and Definitions
An accessory building of no more than 189 square feet in total area, used for, among other things, the storage of yard equipment and other household goods.
- § 315-7D (Low-Density Residential District), Chapter 315 Zoning, Article II Zoning Districts
The following minimum setbacks are required for all structures in the LDR District, except that sheds and driveways are permitted to a minimum setback of 15 feet from the side and rear lot lines: (1) Front: 50 feet. (2) Rear: 65 feet. (3) Side: 30 feet; combined width at least 65 feet.
- § 315-8D (Medium-Density Residential District), Chapter 315 Zoning, Article II Zoning Districts
The following minimum setbacks are required for all structures in the MDR District, except that sheds and driveways are permitted to a minimum setback of 15 feet from the side and rear lot lines: (1) Front: 35 feet. (2) Rear: 50 feet. (3) Side: 20 feet; combined width at least 50 feet.
- § 315-9D (Village Medium-Density Residential District), Chapter 315 Zoning, Article II Zoning Districts
The following minimum setbacks are required for all structures in the VMDR District, except that sheds and driveways are permitted to a minimum setback of 15 feet from the side and rear lot lines: (1) Front: 25 feet. (2) Rear: 25 feet. (3) Side: 15 feet; combined width at least 35 feet.
- § 315-30 Projection of structures into required setback, Chapter 315 Zoning, Article IV Lot Regulations
No structures, whether attached to the principal structure or not and whether open or enclosed, including porches, carports, balconies, or platforms above normal grade level, shall project beyond the setbacks provided in this chapter.
- § 315-52 Height regulations, Chapter 315 Zoning, Article VI General Regulations
Height limitations for all districts shall be 40 feet.
- § 315-48B(3) (Erosion and sedimentation control), Chapter 315 Zoning, Article VI General Regulations
Each application to the Code Enforcement Officer for a permit to erect a new building or structure or to enlarge or to move an existing one shall be accompanied by a description of the intended use of the land and/or buildings and a site plan showing the measurements of the lot and of all buildings, driveways, yards and parking spaces, drainageways, storm drains, and streams existing and proposed.
- § 315-4 Definitions, Accessory structure or accessory use, Chapter 315 Zoning, Article I Title, Purpose and Definitions
A structure or use subordinate to a permitted or conditional use or structure and customarily incidental to the permitted or conditional use of the structure. Accessory uses, when aggregated, shall not subordinate the principal use of the lot.
- § 315-6A(4) (Rural Residential District 1), Chapter 315 Zoning, Article II Zoning Districts
The following minimum setbacks are required in the RR1 District, except that sheds and driveways are permitted to a minimum setback of 15 feet from the side and rear lot lines: (a) Front: 50 feet. (b) Rear: 75 feet. (c) Side: 30 feet; combined width at least 75 feet.