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Do I need a permit for a shed in Falmouth, Maine?

Falmouth, Cumberland County · Ordinances checked 2026-10-15 · Reviewed · 11 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

A one-story, free-standing shed up to 100 square feet and 10 feet tall doesn't need a building permit in Falmouth; anything bigger does. Either way, zoning setbacks still apply. The district tables don't list shed-specific setbacks; the general setbacks are 25 ft front, 20 ft side and 40 ft rear in the Farm and Forest, RA and Highland Lake districts, and 15/15/30 ft in RB and RD.

No building permit neededOne-story free-standing shed up to 100 sq ft and 10 ft high [1]
Permit exemption doesn't excuse other rulesWork must still comply with codes and ordinances [2]
Setbacks: Farm and Forest (FF)25 ft front, 20 ft side, 40 ft rear [3]
Setbacks: Residential A (RA)25 ft front, 20 ft side, 40 ft rear [4]
Setbacks: Residential B (RB)15 ft front, 15 ft side, 30 ft rear [5]
Setbacks: Residential D (RD)15 ft front, 15 ft side, 30 ft rear [6]
Setbacks: Highland Lake (HL)25 ft front, 20 ft side, 40 ft rear [7]
What counts as accessorySubordinate structure on the same lot as the main use, such as a garage or workshop [9]
Max lot coverage (all uses)15% in Farm and Forest; 20% in RA, RB, RC, RD and Highland Lake [11]

Building permit threshold

Falmouth's Code Enforcement office doesn't require a building permit for a one-story, free-standing accessory structure such as a shed or children's play structure, as long as it is no more than 100 square feet and 10 feet tall [1]. Larger sheds need a building permit. Being exempt from a permit doesn't authorize work that violates the codes or any other town ordinance [2], so zoning setbacks still apply to small sheds.

Setbacks by district

Falmouth's district dimensional tables, as reprinted in Ordinance No. 9-2024, list minimum setbacks for "Single Family Detached & Other Uses":

  • Farm and Forest: 25 ft front, 20 ft side, 40 ft rear [3]
  • Residential A: 25 / 20 / 40 ft [4] (the RA numbers carry a footnote whose text isn't in our copy)
  • Residential B: 15 / 15 / 30 ft [5]
  • Residential D: 15 / 15 / 30 ft [6]
  • Highland Lake: 25 / 20 / 40 ft [7]

The tables don't list separate setbacks for sheds, so we're applying the general district setbacks to them. That's our reading, supported by Sec. 19-77, which refers to the required setback lines for residential detached accessory structures. On a lot that's nonconforming for size or setbacks, a new or enlarged residential detached accessory structure is allowed only if it stays out of the area between the lot lines and the required setback lines [8]. Other districts, including RC and the village and mixed-use districts, weren't fully reprinted in our source.

Lot coverage

The same tables cap lot coverage for all uses at 15% in Farm and Forest [10] and 20% in RA [11]; the RB, RC, RD and Highland Lake tables show the same 20% figure. A shed counts toward that total along with the house and other buildings.

What we couldn't review

The full zoning code is only online in a version we couldn't access. It may include separate setback, height or location rules for small accessory buildings that differ from the general district setbacks. The accessory-structure definition [9] covers garages, workshops and the like. In the shoreland zone, sheds must also meet the shoreland water setback. Confirm with Code Enforcement before placing a shed close to a property line.

See how Falmouth compares with 8+ other Maine towns on sheds & accessory buildings →

Next steps

  1. Find your zoning district, then check the front, side and rear setbacks for that district with Code Enforcement (207-699-5310).
  2. If the shed is over 100 sq ft or over 10 ft tall, apply for a building permit with a plot plan showing distances to property lines.
  3. If you're within the shoreland zone, apply for a Shoreland Zone Permit as well.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a shed in Falmouth, Maine?
Not for a small one. A one-story, free-standing shed up to 100 square feet and 10 feet tall doesn't need a building permit; anything bigger does. Either way, zoning setbacks and other town ordinances still apply.
How far does a shed have to be from the property line in Falmouth, Maine?
It depends on the district. The tables don't list shed-specific setbacks, so the general district setbacks are applied by inference: 25 ft front, 20 ft side and 40 ft rear in Farm and Forest, RA and Highland Lake, and 15/15/30 ft in RB and RD. The full code may differ, so confirm with Code Enforcement.
Does a shed count toward lot coverage in Falmouth, Maine?
Yes. A shed counts toward the lot coverage cap along with the house and other buildings: 15% in Farm and Forest and 20% in RA, RB, RC, RD and Highland Lake.
Do I need a shoreland permit for a shed in Falmouth, Maine?
If you're in the shoreland zone, yes. Sheds there must also meet the shoreland water setback, and you should apply for a Shoreland Zone Permit in addition to any building permit.

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.

State sources: 10 M.R.S. §9724 (MUBEC application; 4,000-resident threshold) · Bureau of Building Codes & Standards: MUBEC Standards and Amendments (eff. April 7, 2025) · MUBEC Rule Chapter 5: IRC adoption and Maine amendments (16-642 CMR 5) · DEP Chapter 1000: Guidelines for Municipal Shoreland Zoning Ordinances

What the ordinance says

Exact text from Falmouth's published ordinances. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. Code Enforcement FAQ: When is a permit not required?, Code Enforcement - Permit Process FAQs (when a building permit is / is not required; codes enforced), p. 1
    One-story free-standing ancillary residential structure, such as a shed and children's play structures, provided that such structures do not exceed 100 square feet in area and 10 feet in height.
  2. Code Enforcement FAQ: When is a permit not required?, Code Enforcement - Permit Process FAQs (when a building permit is / is not required; codes enforced), p. 1
    Exemption from the permit requirements of this code shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in violation of the provisions of this code or any other laws or ordinances of this jurisdiction.
  3. Sec. 19-7 Farm and Forest District, Minimum Setbacks table, Ordinance No. 9-2024 - Amendments to Ch. II-19 implementing LD 2003 (30-A MRSA 4364, 4364-A, 4364-B): definitions, district use/dimensional tables, Sec. 19-38 parking, Sec. 19-55.1 Accessory Dwelling Units, Sec. 19-69 growth cap, Sec. 19-166 - adopted Dec 11, 2023, p. 3
    Single Family Detached & Other Uses 25 20 40
  4. Sec. 19-8 Residential A District, Minimum Setbacks table, Ordinance No. 9-2024 - Amendments to Ch. II-19 implementing LD 2003 (30-A MRSA 4364, 4364-A, 4364-B): definitions, district use/dimensional tables, Sec. 19-38 parking, Sec. 19-55.1 Accessory Dwelling Units, Sec. 19-69 growth cap, Sec. 19-166 - adopted Dec 11, 2023, p. 5
    Single Family, Detached, and other uses 25 20 40
  5. Sec. 19-9 Residential B District, Minimum Setbacks table, Ordinance No. 9-2024 - Amendments to Ch. II-19 implementing LD 2003 (30-A MRSA 4364, 4364-A, 4364-B): definitions, district use/dimensional tables, Sec. 19-38 parking, Sec. 19-55.1 Accessory Dwelling Units, Sec. 19-69 growth cap, Sec. 19-166 - adopted Dec 11, 2023, p. 6
    Single Family Detached, and Other Uses 15 15 30
  6. Sec. 19-10.1 Residential D District, Minimum Setbacks table, Ordinance No. 9-2024 - Amendments to Ch. II-19 implementing LD 2003 (30-A MRSA 4364, 4364-A, 4364-B): definitions, district use/dimensional tables, Sec. 19-38 parking, Sec. 19-55.1 Accessory Dwelling Units, Sec. 19-69 growth cap, Sec. 19-166 - adopted Dec 11, 2023, p. 9
    Single Family Detached, Other uses 15 15 30
  7. Sec. 19-10.2 Highland Lake Residential District, Minimum Setbacks table, Ordinance No. 9-2024 - Amendments to Ch. II-19 implementing LD 2003 (30-A MRSA 4364, 4364-A, 4364-B): definitions, district use/dimensional tables, Sec. 19-38 parking, Sec. 19-55.1 Accessory Dwelling Units, Sec. 19-69 growth cap, Sec. 19-166 - adopted Dec 11, 2023, p. 11
    Single Family Detached, and Other Uses 25 20 40
  8. Sec. 19-77.a Alterations, Ordinance No. 9-2024 - Amendments to Ch. II-19 implementing LD 2003 (30-A MRSA 4364, 4364-A, 4364-B): definitions, district use/dimensional tables, Sec. 19-38 parking, Sec. 19-55.1 Accessory Dwelling Units, Sec. 19-69 growth cap, Sec. 19-166 - adopted Dec 11, 2023, p. 25
    Except for lots located in the Water View Overlay District the extension, enlargement, or construction of a single family detached dwelling, two-family dwelling, or residential detached accessory structure which is nonconforming solely due to lot size, lot width, lot frontage, lot coverage, height, or setback requirements, is permitted provided the extension, enlargement, or construction is not located between the lot lines and the required setback lines and does not compound nor create a lot coverage or height violation.
  9. Div. II-19-1-2 Definitions, Ordinance No. 14-2023 - Amendments to Ch. II-7 and Ch. II-19 removing outdated provisions (Accessory Structure or Use definition/terminology, Sec. 19-127 site plan exemptions, etc.) - adopted Jul 25, 2022, p. 1
    Accessory Structure or Use: A subordinate structure or use customarily incidental to, and located on the same lot with, the main structure or use, such as a garage, workshop, and the like.
  10. Sec. 19-7 Farm and Forest District, dimensional table (Max. Lot Coverage, All Uses), Ordinance No. 9-2024 - Amendments to Ch. II-19 implementing LD 2003 (30-A MRSA 4364, 4364-A, 4364-B): definitions, district use/dimensional tables, Sec. 19-38 parking, Sec. 19-55.1 Accessory Dwelling Units, Sec. 19-69 growth cap, Sec. 19-166 - adopted Dec 11, 2023, p. 3
    Max. Lot Coverage: All Uses 15%
  11. Sec. 19-8 Residential A District, dimensional table (Max. Lot Coverage, All Uses), Ordinance No. 9-2024 - Amendments to Ch. II-19 implementing LD 2003 (30-A MRSA 4364, 4364-A, 4364-B): definitions, district use/dimensional tables, Sec. 19-38 parking, Sec. 19-55.1 Accessory Dwelling Units, Sec. 19-69 growth cap, Sec. 19-166 - adopted Dec 11, 2023, p. 4
    Max. Lot Coverage: All Uses 20%
This page summarizes Falmouth's posted ordinances as of 2026-10-15. Ordinances are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Code Enforcement Division (Community Development) (207-699-5310) before you build. Spot an error?