Town Permit Guide

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

Scarborough, Cumberland County · Ordinances checked 2026-10-01 · Reviewed · 7 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

Yes, but you need a building permit from the Code Enforcement Officer — Scarborough's zoning ordinance requires a permit for any building or structure and lists no small-shed exemption. In the standard residential districts a shed must be at least 15 feet from side and rear lot lines and meet the 30–50 foot front-yard setback for your district.

PermitRequired for any building or structure (no size exemption stated) [1]
Side yard setback (RF, RFM, R2, R3, R4, R4A)15 feet [2]
Front yard setback (all structures)30–50 feet depending on district and sewer [3]
Max building height35 feet [4]
Max building coverage20–25% of lot depending on district [5]
Possible yard reduction (ZBA)Up to 10 ft front or 5 ft side/rear [6]
Shoreland setback from water/wetland75 feet (Shoreland Overlay) [7]

Permit

Section IV.D says no building or structure may be erected, moved, added to or structurally altered without a permit from the Code Enforcement Officer [1]. The ordinance does not exempt small sheds, so plan on a building permit. Applications need a scaled plan showing lot dimensions, existing buildings and the proposed shed's location.

Setbacks in residential districts

An accessory building is a subordinate building whose use is incidental to the main building. The residential space and bulk table applies the same setbacks to accessory structures as to houses:

  • Side and rear yard: 15 feet in RF, RFM, R2, R3, R4 and R4A [2]. Buildings taller than 30 feet need side and rear yards of at least 50% of their height.
  • Front yard (all structures): 50 ft in RF/RFM, 40 ft in R2 and R3, 30 ft in R4 with sewer or 40 ft without sewer, and 30 ft in R4A [3]. The table row lists seven values because R3 uses one figure for sewered and unsewered lots. Corner lots have a secondary front yard of at least half the side street's front setback, so a shed can't sit in either front yard.

Height and coverage

Maximum building height in the residential districts is 35 feet [4]. All buildings together may cover no more than 25% of the lot in RF, RFM, R3, R4A and sewered R4 lots, or 20% in R2 and unsewered R4 lots [5].

Exceptions and other districts

For lots with a home that existed by July 3, 1991, the Zoning Board of Appeals can grant a limited yard reduction of up to 10 feet in front or 5 feet on the side or rear to allow a new accessory building [6]. The Higgins Beach character-based districts use their own accessory building placement standards (for example, 3-foot side and rear setbacks). In the shoreland zone, new accessory structures must be at least 75 feet from the water or wetland edge [7]; on a nonconforming shoreland lot the CEO may allow one tool shed up to 80 sq ft and 8 feet tall, no closer to the water than the house.

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

Next steps

  1. Confirm your zoning district and whether your lot is sewered with Scarborough Planning & Codes, (207) 730-4040.
  2. Draw a scaled site plan showing lot lines, the house, and the shed with distances to each line (15 ft side/rear minimum).
  3. Apply for a building permit from the Code Enforcement Officer and pay the fee.
  4. If you are within 250 feet of the ocean, a river, or a wetland, ask about shoreland zoning setbacks before buying the shed.

Common questions

Do I need a permit to build a shed in Scarborough, Maine?
Yes. The zoning ordinance requires a permit from the Code Enforcement Officer for any building or structure and lists no small-shed exemption.
How far from the property line does a shed have to be in Scarborough, Maine?
At least 15 feet from side and rear lot lines in RF, RFM, R2, R3, R4 and R4A. The front yard setback is 30 to 50 feet depending on district.
How tall can a shed be in Scarborough, Maine?
Maximum building height in the residential districts is 35 feet.
Can I get a variance for a shed setback in Scarborough, Maine?
For lots with a home that existed by July 3, 1991, the Zoning Board of Appeals can grant a limited yard reduction of up to 10 feet in front or 5 feet on the side or rear.

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 Scarborough's published ordinances. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. Section IV.D Building Permit, Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 405), compiled, p. 20
    No building or structure shall be erected, moved, added to or structurally altered without a permit therefore issued by the Code Enforcement Officer.
  2. Section XIII.B Space and Bulk Standards – Residential Districts, Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 405), compiled, p. 199
    Minimum Side Yard* 15' 15' 15' 15' 15' 15'
  3. Section XIII.B Space and Bulk Standards – Residential Districts, Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 405), compiled, p. 199
    Minimum Front Yard 50' 50' 40' 40' 30' 40' 30' (All Structures)
  4. Section XIII.C Additional Standards – Residential Districts, Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 405), compiled, p. 200
    Maximum Building 35' 35' 35' 35' 35' 35' Height
  5. Section XIII.C Additional Standards – Residential Districts, Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 405), compiled, p. 200
    Maximum Building 25% 25% 20% 25% 25% 20% 25% Coverage
  6. Section V.B.5 Limited reduction of yard size – residential, Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 405), compiled, p. 30
    As used in this subsection (5): “limited reduction of yard size” means the reduction of a required front yard by no more than ten feet or the reduction of a required side or rear yard by no more than five feet;
  7. Section 15.B.1(a), Shoreland Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 405C), p. 20
    In the Shoreland Overlay and Stream Protection Overlay District, at least seventy-five (75) feet, horizontal distance, except as provided in the following subsection b.
This page summarizes Scarborough's posted ordinances as of 2026-10-01. Ordinances are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Planning & Codes (Code Enforcement) ((207) 730-4040) before you build. Spot an error?