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Do I need a permit for a shed in South Portland, Maine?

South Portland, Cumberland County · Ordinances checked 2026-10-01 · Reviewed · 9 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

Yes. Sheds and other accessory buildings are permitted in South Portland's residential zones, and the zoning ordinance requires a building permit for any structure, with no size exemption stated. In the common Residential A, AA and G districts a shed can sit 6 feet from the side and rear lot lines (3 feet in Village Residential), but it must meet the full front-yard setback and counts toward building coverage.

PermitBuilding permit for any structure; no small-shed exemption in the zoning text [8]
Side/rear setback, AA and A districts6 feet for accessory structures [3]
Rear setback, G district6 feet for accessory structures (side setback 6 ft) [4]
Side/rear setback, VR district3 feet for accessory buildings [5]
Max building coverage (all buildings)25% in RF and A; 33% in G; none set in AA [7]
Max height35 feet in RF, AA, A; 40 feet in G and VR [9]

Is a shed allowed?

An accessory building is a subordinate building whose use is incidental to the main building [1]. The residential land use table lists accessory buildings and uses as permitted in all residential districts except WR, where they require a special exception [2].

Setbacks

Accessory structures get reduced side and rear setbacks. In the AA and A districts they may be 6 feet from the side and rear lot lines [3] (the house itself needs 10/25 feet in AA and 6/20 feet in A). In the G district the side setback is 6 feet and an accessory structure may have a 6-foot rear yard [4]. In Village Residential (VR), accessory buildings need only 3 feet [5]. The reductions apply only to side and rear yards, so a shed must meet the district's full front-yard setback (20 feet in AA, A and G) [6]. The ordinance doesn't separately ban sheds from front yards.

Coverage and height

Building coverage counts the ground floor area of all principal and accessory buildings on the lot [7], so a shed adds to your total. The space-and-bulk table caps building coverage at 25% in RF and A and 33% in G (VR: 33% for the house, 40% for all buildings together); AA has no coverage cap. The general district height limits (35 feet in RF/AA/A, 40 feet in G/VR) apply [9]; there's no lower shed-specific height cap.

Permits

The zoning ordinance says no building or other structure may be erected without a permit from the Building Inspector [8]. We found no size threshold below which a shed is exempt. The state building code exempts small sheds from a building code permit, but the city may still require a zoning permit, so check with Code Enforcement. Lots in the Shoreland Area Overlay must also meet water setbacks.

Note: the front-yard and height quotes [6], [9] are rows from the Table 1 space-and-bulk chart, read across the district columns RF, AA, A, G, VR (the small trailing numbers are footnote marks). On corner lots, footnote 18 lets the owner designate a primary front yard, with different setbacks for the other street sides.

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Next steps

  1. Look up your zoning district on the city's zoning map (most single-family neighborhoods are A, AA or G).
  2. Sketch the lot showing the shed location, size, and distances to lot lines and other buildings (plans drawn to scale are required with permit applications).
  3. Apply for a building permit with South Portland Code Enforcement before building.
  4. If you're near the shore or a wetland, ask whether Shoreland Overlay setbacks apply.

Common questions

Do I need a permit to build a shed in South Portland, Maine?
Plan on one. The zoning ordinance requires a building permit for any structure, and no small-shed exemption was found. The state building code may exempt small sheds, but the city may still require a zoning permit, so check with Code Enforcement.
How far from the property line does a shed have to be in South Portland, Maine?
In the AA, A and G districts, a shed can be 6 feet from the side and rear lot lines. In Village Residential it's 3 feet. A shed must still meet the full front-yard setback.
How tall can a shed be in South Portland, Maine?
There's no shed-specific height cap. The general district limits apply: 35 feet in RF, AA and A, and 40 feet in G and VR.
Does a shed count toward lot coverage in South Portland, Maine?
Yes. Building coverage counts all principal and accessory buildings, so a shed adds to your total. The caps are 25% in RF and A and 33% in G, and AA has no coverage cap.

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

  1. Sec. 27-201 Definitions, Accessory building, Zoning (Code of Ordinances Chapter 27), p. 37
    Accessory building. A subordinate building or a portion of the main building the use of which is incidental to that of the main or principal building.
  2. Sec. 27-404, Table A (Allowable Land Uses in Residential Districts), Zoning (Code of Ordinances Chapter 27), p. 115
    Accessory buildings/uses P P P P P P P S
  3. Sec. 27-403, Table 1 (Residential Districts), note 4, Zoning (Code of Ordinances Chapter 27), p. 99
    4. Except that accessory structures may have side and rear yard setbacks of six (6) feet, and principal buildings higher than thirty (30) feet shall have side and rear yards not less than fifty (50) percent of building height.
  4. Sec. 27-403, Table 1 (Residential Districts), note 7, Zoning (Code of Ordinances Chapter 27), p. 100
    7. Accessory structures may have a rear yard of six (6) feet. Principal buildings higher than thirty (30) feet shall have side and rear yards not less than fifty (50) percent of building height.
  5. Sec. 27-403, Table 1 (Residential Districts), note 10, Zoning (Code of Ordinances Chapter 27), p. 100
    10. Except three (3) feet for accessory buildings.
  6. Sec. 27-403, Table 1 (Residential Districts), front yard row, Zoning (Code of Ordinances Chapter 27), p. 98
    Minimum front yard setback 30 feet15 20 feet 20 feet18 20 feet18 5 feet 10 feet N/A
  7. Sec. 27-201 Definitions, Building coverage; Table 1, Zoning (Code of Ordinances Chapter 27), p. 41
    Building coverage. That percentage of the area of a lot covered by the total first or ground floor area, whichever is greater, of all principal and accessory buildings on the lot.
  8. Sec. 27-134. Building permit, Zoning (Code of Ordinances Chapter 27), p. 23
    No building or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered without a permit therefore issued by the Building Inspector.
  9. Sec. 27-403, Table 1 (Residential Districts), height row, Zoning (Code of Ordinances Chapter 27), p. 98
    Maximum building height 35 feet 35 feet 35 feet 40 feet 40 feet
This page summarizes South Portland'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 Code Enforcement (Department of Planning & Development) (207-767-7603) before you build. Spot an error?