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Sheds & Accessory Buildings in Maine: rules in 18 towns compared
Do I need a permit for a shed, and how close to the property line can it go? Here's how each town answers it. Click a town for the details and the exact ordinance text.
Last reviewed
This page is for Maine homeowners adding a shed, garage or other accessory building. Maine's building code (MUBEC, based on the 2021 International Residential Code) must be enforced in towns with more than 4,000 residents. It requires building permits where your town's ordinance does, and the residential code exempts small one-story detached accessory buildings, up to 200 sq ft under the IRC. Being exempt from a building permit doesn't exempt you from zoning: setbacks, lot coverage and any land-use permit still apply. In the shoreland zone, a shed is a structure and must meet the water setbacks and count toward the 20% lot-coverage cap.
Of the 18 towns we cover, 12 require a town permit for any shed, with no small-shed exemption in the text we reviewed (Cape Elizabeth exempts only small open-sided wood shelters). North Yarmouth exempts sheds under 200 sq ft and under 15 ft tall, Camden uses a $2,000 cost threshold, and the rest defer to the building code or don't say. Several towns let one small shed sit closer to the lot line, as close as 3 to 6 feet in some zones, while larger buildings must meet the full district setbacks.
Town-by-town comparison
| Town | Verdict | Short answer |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Elizabeth | Allowed with a permit | Yes, but Cape Elizabeth requires a Building Permit from the Code Enforcement Officer for any new structure, sheds included; only a small open-sided wood storage shelter (up to 100 sq ft and 7 ft tall) is exempt. In the Residence A, B and C districts a shed of 100 sq ft or less and no taller than 8.5 ft can sit 5 ft from the side and rear lot lines, and one under 200 sq ft and no taller than 15 ft needs 10 ft; larger accessory buildings follow the district's full setbacks (30 ft in Residence A/B, 20 ft in Residence C). |
| Yarmouth | Allowed with a permit | Yes, you need a building permit. Yarmouth's zoning requires one for any building or structure, with no small-shed exemption. Sheds must meet your district's setbacks (side 20 ft and front/rear 40 ft in RR and LDR; side 10 ft and front/rear 15 ft in MDR). The Planning Director may let an uninhabited shed sit as close as 15 ft to the lot line in RR/LDR, or 10 ft in MDR. |
| Cumberland | Depends on your zone | 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. |
| North Yarmouth | Allowed with a permit | A shed under 200 sq ft and under 15 ft tall needs no permit in North Yarmouth; anything bigger needs a Building/Land Use Permit from the Code Enforcement Officer. Every shed must still meet property-line setbacks: 50 ft front and 20 ft side and rear in Farm and Forest and the shoreland districts, 20/10/10 ft in Village Residential, and 10/10/5 ft in Village Center. |
| Freeport | Allowed with a permit | Plan on a building permit from Codes Enforcement. Freeport requires one for any building or structure covered by the state building code, and the zoning ordinance has no small-shed exemption. In the rural districts (RR-I, RR-II), a storage shed up to 200 sq ft and 12 ft tall must be at least 25 ft from side and rear lines. Everywhere else, sheds must meet the district's full setbacks, for example 20 ft side and 30 ft rear in MDR-I and MDR-II. |
| Scarborough | 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. |
| South Portland | 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. |
| Portland | Allowed with a permit | Yes, but plan on a permit: Portland's building chapter requires one before you build any building or structure, with no small-shed exemption in the city text. In the residential neighborhood (RN) zones, a detached shed with a footprint of 250 sq ft or less needs only 5 feet from the rear line and 3 to 5 feet from the side lines, depending on the zone. Detached accessory buildings can be up to 18 feet tall. |
| Gorham | Allowed with a permit | Yes, but you need a building permit. Gorham requires a permit from the Code Enforcement Officer for any building or structure. One shed per lot that is under 150 sq ft and under 15 ft tall only has to be 5 ft from the side and rear lot lines. Larger or additional sheds must meet the district setbacks, such as 15 ft in Urban Residential or 20 ft in Suburban Residential and Rural. |
| Harpswell | Allowed with a permit | Yes, you need a permit from the Code Enforcement Officer for any shed or other accessory structure; there's no size exemption beyond tiny items like dog houses. Outside the shoreland zone a shed must be at least 20 ft from all lot lines and the road, and no taller than 35 ft. One small shed (80 sq ft or less, 10'6" tall) can sit up to 10 ft closer to a side or rear line with the abutter's written consent. |
| Brunswick | Allowed with a permit | Usually yes, with a Building Permit from the Code Enforcement Officer if the shed is subject to the state building code. In Growth Residential districts a shed can sit as close as 10 feet to the rear and side lot lines (3 feet from a side line for a one-story shed on a lot narrower than 80 feet); in other districts the minimum is 5 feet, and a shed can never be closer to the street than the house's front setback. |
| Kennebunk | Depends on your zone | Sheds and other accessory buildings are allowed in Kennebunk's residential districts, but they must meet the same setbacks as the house. In Suburban Residential that means 25 ft from the front and 20 ft from the side and rear lines. In Village Residential it's 20 ft front, 10 ft side and 15 ft rear. Kennebunk's zoning articles have no smaller setback for small sheds. Accessory buildings count toward the district's lot coverage limit (25% in SR and VR), and the height limit is 35 ft. |
| York | Depends on your zone | A shed is an accessory structure and normally has to meet your zone's full setbacks: from 50 ft front and 30 ft side/rear (RES-1A, RES-2, RES-3) down to 20 ft front and 12 ft side/rear (RES-5, RES-6, RES-7). One "minor" shed per lot (150 sq ft or less, walls no taller than 10 ft, no utilities) may sit just 5 ft from any property line if the lot is in the Growth Area and in certain zones, including RES-1A/1B, RES-5, RES-6 and RES-7. The height limit is 35 ft. The Zoning Ordinance doesn't set a size threshold for building permits, so check with Code Enforcement. |
| Kittery | Allowed with a permit | Yes. Kittery's land use code (2022 version) requires a permit from the Code Enforcement Officer to build any building, including a shed. In the R-RL, R-U, R-S and B-L zones, accessory buildings need side and rear setbacks of at least 10 feet and must stay at least 30 feet from a neighbor's house. Front-yard setbacks are larger (40 feet in R-S). |
| Ogunquit | Allowed with a permit | Yes. Ogunquit requires a Code Enforcement Officer permit to build any structure, including a small shed, and there is no size exemption. A shed must meet the same setbacks as the house: in the One-Family Residential and Residential districts that is 20 feet from the front line and 15 feet from side and rear lines. |
| Camden | Depends on your zone | You need a building permit from Camden's Code Enforcement Officer if the shed's labor and materials cost more than $2,000 in a 12-month period, or if the state building code requires one. Every shed, permitted or not, must meet your zone's setbacks. In the Traditional Village district that's 15 ft front, 10 ft side and 15 ft rear; in Coastal Residential it's 25/15/15 ft with sewer. The zoning text we have runs only through June 2022. |
| Rockport | Allowed with a permit | Yes, but Rockport requires a permit from the Code Enforcement Officer for any new structure, with no small-shed exemption in the Land Use Ordinance. One shed of up to 150 square feet and 12 feet tall may sit inside the side or rear setback if it stays at least 6 feet from the property line; larger accessory buildings must meet the district's full setbacks (for example 8 feet in the Village districts and 15 feet in the Residential District). |
| Mount Desert | Allowed with a permit | Yes, you need a Code Enforcement Officer permit for a shed in all of Mount Desert's residential, shoreland residential and rural districts. The ordinance sets no minimum size for needing one. Side and rear setbacks are 10 ft in Village Residential 1, 15 ft in Village Residential 2 and Residential 1, and 25 ft in Residential 2, Shoreland Residential and Rural/Woodland. A neighbor can agree in writing to reduce the property-line setback. |
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.
Common questions about shed permits in Maine
- Do I need a permit for a shed in Maine?
- Often, yes. Maine's building code requires permits where your town's ordinance does, and towns can exempt more work. Of the 18 towns we cover, 12 require a permit for any shed, with no small-shed exemption in the text we reviewed. Even a shed exempt from a building permit must still meet zoning setbacks.
- How big can a shed be without a permit in Maine?
- The residential building code exempts small one-story detached accessory buildings from a building permit, up to 200 sq ft under the IRC. But towns set their own rules, and many we cover require a permit for any shed. North Yarmouth, for example, exempts sheds under 200 sq ft and under 15 ft tall. Ask your code officer.
- How close to the property line can I put a shed in Maine?
- There's no statewide shed setback; it comes from your town's zoning. In the towns we cover, some let one small shed sit as close as 3 to 6 feet from side and rear lines in certain zones, while larger accessory buildings must meet the full district setbacks, which vary widely by town and zone.
- Can I put a shed near the water in Maine?
- In the shoreland zone, a shed is a structure, so it must meet the water setbacks: generally 100 ft from GPA great ponds and 75 ft from other waters and wetlands. On a small nonconforming lot, the code officer may allow one shed up to 80 sq ft and 8 ft tall, with no utilities.
- Does a shed count toward lot coverage in Maine?
- In the shoreland zone, yes: a shed counts toward the 20% cap on non-vegetated lot coverage. Outside the shoreland zone, it depends on your town's zoning. Many towns we cover count accessory buildings toward their building coverage limits.
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