Do I need a permit for a shed in Yarmouth, Maine?
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.
| Permit required | Yes, a building permit for any building or structure; no size exemption in the Zoning Ordinance [1] |
| Setbacks, LDR (RR is the same) | Front 40 ft, side 20 ft, rear 40 ft [2] |
| Setbacks, MDR | Side 10 ft, rear 15 ft [3] |
| Front setback, MDR | 15 ft [8] |
| Shed setback relief, RR and LDR | Planning Director may allow uninhabited sheds within 15 ft of the lot line [4] |
| Shed setback relief, MDR | Planning Director may allow uninhabited sheds within 10 ft of the lot line [5] |
| Max height | 35 ft (all districts) [6] |
| Max size (Storage Building) | 1,000 sq ft for a non-commercial Storage Building [7] |
Permit
The Zoning Ordinance says no building or other structure may be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered without a permit from the Planning Director or Code Enforcement Officer [1]. Unlike many towns, we found no exemption for small sheds. The application needs a scaled plan showing the lot, existing buildings, and the location and size of the new building.
Setbacks
All structures, attached or not, must stay out of the minimum front, side, and rear setbacks. Typical single-family setbacks (the district tables list the same figures for single-family and two-family homes, which is why each row shows the number twice):
- Rural Residential (RR) and Low Density Residential (LDR): front 40 ft, side 20 ft, rear 40 ft [2].
- Medium Density Residential (MDR): front 15 ft [8], side 10 ft, rear 15 ft [3].
Shed exception: in LDR and RR, the Planning Director may allow uninhabited sheds within 15 ft of the lot line [4]. In MDR, the Planning Director may allow them within 10 ft [5]. This is discretionary, so ask when you apply. On corner lots, structures need a front setback from each street and two side setbacks, with no rear setback.
Height and size
The height limit in all districts is 35 ft [6]. The ordinance defines a Storage Building as a building of up to 1,000 sq ft used only for non-commercial storage [7], and it's a permitted use in the residential districts. We found no lot-coverage cap in the RR, LDR, or MDR dimensional tables.
Shoreland
In the Shoreland Overlay District, new accessory structures must meet the water setback, and an accessory structure closer to the water than the house can't be expanded. The SOD and RPD also cap structures at 35 ft. See the Shoreland page.
Village areas
Village II requires 15-ft setbacks, and Village I and other areas under Chapter 703 have their own rules we did not review.
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Next steps
- Find your zoning district on Yarmouth's zoning map or by calling Planning & Development (207-846-2401).
- Draw a scaled site plan showing the lot, existing buildings, and the shed's size and distance to each lot line.
- Apply for a building permit with the Code Enforcement Officer.
- If you need the shed closer than the normal setback, ask the Planning Director for the uninhabited-shed allowance (15 ft in RR/LDR, 10 ft in MDR).
- If the lot is within 250 ft of tidal water, a river or wetland, check the shoreland setbacks first.
Common questions
- Do I need a permit to build a shed in Yarmouth, Maine?
- Yes. Yarmouth's zoning requires a building permit for any building or structure, and no small-shed exemption was found. The application needs a scaled plan showing the lot, existing buildings, and the new building.
- How far from the property line does a shed have to be in Yarmouth, Maine?
- Sheds must meet your district's setbacks: side 20 feet and front and rear 40 feet in RR and LDR, and side 10 feet and front and rear 15 feet in MDR. The Planning Director may allow an uninhabited shed within 15 feet of the lot line in RR and LDR, or 10 feet in MDR.
- How tall can a shed be in Yarmouth, Maine?
- The height limit in all districts is 35 feet.
- How big can a storage shed be in Yarmouth, Maine?
- The ordinance defines a Storage Building as one of up to 1,000 sq ft used only for non-commercial storage, and it's a permitted use in the residential 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
- Article VI.A.4 Building Permit, Chapter 701 Zoning Ordinance, p. 182
No Building or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered without a permit, therefore, issued by the Planning Director or his/her duly authorized Code Enforcement Officer.
- Article IV.G LDR Minimum Dimensional Requirements, Chapter 701 Zoning Ordinance, p. 117
Front Yard 40 feet 40 feet Side Yard 20 feet 20 feet Rear Yard 40 feet 40 feet
- Article IV.H MDR Minimum Dimensional Requirements, Chapter 701 Zoning Ordinance, p. 119
Side Yard 10 feet 10 feet Rear Yard 15 feet 15 feet
- Article IV.E.1.e, Chapter 701 Zoning Ordinance, p. 111
e. except that in the LDR and RR Districts, the Planning Director may allow uninhabited sheds to be constructed within fifteen (15) feet of the lot line.
- Article IV.E.1.f, Chapter 701 Zoning Ordinance, p. 111
f. except that in the MDR District, the Planning Director may allow uninhabited sheds to be constructed within ten (10) feet of the lot line.
- Article II.K Height Regulations, Chapter 701 Zoning Ordinance, p. 50
The height limitations for all districts should be 35 feet, except for silos for storage of feed crops, steeples, wireless communication towers, Alternative Tower Structures,
- Article I.D Definitions, Storage Building, Chapter 701 Zoning Ordinance, p. 31
Storage Building: A Building, not exceeding one thousand square feet, used only for the non-commercial storage of materials or private property.
- Article IV.H MDR Minimum Dimensional Requirements, Chapter 701 Zoning Ordinance, p. 118
Front Yard 15 feet 15 feet