Shed Permit in Gilbert, Arizona
By Mario Bailey Last checked 2026-07-19 · 3 official sources
Verified against official sources Confirmed on official pageIt depends
Quick answer
Gilbert exempts one-story detached non-habitable accessory structures up to 200 square feet from building permits under its amended 2018 IRC Section R105.2. The Town FAQ states a permit is required for any building 200 square feet or larger, for sheds with electrical or plumbing, or for sheds connected to the house or another structure. Gilbert enforces the 2018 IRC with Town amendments, adopted by Ordinance 2739 effective January 1, 2020.
Typical threshold: Structures less than 200 square feet do not require a permit; a permit is required at 200 square feet or larger, or if the shed has electrical or plumbing utilities or is connected to the house or another structure.
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- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
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When a permit is usually needed
Sheds 200 sq ft or larger, sheds with utilities, or sheds attached to another structure
What shed permit costs in Gilbert
Valuation-based building permit fee, minimum $50 for work valued up to $1,100; building plan review fee is 65 percent of the calculated permit fee.
How Gilbert compares in Arizona
Across the Arizona jurisdictions we have verified, the same threshold runs from 120 to 200, so a project that is exempt here may still need a permit one county over.
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Chandler | It depends | One-story detached accessory structures (storage sheds, open-air ramadas) with floor area of 120 sq ft or less and height of 7 ft or less (up to 9 ft with 2 additional feet of setback per additional foot of height) are exempt if not connected to any electrical, gas, or water utility; exceeding either limit or connecting a utility requires a building permit. |
| Gilbertthis page | It depends | Structures less than 200 square feet do not require a permit; a permit is required at 200 square feet or larger, or if the shed has electrical or plumbing utilities or is connected to the house or another structure. |
| Maricopa County | It depends | structures under 200 sq ft with no electrical plumbing or mechanical are exempt from a building permit; all others require a permit |
| Mesa | It depends | detached structures under 200 sq ft without utilities are exempt; structures 200 sq ft or larger or those with utilities require a permit |
| Peoria | It depends | One-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses are exempt from a building permit when the floor area is not greater than 200 square feet. |
| Phoenix | It depends | detached structures without utilities at or under 200 sq ft are exempt; structures over 200 sq ft or with utilities require a permit |
| Pima County | It depends | One-story detached tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar non-habitable accessory structures are the category Pima County's own adopted code amendments refer to as "structures exempted from permits"; the standard exemption size carried in the adopted IRC for this category is 200 sq ft with no electrical, plumbing, or mechanical connections, though Pima's own published guidance pages do not restate that figure directly. |
Closest shed permit thresholds outside Arizona
Jurisdictions we cover whose limit sits nearest Gilbert's 200 sq ft.
- Austin, Texas, one-story detached accessory structures used as tool or storage sheds with floor area no greater than 200 sq ft and no more than 15 ft in height and no plumbing and not in a floodplain are exempt
- Bellevue, Washington, detached storage sheds playhouses or gazebos with a floor area of 200 square feet or less do not require a building permit; structures over 200 square feet require a permit
- Clark County, Nevada, sheds over 200 sq ft require a building permit; storage sheds 200 sq ft or under may be exempt under Building Administrative Code Section 22.02.190
- Clark County, Washington, Sheds over 200 square feet require a building permit; sheds of 200 square feet or less are exempt if they meet setbacks and easements, but any size shed in a mobile home park or multi-family zone requires a permit.
How to apply in Gilbert
A residential shed permit application, once the shed is large enough to require one, is a set of construction documents that show what will be built and prove it meets the adopted residential code. In practice that means a written permit application, a scaled site plan locating the shed and its distances to the property lines, and construction documents covering the shed's foundation or anchoring system and its framing.
What most shed permit applications include:
- A written permit application identifying the proposed work and describing the property by its address or legal description, filed with the building department before construction begins (IRC R105.3).
- A scaled site plan showing the shed's size and location and its dimensioned distances to all property lines so required setbacks can be verified before the permit is issued (IRC R106.2).
- Construction documents showing the shed's foundation: freestanding accessory structures at or under the code's small-structure size and eave-height limits (600 square feet and a 10 foot eave height in the model code) are exempt from continuous footings but must still be shown supported on undisturbed soil or engineered fill and anchored to resist wind-induced uplift and overturning (IRC R403.1).
- Where the shed does sit on a continuous foundation with a wood sill plate, anchor bolt or approved strap details tying the sill plate to the foundation (IRC R403.1.6).
- Roof framing details showing the rafter-to-wall or truss-to-wall connections, since even a shed exempt from continuous footings must be anchored to resist wind-induced uplift and overturning (IRC R403.1; R802.11).
General submittal guidance from IRC R105.3 (permit application), R106.2 (site plan), R403.1 (footings and anchorage for accessory structures), and R403.1.6 (sill anchorage), 2021 IRC. Source. Development Services (Plan Review and Inspection Division) sets the exact checklist for Gilbert.
Where to apply in Gilbert:
Development Services (Plan Review and Inspection Division)
- 90 E. Civic Center Drive, Gilbert, AZ 85296
- Phone: (480) 503-6700
- Email: onestopshop@gilbertaz.gov
Inspections and closing out your permit
A permitted shed is inspected in stages as it goes up: the foundation or the anchors that hold it down before they are covered, the framing before it is enclosed, and a final inspection once the shed is finished. Each stage checks the items that would be hidden or unsafe if skipped.
- Foundation or anchor inspection: called after any required footings, piers, or ground anchors are set and any forms or reinforcing steel are in place, but before concrete is placed, so the foundation or anchoring system can be verified before it is covered (IRC R109.1.1).
- Frame inspection: after the shed is framed, sheathed, and braced, the inspector checks the framing, bracing, fasteners, and the roof connections that resist wind uplift, before those elements are covered (IRC R109.1.4 frame inspection; R403.1 anchorage).
- Final inspection: made after the permitted work is complete and before the shed is used; work may not proceed past any inspection stage without the building official's approval (IRC R109.1.6 final inspection; R109.4 approval required).
- For a pre-fabricated or kit shed, the manufacturer's installation instructions must be on site at the time of inspection so the inspector can confirm the anchoring and assembly match the design (IRC R106.1.2).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Gilbert permit portal or by phone at (480) 503-6700.
Inspection sequence from IRC R109.1.1 (foundation inspection), R109.1.4 (frame inspection), R109.1.6 (final inspection), and R106.1.2 (manufacturer's instructions on site), 2021 IRC. Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Shed Permit checklist for Gilbert
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Typical threshold: Structures less than 200 square feet do not require a permit; a permit is required at 200 square feet or larger, or if the shed has electrical or plumbing utilities or is connected to the house or another structure. Usually needed: Sheds 200 sq ft or larger, sheds with utilities, or sheds attached to another structure.
- Budget the fee. Valuation-based building permit fee, minimum $50 for work valued up to $1,100; building plan review fee is 65 percent of the calculated permit fee. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. A residential shed permit application, once the shed is large enough to require one, is a set of construction documents that show what will be built and prove it meets the adopted residential code. In practice that means a written permit application, a scaled site plan locating the shed and its distances to the property lines, and construction documents covering the shed's foundation or anchoring system and its framing. Start at the Gilbert permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Development Services (Plan Review and Inspection Division). Phone: (480) 503-6700. Address: 90 E. Civic Center Drive, Gilbert, AZ 85296.
- Plan for inspections. A permitted shed is inspected in stages as it goes up: the foundation or the anchors that hold it down before they are covered, the framing before it is enclosed, and a final inspection once the shed is finished. Each stage checks the items that would be hidden or unsafe if skipped.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked 2026-07-19.
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Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a shed permit in Gilbert?
- Gilbert exempts one-story detached non-habitable accessory structures up to 200 square feet from building permits under its amended 2018 IRC Section R105.2. The Town FAQ states a permit is required for any building 200 square feet or larger, for sheds with electrical or plumbing, or for sheds connected to the house or another structure. Gilbert enforces the 2018 IRC with Town amendments, adopted by Ordinance 2739 effective January 1, 2020. Structures less than 200 square feet do not require a permit; a permit is required at 200 square feet or larger, or if the shed has electrical or plumbing utilities or is connected to the house or another structure. Always confirm with the office before starting.
- How much does a shed permit cost in Gilbert?
- Valuation-based building permit fee, minimum $50 for work valued up to $1,100; building plan review fee is 65 percent of the calculated permit fee. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a shed permit in Gilbert?
- You can apply through the Gilbert permit portal or contact the Development Services (Plan Review and Inspection Division) directly. The links are listed on this page.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Gilbert
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | Decks are not addressed in Gilbert's published amendments to the IRC R105.2 exemption list, so permit requirements follow the unamended 2018 IRC provisions, which Gilbert's own pages do not restate. | If a permit is required, valuation-based building permit fee, minimum $50; |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Exemptions include work by a serving utility and solar or like-for-like water heating appliance replacements installed by an Arizona licensed contractor under amended exemption 16. | Individual Electrical Permit, residential: $150 (fee schedule revised 7/1/2026). |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Gilbert's amended IRC R105.2 exempts only fences not over 3 feet high; the Town's pool barrier policy statement says internal fences over 3 feet in height require building permits and inspections. | Walls/Fences fee $180 as a separate single-family permit, or $120 when combined with a... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Gilbert's amended IRC R105.2 mechanical exemption list includes a replacement-based exemption and cross-references the exemption for water heating appliance replacements by an Arizona licensed contractor. | Individual Mechanical Permit, residential: $150 (fee schedule revised 7/1/2026). |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Only one-story detached non-habitable accessory structures up to 200 square feet are exempt from permit; attached patio covers and larger structures require a building permit. | Valuation-based building permit fee, minimum $50; |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Water softeners and like-for-like replacements of gas or electric water heating appliances (not tankless) installed by an Arizona licensed contractor are exempt from permit. | Individual Plumbing Permit, residential: $150 (fee schedule revised 7/1/2026). |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Non-permanent wading pools of rubber or plastic holding no more than 18 inches of water are excepted from the pool enclosure regulations. | Swimming pool permit fee $300 for permanent in-ground pools/spas and $140 for portable... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | Re-roofing not requiring a structural change is exempt from permit; a re-roof that involves a structural change requires a building permit. | If a permit is required, valuation-based building permit fee, minimum $50; |
| Solar Permit | It depends | Solar photovoltaic systems and solar hot water heating systems are exempt from permit when installed by an Arizona licensed contractor using equipment listed and labeled by a nationally recognized third-party testing agency. | No Town permit fee when the licensed-contractor exemption applies; |
Shed Permit in other Arizona localities
Official sources
- https://www.gilbertaz.gov/departments/development-services/plan-review-inspection/inspection-code-compliance/code-compliance/faq-municipal-code-land-development-code
- https://www.gilbertaz.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/35111/638339398347930000
- https://www.gilbertaz.gov/departments/development-services/plan-review-inspection/permits-applications
- https://calhouncounty.sc.gov/sites/calhouncounty/files/Documents/Calhoun%20County/Departments/Building%20and%20Planning/2018IRC/2018%20IRC%20Building%20Guide_Accessory%20Structure.pdf
- https://www.botetourtva.gov/DocumentCenter/View/739/Accessory-Structure-Guide-pdf
Verified by a person against the sources above on 2026-07-19, not confirmed with Development Services (Plan Review and Inspection Division). Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: 2026-07-19Report an error on this page
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