Shed Permit in DeKalb County, Georgia
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before building any detached storage shed or other accessory structure, at any size. The shed is applied for on the Building Permit Application under the Residential Additions permit guide.
Issued byDeKalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability, Permits, Plan Review and Inspections Division
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Unincorporated DeKalb County requires a building permit for a storage shed of any size. The county's Residential Additions Permit Guide states that this permit covers accessory structures, and DeKalb publishes no small accessory building exemption at all: Sec. 7-30(d) lists the work that is exempt from a permit and detached accessory structures are not on it. Sheds also have to sit in the rear yard, meet the district side setback or ten feet whichever is less, stay at least ten feet off the rear lot line, and be built of material similar to the house.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
Hire it out
Sponsored
If a contractor builds or places your shed, they usually handle any required permit. Compare a few bids before you commit.
Compare contractor quotes on Angi
Sponsored link. PermitNotebook may earn a fee if you request quotes through it. Partners never influence our permit data.
When a permit is usually needed
Before building any detached storage shed or other accessory structure, at any size. The shed is applied for on the Building Permit Application under the Residential Additions permit guide.
What a shed permit costs in DeKalb County
How DeKalb County compares in Georgia
No Georgia jurisdiction we have verified sets a size threshold for this permit, so what actually differs between them is the fee.
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Permit required | Not published |
| Cobb County | Permit required | Accessory structures are subject to a $100 site plan review fee in addition to... |
| DeKalb Countythis page | Permit required | ...Permit Application (revised 01/01/2025): "Total Minimum Fees $245 ($195... |
| Gwinnett County | It depends | ...Requirements for Residential Permits" still prices this work at "$0.006 x... |
How to apply in DeKalb County
In DeKalb County, 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:
- For DeKalb County, 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).
- For DeKalb County, 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. DeKalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability, Permits, Plan Review and Inspections Division sets the exact checklist for DeKalb County.
Where to apply in DeKalb County:
DeKalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability, Permits, Plan Review and Inspections Division
- Government Services Center, 178 Sams Street, Decatur, GA 30030
- Phone: 404-371-2155 (option 3)
- Email: permitinfo@dekalbcountyga.gov
Shed Permit in DeKalb County compared with nearby Georgia localities
| Locality | Permit needed? | Threshold | What each Georgia schedule says | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County | Permit required | Any size | Building Permit Application (revised 01/01/2025): "Total Minimum Fees $245 ($195 Minimum... | |
| Atlanta | Permit required | Any size | Not published | |
| Cobb County | Permit required | Any size | Accessory structures are subject to a $100 site plan review fee in addition to the... | |
| Gwinnett County | It depends | floor area of a one-story detached accessory structure that contains no electrical or plumbing system | ..."Regulatory Requirements for Residential Permits" still prices this work at "$0.006... |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In DeKalb County, 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 in DeKalb County: 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 in DeKalb County: 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 in DeKalb County: 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).
- In DeKalb County: 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 DeKalb County permit portal or by phone at 404-371-2155 (option 3).
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 DeKalb County
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before building any detached storage shed or other accessory structure, at any size. The shed is applied for on the Building Permit Application under the Residential Additions permit guide.
- Budget the fee. Building Permit Application (revised 01/01/2025): "Total Minimum Fees $245 ($195 Minimum Permit Fee; $50 Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion). Some commercial projects require Fire Review & Inspection Fees ($100 Fire Life Safety Review; $100 Fire Site Review; $100 Fire Inspection). Please note that additional fees may apply depending on the type of permit being submitted." DeKalb does not currently publish a full building permit fee schedule online; the fee schedule address printed on the application form no longer resolves to any fee document.
- Apply. In DeKalb County, 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 DeKalb County permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. DeKalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability, Permits, Plan Review and Inspections Division. Phone: 404-371-2155 (option 3). Address: Government Services Center, 178 Sams Street, Decatur, GA 30030.
- Plan for inspections. In DeKalb County, 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 .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a shed permit in DeKalb County?
- Unincorporated DeKalb County requires a building permit for a storage shed of any size. The county's Residential Additions Permit Guide states that this permit covers accessory structures, and DeKalb publishes no small accessory building exemption at all: Sec. 7-30(d) lists the work that is exempt from a permit and detached accessory structures are not on it. Sheds also have to sit in the rear yard, meet the district side setback or ten feet whichever is less, stay at least ten feet off the rear lot line, and be built of material similar to the house. Always confirm with the DeKalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability, Permits, Plan Review and Inspections Division before starting.
- How much does a shed permit cost in DeKalb County?
- Building Permit Application (revised 01/01/2025): "Total Minimum Fees $245 ($195 Minimum Permit Fee; $50 Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion). Some commercial projects require Fire Review & Inspection Fees ($100 Fire Life Safety Review; $100 Fire Site Review; $100 Fire Inspection). Please note that additional fees may apply depending on the type of permit being submitted." DeKalb does not currently publish a full building permit fee schedule online; the fee schedule address printed on the application form no longer resolves to any fee document. Contact the office for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a shed permit in DeKalb County?
- You can apply through the DeKalb County permit portal or contact the DeKalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability, Permits, Plan Review and Inspections Division directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a shed permit themselves in DeKalb County?
- Under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 43-41-17(h); O.C.G.A. 43-14-13(d); O.C.G.A. 43-14-14): Georgia's contractor licensing law has a true owner builder exemption at O.C.G.A. 43-41-17(h), not 43-41-17(b). A property owner may construct a building on land the owner owns and act as his or her own contractor, personally providing direct supervision and management, but only if the finished building is intended solely for occupancy by the owner and the owner's family, firm, or corporation, is not for use by the general public, and is not offered for sale or lease. If the owner sold or transferred a self-built structure within the prior 24 months, measured from that structure's certificate of occupancy, the law presumes the new project was not really for personal occupancy and the exemption is unavailable without a license. The owner may not delegate supervision to any unlicensed person, and all work must still comply with county or municipal permitting and inspection requirements. For trade work, O.C.G.A. 43-14-13(d) separately allows an individual to install, alter, or repair plumbing, heating and air conditioning fixtures, and electrical or low-voltage wiring in a residential dwelling the individual owns or occupies, again in conformity with the codes and any local permit and inspection rules. Unlicensed trade work outside these exemptions is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or six months imprisonment or both (O.C.G.A. 43-14-14). Confirm how DeKalb County applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in DeKalb County
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Any size | Building Permit Application (revised 01/01/2025): "Total Minimum Fees $245 ($195 Minimum... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Permit Application (revised 07/09/2025): "Fee Schedule: MINIMUM FEE $120 Additional... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | height of the fence | Building Permit Application (revised 01/01/2025): "Total Minimum Fees $245 ($195 Minimum... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | Mechanical Permit Application (revised 07/09/2025): "Fee Schedule: MINIMUM FEE $120 |
| Patio Permit | Permit required | Any size | Building Permit Application (revised 01/01/2025): "Total Minimum Fees $245 ($195 Minimum... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | Plumbing Permit Application: "Fee Schedule: MINIMUM FEE $120 Additional $200 for Fire... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | prefabricated pools installed entirely above ground | Building Permit Application (revised 01/01/2025): "Total Minimum Fees $245 ($195 Minimum... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | Building Permit Application (revised 01/01/2025): "Total Minimum Fees $245 ($195 Minimum... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | Building Permit Application (revised 01/01/2025): "Total Minimum Fees $245 ($195 Minimum... |
Shed Permit in other Georgia localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not DeKalb County documents; the office above sets the local rules.
- 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
- 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
How this shed permit page for DeKalb County was verified. 2 official sources: dekalbcountyga.gov, dekalbcountyga.gov. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with DeKalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability, Permits, Plan Review and Inspections Division. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page