Shed Permit in New York City, New York

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a shed permit in New York City?

1 RCNY 101-14 Table 1 exempts a temporary portable freestanding shed accessory to a one- or two-family dwelling only when all five conditions are met at once: 120 square feet or less in area, no more than 7 feet 6 inches high, at least 3 feet from any lot line, not obstructing a required window, used for household storage, and one per tax lot. Miss any one of them and the shed becomes an alteration that a Registered Design Professional has to file. DOB warns that the exemption does not authorize work that violates the Zoning Resolution or any other law, and does not remove any obligation to file with other City agencies such as Landmarks. Note that in DOB usage a "shed permit" more often means a sidewalk shed, which is a separate construction-equipment filing. Temporary portable freestanding sheds accessory to a one- or two-family dwelling that are also no more than 7 feet 6 inches high, at least 3 feet from every lot line, used for household storage, do not obstruct a required window, and are the only such shed on the tax lot. Always confirm with the office before starting.

How much does a shed permit cost in New York City?

No DOB filing fee where the shed meets every condition in 1 RCNY 101-14 Table 1. A shed that needs a permit is filed as an alteration: Table 28-112.2 item 11 sets a one-, two- or three-family Alteration Type 2 or Type 3 minimum filing fee of $130.00, being the "Minimum filing fee for the first $5,000, or fraction thereof, of the cost of alteration; plus $2.60 for each $1,000, or fraction thereof, of cost of alterations in excess of $5,000.". See the official fee schedule for current amounts.

Where do you apply for a shed permit in New York City?

You can apply through the New York City permit portal or contact the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) directly. The links are listed on this page.

Can a homeowner pull a shed permit themselves in New York City?

Under New York law (Inside New York City: NYC Admin. Code 28-104.1, 28-105.1, 28-105.4, 28-105.5.1, 28-401.3 (definition of "general contractor"). Outside New York City: N.Y. Exec. Law 381(2); 19 NYCRR 1203.3(a)(1).): New York State sets no owner-builder rule at all outside New York City. Executive Law 381(2) puts administration and enforcement in the hands of each local government, and 19 NYCRR 1203.3(a)(1) only requires each authority having jurisdiction to make building permits mandatory for work that must conform to the codes, leaving who may apply to local law. The state licenses no general contractors and imposes no owner-builder affidavit, disclosure form or post-permit sale restriction of the kind Florida uses, so whether a homeowner may pull the permit is a question for the specific city, town, village or county. New York City is the genuine outlier. Administrative Code 28-105.1 makes the work itself unlawful without a written permit, and Administrative Code 28-104.1 bars the department from issuing that permit until it approves the required construction documents, which must be prepared by or under the supervision of a registered design professional, meaning a licensed architect or engineer, as required by the code. A homeowner therefore cannot self-prepare and file the plans for permit-requiring work in New York City even though Administrative Code 28-105.5.1 defines the permit applicant as the person who performs the work or retains a subcontractor, and even though the general contractor registration definition in Administrative Code 28-401.3 expressly excludes an individual who constructs a residential structure of no more than three dwelling units for his or her own occupancy. Note that Administrative Code 28-105.4 exempts minor alterations and ordinary repairs from the permit requirement entirely, so the design professional bottleneck applies only to work that needs a permit in the first place. Confirm how New York City applies this before you apply.