Shed Installation Permits in Chesapeake County, Virginia

Shed Installation · Chesapeake County, Virginia

In Chesapeake County, a Shed Installation under 256 sq ft generally does not require a building permit. At or above 256 sq ft, a permit is required.

Chesapeake is an independent city rather than a county, so it administers its own permitting entirely separately from any county government, and because the USBC is a truly uniform statewide code that localities cannot make stricter or looser, it follows the same 256-square-foot exempt-accessory-structure threshold used across Virginia rather than setting its own number. Sheds are not allowed to sit closer than 6 feet to any other structure on the property; if a shed is placed closer than that, the city treats it as part of that other structure and applies that structure's own setback requirements to it instead of the standalone shed setback. Corner and through lots, meaning lots that front more than one street, are called out specifically as having different setback requirements than a standard interior lot, and none of the published setback figures reflect any additional overlay restriction such as the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area or a planned unit development. Building permits in Chesapeake County are handled under the City of Chesapeake Department of Development and Permits (in building code (IRC Virginia Uniform Sta). Local zoning, property-line setbacks, and any electrical or plumbing work can still require separate approval, so confirm the details with Chesapeake Inspections Department.

Source: City of Chesapeake Department of Development and Permits (in, IRC Virginia Uniform Sta · County-specific · Verified 2026 by StateDataIndex

Office: Chesapeake Inspections Department

Address: 306 Cedar Rd Hall 1st Floor, Chesapeake, VA 23322, USA

Phone: (757) 382-6018