Shed Installation Permits in Madison

Local Rule

City of Madison Development Services Center; City of Madison New Shed guidance

A shed or accessory building in Madison does not require a permit only if it is 150 square feet or less, unheated, AND at least 10 feet from dwelling units on the same property, per the city's own New Shed page; failing any of those three conditions triggers the permit requirement, and prefabricated sheds or those built elsewhere and moved to the property also require a permit regardless of size. Even a permit-exempt shed must still meet the city's shed size and placement rules. Maximum shed height is 15 feet, measured from the ground to a point midway between the eave and the top of the roof, and the combined footprint of all accessory buildings on a property may not exceed 1,000 square feet.

Source · Verified September 2026

Madison Building Department

Hours and procedures can change — call ahead to confirm.

How This Compares to Dane County

Madison's own rule is shown above (No permit under 150 sqft). Here is the separate rule that applies at the county level, for context:

No statewide code covers accessory structures, Wisconsin UDC

Wisconsin's statewide Uniform Dwelling Code (UDC) explicitly does not cover detached garages and accessory buildings like sheds, "the state has no code for these structures and regulation falls entirely to local municipalities," a genuinely distinct model from most states, where sheds are covered by a statewide baseline that locals can only amend. Dane County publishes its own "Accessory Structure Quick Reference Guide" for zoning purposes, referenced by local towns like Middleton.

See the full county page

Nearby Cities with Verified Rules

Other cities near Madison with a confirmed shed installation rule:

FAQs

Building It Yourself? Here's What You'll Need

Popular tools and materials homeowners use for a shed installation project:

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