Do I need a permit for shed or accessory structure in Gainesville?
Most likely yes. Shed or accessory structure usually requires a permit in Florida. Confirm the specifics with Gainesville.
Florida has no statewide small-shed exemption. The widely repeated rule that a shed under 120 square feet needs no permit comes from the model International Codes, and Florida did not adopt it: section 105.2 of the Florida Building Code, Building exempts only specified gas, mechanical and plumbing work, with no category exempting detached accessory structures. Where a size threshold exists it is a local ordinance, and it genuinely differs, so ask your building department for the line that applies at your address. Any shed with electricity, plumbing or a permanent foundation needs a permit regardless of size, and zoning setbacks, flood zone rules and wind anchoring apply even when no building permit is required.
Florida and local notes for Gainesville
Alachua County's own permitting office is the Alachua County Building Division, reachable on 352-374-5243 at https://growth-management.alachuacounty.us/building. Its online permit portal is https://www.citizenserve.com/alachuacounty. It issues permits for the unincorporated county. If your city does not run its own building department, and many smaller Florida municipalities do not, this is the office that will handle the job. Ask specifically about the size that triggers a permit and about setbacks, since those are set locally and are the two things people most often get wrong on a shed. Gainesville's fee schedule sets a $72.50 flat permit fee for pre-manufactured storage buildings greater than 100 square feet. The city does not publish a separate rule for smaller sheds, so confirm with the Building Division before setting one. Under LDC Sec. 30-5.34, an accessory structure may be no larger than 50 percent of the principal building's square footage, may not sit in the front or street side yard, and must meet the principal building setbacks unless the code says otherwise. The Accessory Structure Checklist requires construction documents to go through ProjectDox, not PermitGNV, and any electrical, plumbing, or other trade work in the shed needs its own separate permit. For a property individually listed on the local register or contributing to a local historic district, installing a new auxiliary structure such as a shed requires a Certificate of Appropriateness under LDC Sec. 30-4.28.
Documents you may need
- Permit applicationLikely required
- Site plan showing setbacksLikely required
- Structure dimensions or manufacturer drawingsSometimes required
- Anchoring or tie-down detailsSometimes required
- Permit or zoning applicationLikely required
- Site plan showing setbacks and distance to lot linesLikely required
- Anchoring or tie-down details for wind loadSometimes required
- City of Gainesville building permit application, filed through PermitGNVLikely required
- Site plan showing existing structures, trees within 50 feet of the work, easements, and distances to all property lines (Accessory Structure Checklist)Likely required
- Manufacturer's specifications, installation instructions, and anchoring details for a state-approved prefabricated shedSometimes required
- Full construction drawings (foundation, framing, roof, wind load) for a site-built or panelized shedSometimes required
- Written scope of work on the city's Scope of Work formLikely required
- Certificate of Appropriateness for a new shed in a local historic districtSometimes required
Possible inspections
- Foundation or slab inspection
- Framing and anchoring inspection
- Final inspection
- Foundation or anchoring inspection
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit for shed or accessory structure in Gainesville?
- Most likely yes. Shed or accessory structure usually requires a permit in Florida. Confirm the specifics with Gainesville. The documents and inspections sections on this page list what the building department typically asks for.
- Who issues the permit in Gainesville?
- The local building department for Gainesville handles permitting. This page lists its contact details and online portal. Your mailing city is not always the permitting authority, so confirm the jurisdiction before you apply.
- How do I find out the exact requirements for my project?
- Run the free PermitRoadmap check for your specific project and answers. It returns the likely permits, documents, inspections, and next steps, each linked to its official source.
PermitRoadmap is an independent informational service and is not affiliated with any city, county, state agency, or permitting authority. Results are informational and do not replace confirming requirements with the local permitting authority.