Do I need a permit for shed or accessory structure in Palm Bay?
Yes. In Florida, shed or accessory structure generally requires a permit, and Palm Bay is no exception.
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.
Local detail for Palm Bay: Acting Chief Building Official Scott Stafford. Electronic submission via iMS / ePermitHub Digital Plan Room.
Florida and local notes for Palm Bay
Brevard County's own permitting office is the Brevard County Building Permits office, reachable on 321-633-2187 at https://www.brevardfl.gov/PlanningAndDevelopment/BuildingPermits/BrevardCountyBuildingPermits. Its online permit portal is https://aca-prod.accela.com/brevard/Default.aspx. It issues permits for the unincorporated county. If your city does not run its own building department, this is the office that will handle the job. Brevard County publishes its wind speed requirements as a set of maps, one per Risk Category, that you search by street address. Most houses are Risk Category 2. Screen enclosures are explicitly Risk Category 1, which is a lower design requirement than the house they attach to. Be aware the county's own map instructions still tell you to install Microsoft Silverlight, which no current browser supports, so in practice you may need to call the Building Department on 321-633-2187 to get the design wind speed for your address. In Palm Bay, a Florida-approved prefabricated shed of 120 square feet or less needs a Zoning Permit from the Land Development Division, reviewed for zoning only with no inspections, and it must be approved before installation. A shed needs a full Accessory Structure Building Permit with zoning review, building review, and inspections if it is over 120 square feet, has plumbing, electricity, or mechanical equipment, sits on a concrete slab, or is built on site, including shed kits. Under City Code 174.002, sheds in residential districts may not exceed 50 percent of the living area of the house, cannot sit in a public drainage or utility easement, and must be at least 10 feet from the rear property line and 5 feet from any other building on the lot. Table 174-1 sets side setbacks of 6 feet and corner-lot setbacks of 10 feet for sheds, gazebos, and pergolas over 120 square feet.
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
- Design wind speed for the parcel and its Risk CategorySometimes required
- Zoning Permit through iMS for a Florida-approved prefabricated shed of 120 square feet or lessSometimes required
- Residential Accessory Structure building permit for larger, slab-mounted, site-built, or wired shedsSometimes required
- Original signed and sealed certified boundary survey showing the proposed improvementLikely required
- Environmental Health approval stamp on the survey for septic propertiesSometimes required
- Product approval or product approval affidavitSometimes required
- Recorded Notice of Commencement if value is greater than $5,000Sometimes required
Possible inspections
- Foundation or slab inspection
- Framing and anchoring inspection
- Final inspection
- No inspections for a zoning-only prefabricated shed permit
- Building inspections for sheds that need an accessory structure building permit
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit for shed or accessory structure in Palm Bay?
- Yes. In Florida, shed or accessory structure generally requires a permit, and Palm Bay is no exception. The documents and inspections sections on this page list what the building department typically asks for.
- Who issues the permit in Palm Bay?
- The local building department for Palm Bay 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.