Shed Building Permits & Regulations in Pennsylvania (2025–2026 Guide)

Your Complete Resource from Infinite Sheds – Serving Collegeville, Harrisburg, Lancaster & All of PA

Planning to add a backyard shed in Pennsylvania? You’re in the right place!
At Infinite Sheds, we’ve delivered hundreds of Amish-built sheds across Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Lancaster, Dauphin, and Berks counties. The #1 question we hear every single week is:

“Do I need a permit for my shed in PA?”

This free, up-to-date guide (current for 2025–2026) answers that question and walks you through the most common township rules so you can avoid fines, delays, or headaches.

Pennsylvania Statewide Rules (PA Uniform Construction Code – UCC)

Pennsylvania follows the International Residential Code with statewide adoption of the UCC. Key points that apply everywhere:

• Structures ≤ 200 sq ft AND one story are generally exempt from building permits (but NOT automatically exempt from zoning/setback rules).
• Any shed with electricity, plumbing, or heat requires separate electrical/plumbing permits regardless of size.
• Minimum roof snow load: 30–50 psf depending on county (we build every shed to 60 psf standard at no extra charge).
• All sheds must meet local zoning setbacks.

County-by-County Shed Permit Requirements (2025–2026)

County	Typical Permit Trigger	Minimum Setbacks (side/rear)	Max Height	Avg. Permit Cost	Common Notes
Montgomery County	> 200 sq ft	5–10 ft / 5–10 ft	15–18 ft	$100–$350	Collegeville, Skippack, Trappe, Limerick often require site plan
Bucks County	> 144 sq ft in many townships	10 ft / 10 ft	15–20 ft	$150–$400	Flood zones common near Delaware River
Chester County	> 200 sq ft	10 ft / 15 ft	18 ft	$125–$300	West Chester & Exton strict on HOA rules
Lancaster County	> 200 sq ft	10 ft / 20 ft	20 ft	$75–$250	Most “Amish-friendly” county in PA
Dauphin County (Harrisburg area)	> 200 sq ft	5–10 ft / 10 ft	16 ft	$100–$300	Electrical inspection required on wired sheds
Berks County	> 200 sq ft	10 ft / 15 ft	18 ft	$90–$275	Many townships now offer online permitting
Delaware County	> 120–200 sq ft (varies)	8 ft / 8 ft	15 ft	$150–$500	Some of the strictest rules in the state
Lehigh / Northampton	> 200 sq ft	10 ft / 10 ft	18 ft	$100–$350	Stormwater review on larger sheds

Step-by-Step: How to Get Your Shed Permit in PA

1. Contact your township zoning office first (most have rules and forms online).
2. Prepare a simple site plan showing proposed shed location and distances to property lines.
3. If required, submit building permit application with plans (we provide stamped/engineered drawings free on sheds 12×20 and larger).
4. Pay the fee and wait 2–6 weeks for approval.
5. Schedule required inspections after delivery.

The most expensive mistake? Placing the shed 12 inches too close to a property line and having to move it later.

Why Infinite Sheds Makes the Whole Process Easier

• We build every shed to exceed Pennsylvania snow-load and wind codes — no up-charges.
• Free site-plan-ready drawings included on larger models.
• Customers regularly save $1,500–$3,000 versus Sheds Unlimited, Horizon, or Glick on the exact same specs.

We proudly serve: Collegeville, Royersford, Phoenixville, Pottstown, King of Prussia, Norristown, Lansdale, Quakertown, West Chester, Exton, Downingtown, Ephrata, Lititz, Harrisburg, Hershey, and everywhere in between.

Infinite Sheds – Better sheds. Fair prices. Zero headaches.

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