Rules by country: what you can build without permission

Each part of the UK has its own rules. Outbuildings and garden rooms are often built under permitted development – without planning permission. Building Regulations (or a building warrant in Scotland) are checked separately. These rules apply to houses, not flats.

England

• single storey, eaves no higher than 2.5 m;
• height: up to 4 m with a dual-pitched roof, 3 m with any other roof, 2.5 m if within 2 m of the boundary;
• not forward of the principal elevation;
• all additions and outbuildings cover no more than half the land around the original house;
• no verandas, balconies or raised platforms (over 0.3 m);
• in National Parks, AONBs, the Broads and World Heritage Sites – buildings more than 20 m from the house are limited to 10 m² in total; on designated land, buildings at the side need permission;
• within the curtilage of a listed building – permission is always needed.

Building Regulations (England and Wales): a detached single-storey building up to 15 m² with no sleeping accommodation is exempt; up to 30 m² it is also exempt if it has no sleeping accommodation and is at least 1 m from the boundary or built substantially of non-combustible materials.

Wales

• covers no more than 50 % of the curtilage, not in front of the principal elevation;
• height: up to 4 m with a multi-pitched roof, 3 m with a single pitch, 2.5 m with a flat roof; eaves up to 2.5 m;
• within 2 m of a boundary – up to 2.5 m; within 2 m of the house – up to 1.5 m;
• in National Parks, AONBs and conservation areas – buildings more than 20 m from the house are limited to 10 m² in total;
• within the curtilage of a listed building – permission is needed.

Scotland

• at the back of the house, together with other development taking up less than half of the rear garden;
• no higher than 4 m, eaves up to 3 m, up to 2.5 m within 1 m of the boundary;
• must not be used as a separate home;
• in a conservation area – up to 8 m² footprint, in the grounds of a listed building – up to 4 m².

Building warrant (Scotland): a domestic outbuilding up to 8 m² with no sleeping accommodation, fixed combustion appliance or sanitary facility is exempt; from 8 to 30 m² it is also exempt if it has no fixed combustion appliance or sanitary facility and is more than 1 m from the house or more than 1 m from every boundary.

Northern Ireland

• no more than 50 % of the curtilage, not forward of a principal or side elevation facing a road;
• height up to 4 m; within 2 m of the boundary, eaves up to 2.5 m;
• not within 3.5 m of a road boundary opposite the rear wall;
• no decks, balconies or verandas; not for use as a dwelling;
• in protected areas – buildings more than 20 m from the house are limited to 10 m² in total.

Sources

• Planning Portal – Outbuildings (England)
• legislation.gov.uk – Class E, GPDO 2015 (England)
• legislation.gov.uk – Building Regulations 2010, Schedule 2
• GOV.WALES – Planning permission: outbuildings
• mygov.scot – Build a shed, garage or greenhouse
• LABSS – Small buildings exemption conditions (Scotland)
• legislation.gov.uk – GPDO (NI) 2015, Class D

In Ireland, garden structures at a house are built without planning permission under the exempted development rules (Class 3). New regulations came into force on 27 July 2026 (S.I. No. 338 of 2026): the maximum floor area rose from 25 to 30 m².

Class 3: sheds, garages, garden rooms, home offices

• not forward of the front wall of the house;
• all such structures in the curtilage – no more than 30 m² in total;
• at least 25 m² of private open space must remain to the rear or side of the house;
• height: up to 4 m with a tiled or slated pitched roof, 3 m in other cases;
• a structure to the side of the house must match its external finishes, and a tiled or slated roof must match its covering;
• not for human habitation or keeping animals; only for a use incidental to the house.

New: detached auxiliary dwelling (Class 3A)

From 27 July 2026 a detached habitable building of 32 to 45 m² can be built in the rear garden without planning permission, linked to the services of the main house. The council must be notified at least 14 days before work starts (with the Eircode). This exemption runs until 31 December 2030 and has further conditions – see S.I. No. 338 of 2026.

What still applies

• exemptions do not apply everywhere – for example, protected structures may need permission, so check with your county council;
• Building Regulations also apply to structures that do not need planning permission.

Sources

• Fieldfisher – New Exempted Development Regulations 2026
• Dublin City Council – Class 3 increase to 30 m²
• gov.ie – Changes to Planning Exemptions Regulations

In the US, building rules are set by states, counties and cities, so there is no single national rule. Many of them adopt the International Residential Code and amend it locally.

• a common exemption: a one-story detached accessory structure (tool or storage shed, playhouse) up to 120 sq ft (about 11 m²) needs no building permit; some jurisdictions allow more;
• even without a building permit, zoning or planning approval may be required – setbacks, height, lot coverage;
• homeowners association (HOA) rules may be stricter.

Check with your city or county building department before you build.

Sources

• City of Oakland – Work exempt from a building permit
• Duchesne County, Utah – What buildings need a building permit

In Belgium the rules are set by the regions. In Flanders, detached outbuildings (garden house, garage, carport) need no environmental permit (omgevingsvergunning) if:

• all detached outbuildings at one dwelling total no more than 40 m² (including existing ones);
• height up to 3.5 m;
• the whole building is within 30 m of the house;
• in the side garden – at least 3 m from the boundary, in the back garden – at least 1 m or against an existing party wall;
• not in a spatially vulnerable area (ruimtelijk kwetsbaar gebied) or the 5 m strip along a watercourse;
• rainwater stays on your own plot; no conflict with plans and existing permits.

The municipality may make this exemption subject to a notification or extra conditions. Wallonia and Brussels have different rules – check with your municipality.

Sources

• Vlaanderen.be – Omgevingsvergunning: vrijstaande bijgebouwen

In Croatia this is set by the Ordinance on simple structures (Pravilnik o jednostavnim i drugim građevinama i radovima). The rules apply to a plot with an existing or approved building.

No building permit and no design

• canopy (nadstrešnica) up to 20 m²;
• garden gazebo (vrtna sjenica);
• ground-level terrace up to 20 m².

No building permit, but built to a main design

• a single-storey ancillary building up to 50 m² footprint serving the existing building;
• the start of works must be reported and construction is professionally supervised.

The spatial plan must allow it – check with your municipality.

Sources

• Pravilnik o jednostavnim i drugim građevinama i radovima (Rijeka.hr)
• gov.hr – Mogućnost gradnje bez građevinske dozvole

Under the new Czech Building Act, "small structures" (drobná stavba) need no permit and no completion approval, and the notification (ohlášení) procedure no longer exists. A garden house, shed or workshop is a small structure if:

• built-up area up to 40 m², height up to 5 m, one storey above ground, basement no deeper than 3 m;
• it stands on the plot of a family house or recreational house and serves living or recreation – not business, not a dwelling;
• at least 2 m from the plot boundary (exceptions for buildings up to 2 m high or customary local development);
• at least half of the plot can still absorb rainwater.

• a roofed carport up to 40 m² and 5 m – also no permit; attached to the house it is an extension and needs a permit;
• a garage is not a small structure – it needs a permit.

An amendment raising the limit to 60 m² is being considered, taking effect around 2027. The building must comply with the zoning plan – check with the building office (stavební úřad).

Sources

• České stavby – drobné stavby podle stavebního zákona
• Estav – pergoly a zahradní domky podle nového stavebního zákona

Even the smallest building must be safe and respect fire distances and the detailed plan. Notices and permits go through the municipality (e-ehitus register) – check with your local authority.

Sources

• ERR – ehitusseadus lubab väiksemaid objekte püstitada loata
• Rapina – ehitusalased nõuded

Finland's new Construction Act (rakentamislaki) has applied since 1 January 2025. No permit is needed for:

• a sauna or outbuilding (storage, garage, workshop) – under 30 m² and 120 m³;
• a canopy – under 50 m² with at least 30 % of the wall area open.

• the building may not be a dwelling: with a stove or kitchen it counts as a home or holiday home and always needs a permit;
• the plot must have enough building rights; the plan, fire safety and boundary distances apply;
• outside plan areas the plot must already have a permanent or holiday home; extra restrictions apply on the shoreline.

Municipalities apply the rules differently, so check with your municipal building control (rakennusvalvonta).

Sources

• Lopen kunta – luvanvaraisuudesta vapautetut rakennukset
• Verkkouutiset – rakennukset ilman rakennuslupaa
• Yle – piharakennus ja rakentamislupa eri kunnissa

• a building attached to the house may count as an extension: in PLU urban zones a declaration is enough up to 40 m², elsewhere up to 20 m²;
• if the local plan (PLU) sets no distance, the building goes on the boundary or at least 3 m from it;
• buildings from 5 m² pay the development tax (taxe d'aménagement); the municipality may reduce or waive it up to 20 m².

Check with the planning department of your mairie.

Sources

• justice.fr – autorisation d'urbanisme pour un abri de jardin

In Germany building rules are set by each federal state (Landesbauordnung). A garden house without a permit (verfahrensfrei) is allowed up to a certain gross volume (Brutto-Rauminhalt) – differently inside and outside built-up areas.

• a garden house with a living room, toilet, heating or kitchen usually needs a permit regardless of size;
• in allotment gardens (Kleingarten) – up to 24 m² footprint, no permanent living;
• boundary distances (Abstandsflächen) and the local development plan (Bebauungsplan) apply even without a permit.

Limits change often – check with your building authority (Bauaufsichtsbehörde).

Sources

• Hausjournal – Gartenhaus Baugenehmigung nach Bundesland

In Italy some works count as "free building" (edilizia libera, art. 6 of DPR 380/2001 and the 2018 glossary of works) and need no permit or notice. A garden tool shed can be free building if it:

• is used only to store garden tools (not a car or other belongings);
• stands next to an existing building on its plot;
• is small – there are no national size limits, regions and municipalities may set them;
• is not permanently fixed to the ground: it stands on the ground or existing paving, with no foundations or new slab.

Other garden buildings usually need a notice or a permit (CILA, SCIA or permesso di costruire). Landscape and heritage restrictions apply separately – check with the municipal technical office.

Sources

• Studio Tecnico Pagliai – ripostiglio per attrezzi ed edilizia libera
• LavoriPubblici – Glossario edilizia libera

In Latvia, since 1 August 2025 small buildings (mazēkas) up to 25 m² footprint need no building documents:

• outside cities – if the plot is not in a state-protected cultural monument territory;
• in cities – if the plot allows a one- or two-apartment house and is not in a protected monument territory.

Since 1 January 2026 larger first-group ancillary buildings need no building permit – a notice or explanatory note (paskaidrojuma raksts) to the municipal building board is enough.

• a building is generally at least 4 m from the plot boundary unless the neighbour agrees otherwise;
• protection zones, fire safety rules and municipal binding regulations apply.

Sources

• LV portāls – grozījumi Ēku būvnoteikumos (2025)

In Lithuania buildings are grouped by the technical construction regulation STR 1.01.03:2017. Since 1 November 2024 smaller buildings than before count as group I non-complex structures, and a new group I structure needs no building permit document if the plot is not in a restricted area.

What group I and group II non-complex structures are

Put simply, non-complex structures are small buildings of simple construction. They are split into two groups: group I is the smallest (up to 5 m high and 50 m²), group II is somewhat larger (up to 8.5 m high and 80 m²). The higher the group, the more places where a permit is needed. Anything larger is a non-special or special structure, which always needs a permit and a design. The same span limit applies to both groups: the distance between supporting structures may not exceed 6 m.

• group I – no permit is needed in towns or rural areas, except in cultural heritage areas, resorts, the Curonian Spit and the 200 m zone along main pipelines;
• group II – no permit only in rural areas; in towns, protected areas and the same exceptions as for group I a permit is needed;
• a house – even a small one – always needs a permit;
• a building above the group II limits (higher than 8.5 m, larger than 80 m² or with a span over 6 m) is a non-special structure and needs a design and a permit.

Limits without a permit

• an ancillary building is one that serves a main building on the plot, such as a house;
• the distance between supporting structures (span) may not exceed 6.0 m – this applies to both group I and group II (STR 1.01.03:2017, clause 31); with a larger span the building is no longer non-complex and needs a design and a permit;
• buildings over 80 m² or higher than 8.5 m need a permit and a design everywhere.

How the area is counted

• all floors, the attic, roof space and attached rooms belonging to the building are counted;
• a basement is not counted, but it may not be larger than a floor or extend beyond the footprint;
• an open carport is not counted.

Before 1 November 2024 the limits for a garden house were 80 m² and 8.5 m, so older advice online is often out of date.

Where the exemption does not apply

• the territory or protection zone of a cultural heritage object, or a cultural heritage area;
• resorts – there group I structures count as group II;
• the Curonian Spit;
• the 200 m zone on each side of a main pipeline axis.

What still applies

• distances to the plot boundaries, or the neighbour's consent;
• the land use and spatial planning documents;
• in a garden community – its statutes and rules;
• to register the building in the Real Property Register – a cadastral file prepared by a surveyor.

A building that exceeds the limits in the table or is used as a dwelling needs a design and a building permit document.

Sources

• STR 1.01.03:2017 (redakcija pagal įsakymą Nr. D1-197, galioja nuo 2024-11-01)
• 77.lt – Nesudėtingieji statiniai 2026
• Statybų skaičiuoklė – ar reikia leidimo sodo namui (2026)
• Statybų skaičiuoklė – ar reikia leidimo ūkiniam pastatui (2026)
• State Territorial Planning and Construction Inspectorate (VTPSI)

The Environment and Planning Act (Omgevingswet) has applied in the Netherlands since 1 January 2024. An outbuilding, garden house, shed or garage at a house ("bijbehorend bouwwerk") can be built without a permit if it meets the rules. These are currently in the temporary part of the municipal environment plan ("bruidsschat"), so the municipality may change them – check the Omgevingsloket.

Basic conditions

• stands on the ground and is in the rear yard ("achtererfgebied") – behind the house, including the area between the extended side walls;
• more than 1 m from publicly accessible land (street, pavement);
• no higher than 5 m;
• no habitable rooms on the second or higher storey;
• no roof terrace, balcony or other outdoor space off the ground.

Maximum area

The area depends on the buildable zone ("bebouwingsgebied") – the rear yard together with later extensions of the house. Existing outbuildings are subtracted from the result.

Height and use

• within 4 m of the original house – no more than 0.3 m above the first storey (for a single-storey house – no higher than the house), and 5 m at most; the rooms can be used as part of the house (kitchen, bedroom, extension of the living room);
• more than 4 m from the house – up to 3 m high; up to 5 m only with a pitched roof: at least two roof planes, eaves no higher than 3 m, pitch no more than 55°, and a ridge no higher than (distance from ridge to plot boundary in m × 0.47) + 3 m;
• more than 4 m from the house the building can only be ancillary – storage, garage or greenhouse. A garden office or guest room further from the house may need a permit.

There is an exception for informal care (mantelzorg): for housing a relative who needs care in the garden some limits do not apply, but the municipality may ask for a statement from a doctor.

What still applies

• a building without a permit must still meet the technical building rules (Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving);
• in the front yard ("voorerfgebied") an outbuilding always needs a permit;
• monuments and protected townscapes have other rules – check with the municipality.

Sources

• IPLO – Stappenplan vergunningvrij bouwen bijbehorende bouwwerken
• IPLO – Omgevingsplanactiviteit bouwwerken
• Omgevingsweb – vergunningvrij bijbehorend bouwwerk

In Norway a detached garage, shed or outbuilding can be built without an application to the municipality (byggesaksforskriften § 4-1) if:

• built-up area (BYA) and usable floor area (BRA) are each no more than 50 m²;
• ridge height up to 4 m, eaves up to 3 m;
• at least 1 m from the boundary and from other buildings on the plot;
• single storey, no basement, not for living or overnight stays;
• the plot is already developed; distances to roads, railways and underground services are respected;
• it complies with the local plan – otherwise a dispensation is needed.

After completion the building must be reported to the municipality within 4 weeks. Municipal plans may be stricter.

Sources

• Oslo kommune – garasje, bod og lignende
• Regjeringen – Byggesaksforskriften

No permit and no notification

• open shelters (wiaty) up to 50 m² built-up area on a plot with a house – at most 2 per 1,000 m² of plot;
• detached gazebos (altany) up to 35 m² – at most 2 per 500 m² of plot.

Notification (zgłoszenie) only, no permit

• detached single-storey outbuildings, garages and shelters up to 35 m² – at most 2 per 500 m² of plot;
• detached single-storey recreational buildings up to 35 m² – at most 1 per 500 m² of plot.

The notification goes to the county (starostwo) or city office; work may start if no objection is raised within 21 days. In every case the building must comply with the local zoning plan (MPZP).

Sources

• Murator – budowa bez pozwolenia
• Prawo.pl – budowa budynku gospodarczego

In Portugal, "works of minor urban relevance" (obras de escassa relevância urbanística, art. 6-A of the RJUE) need no licence or prior notice. Under these rules:

• small buildings – up to 2.2 m high or up to 10 m² in area;
• garden walls – up to 1.8 m if they do not touch a public road.

The exemptions do not apply to historic buildings or protected areas, and the municipal regulation may add conditions – check with your câmara municipal.

Sources

• AC Arquitetos – obras de escassa relevância urbanística

Spain has no national threshold below which a garden building can be built with no procedure at all. Building is controlled by the municipality (ayuntamiento) under the laws of the autonomous community and its own ordinances.

• depending on the works, a building licence (licencia urbanística), a responsible declaration (declaración responsable) or a prior notice (comunicación previa) applies;
• a building that adds built area or volume is usually not treated as minor works, so it needs a licence or a declaration with a technical project;
• listed buildings and historic areas have stricter rules.

Check with your municipality before buying or building a garden building.

Sources

• Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza – licencia o declaración responsable

Since 1 December 2025 the Swedish "friggebod" and "attefallshus" rules have been merged into one shared allowance for one- and two-family house plots.

• previously built ancillary buildings count towards the total;
• the building must be smaller and lower than the main house;
• closer than 4.5 m to the boundary needs a permit or the neighbour's written consent;
• no notification (anmälan) is needed for these buildings any more, but it is for e.g. fitting a stove, ventilation or plumbing.

Valuable environments have stricter rules – check with your municipality.

Sources

• Österåker kommun – nya PBL från 1 december 2025
• Ronneby kommun – undantag för en- och tvåbostadshus