Shed permit checklist — San Diego, California
Assembled from San Diego’s own published permit rules. Every line below is quoted from a city document and linked to it. Nothing here is generated, estimated, or inferred from another jurisdiction.
Do you need a permit?
San Diego requires a permit for a shed.
A building permit is not required for a one-story detached accessory building used as a tool or storage shed, playhouse or similar use with a projected roof area of 120 square feet or less. The exemption does not remove the need for electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits, and it does not apply to designated historical resources or to sites with environmentally sensitive lands that require a development permit.
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Sources
- shed — fee schedule ↗verified August 2026
Other permits San Diego publishes rules for
Listed because the city publishes a separate rule for each type — not because this project necessarily triggers one. Whether it does depends on your scope of work.
- Deck permit checklist
- Fence permit checklist
- Water heater permit checklist
- Re-roof permit checklist
- Retaining wall permit checklist
- Electrical work permit checklist
- General building work permit checklist
BuildSpec is a reference, not the authority having jurisdiction. Confirm requirements with San Diego before you build.