Montgomery County Shed Regulations: A Complete Guide for Homeowners (2026)

Backyard storage shed in a Montgomery County residential yard with permit guide text overlay explaining shed regulations, permits, setbacks, and inspection requirements for 2026.

Montgomery County has the strictest shed permit policy in Maryland — a building permit is required for every single shed, regardless of size. No 150-square-foot exemption, no skids loophole, no exceptions. That means before your shed is delivered, you need an approved permit in hand. This guide covers exactly what that process looks like: the Fast Track path for sheds under 200 square feet, site plan requirements, setback and size rules, permit fees, required inspections, and the important municipality wrinkle that catches homeowners in Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Takoma Park off guard.

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Baltimore County Shed Permit Rules: A Complete Guide for Homeowners (2026)

Modern backyard storage shed in a Baltimore County residential yard with graphic overlay about 2026 shed permit rules for homeowners.

Baltimore County has one of the strictest shed permit thresholds in Maryland — just 120 square feet, lower than most other counties. That means a standard 10×12 shed sits right on the line, and if your property is in a Historic District, a permit is required no matter how small the structure. This guide covers exactly when a permit is required, the specific building guidelines that apply to all sheds, what documents you need to apply, how the process works, and the special situations — Historic Districts, floodplains, Critical Area, well and septic — that change the rules entirely.

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Anne Arundel County Shed Setback Requirements: What Homeowners Need to Know (2026)

Backyard shed in Anne Arundel County with illustrated setback boundary lines and text explaining shed setback requirements for homeowners in 2026.

You’ve found the perfect spot for your new shed — level, accessible, out of the way. But is it legal to put a shed there? In Anne Arundel County, the answer depends on your zoning district, your lot type, the size of the structure, and whether your property falls under a special overlay like the Critical Area or a Historic District. There is no single county-wide setback number — and that’s exactly why so many homeowners get tripped up. This guide explains how setbacks work, what the general rules are, and how to get the definitive answer for your specific property before your shed is delivered.

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Do You Need a Permit to Build a Shed in Maryland? A County-by-County Guide

Maryland has no single statewide shed permit rule — it is county by county, and the thresholds move. This guide covers what each jurisdiction actually requires: the square-footage thresholds that trigger a building permit, the setback rules that apply whether or not a permit is needed, separate electrical permits, required inspections, and what happens if you skip the process. With direct links to each county’s own permit pages.

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