Building a shed

You may need a planning permit if your land is within a:

• Low Density Residential Zone
• Rural Conservation Zone. 
• Green Wedge Zone. 

Or if your land is:

• affected by an overlay. 
• has an existing planning permit
• there is more than one dwelling on the land.

A planning permit is not required for an outbuilding associated with a dwelling on a lot in the General Residential Zone, unless: 

• the lot has an area of less than 300m2 and the shed is greater than 10m2
• the land is affected by an overlay that may trigger a planning permit for certain buildings and works
• the outbuilding is to be constructed within the Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) of a substantial tree.

Check the zones and overlays that apply to your property at VicPlan.

A building permit is required for sheds greater than 10m² in floor area.

You will need to engage a building surveyor to obtain a building permit for your shed.

For sheds no more than 10 m² in floor area, a building permit is not required if the shed meets all of the following conditions:

• no more than 3m in height or if within 1 m of a boundary not more than 2.4m in height
• associated with a building of a different class on the same allotment
• is located no further forward on the allotment than the front wall of the associated building
• is not constructed of masonry.

You may need to apply for consent to build over an easement.

Visit the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) website our our building permits page for more information.

No. If a shed is proposed on a lot without an existing dwelling or dwelling construction already underway, this is then considered to be a store, and is prohibited in most residential zones. 

If you would like to build your shed at the same time as your dwelling, it should be included in your planning or building permit, or constructed once dwelling construction is underway.

View the following fee schedules for more information:

• building services fee schedule
• planning services fee schedule