8 × 10 ft shed, 50 × 100 ft lot
Under the common 120 sq ft threshold — many towns still want this plan for the setback check.
- Lot area
- 5,000 sq ft
- Lot coverage
- 23.2% PASS
- Setbacks
- ALL PASS
Shed permit site plan drawing · free on screen
Shed Permit Site Plan Drawing Tool
Place your shed, set the accessory setbacks and get the two distances a permit clerk checks — with lot coverage and impervious area updating as you resize.
Start from
Draw the lot from
Street side & north
Click a structure on the plan (or a chip above) to edit its size, position and counting rules.
Element Area— Size & position (ft) Counts toward Utility line Fence Common shed sizes Edit- Property line
- Zoning setback
- Existing structure
- Proposed structure
- Concrete paving
- 6 ft Privacy Fence
- Tree canopy
Not a boundary survey — an owner-prepared drawing from the dimensions you enter. Confirm setbacks with your building department or HOA.
Worked examples
Shed plans that pass the first check
Four common situations, from a small kit shed to a shed with a fence. Open one and change the size to see the numbers move.
10 × 12 ft shed
The most common kit size, 6 ft off the west line and 20 ft from the rear.
- Lot coverage
- 23.8% PASS
- Impervious
- 2,016 sq ft · 28.0%
- Setbacks
- ALL PASS
12 × 16 ft shed (preset 1)
192 sq ft: over a 120 sq ft threshold, so most departments ask for a permit.
- Lot coverage
- 24.8% PASS
- Impervious
- 2,088 sq ft · 29.0%
- Setbacks
- ALL PASS
Shed + privacy fence
One drawing for both permits: 166 ft of 6 ft fence behind the front setback.
- Lot coverage
- 24.8% PASS
- Fence runs
- 166.0 ft
- Setbacks
- ALL PASS
Sizes
Common shed sizes and their footprints
Permit thresholds are usually written as a floor area. Many towns exempt sheds up to 120 sq ft or 200 sq ft — but not all, and other triggers (height, power, a slab) still apply.
| Shed | sq ft | m² | Over 120 sq ft | Over 200 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 10 ft | 80 | 7.4 | no | no |
| 8 × 12 ft | 96 | 8.9 | no | no |
| 10 × 10 ft | 100 | 9.3 | no | no |
| 10 × 12 ft | 120 | 11.1 | no | no |
| 10 × 16 ft | 160 | 14.9 | yes | no |
| 12 × 12 ft | 144 | 13.4 | yes | no |
| 12 × 16 ft | 192 | 17.8 | yes | no |
| 12 × 20 ft | 240 | 22.3 | yes | yes |
| 14 × 20 ft | 280 | 26.0 | yes | yes |
A 12 × 16 ft shed is 192 sq ft: over the 120 sq ft line most towns use, under the 200 sq ft line others use. Check your own code — the number, and whether overhangs count, are local decisions.
Setbacks
Accessory setbacks are not house setbacks
Zoning codes usually give detached accessory buildings their own, smaller side and rear setbacks, and some forbid them in the front yard entirely.
Set the envelope to the accessory values while you place the shed. If your code says "5 ft from side and rear lot lines, not in front of the house", enter 5 for left, right and rear, and the house setback for front. The shed turns red the moment a corner crosses the dashed line.
Draw any easement band from the Symbols tab. Utility easements often run along the rear lot line, and a shed on one can be ordered removed when the utility needs access. The setback card warns when a proposed shed overlaps an easement.
What the clerk checks: shed size, its distance to the two nearest lot lines, its distance to the house if your code has a separation rule, the total lot coverage, and that it stays off easements.
How it works
Draw a shed site plan in four steps
Start from the shed preset
The page opens on a 60 × 120 ft lot with the house, driveway and a 12 × 16 ft shed already selected.
Set the accessory setbacks
Enter the side and rear setbacks your code gives sheds; they are often 3–5 ft, smaller than the house.
Pick the shed size
Click 8 × 10, 10 × 12, 12 × 16 or 12 × 20. The front-left corner stays put and every number updates.
Dimension it
Press Dimension to lot lines for the two distances the clerk checks, then export the draft or the Pro PDF.
Use cases
Sheds, garages and workshops
- Prefab or kit shed
- Kit sizes are nominal; enter the actual footprint including any overhang your code measures, then check coverage and clearance.
- Detached garage or workshop
- Same drawing, larger footprint. If you add plumbing or living space it becomes an ADU — see the ADU example.
- Shed plus fence in one application
- Many towns accept one site plan for both. The fence helper on the deck and fence page draws fence runs along lot lines.
- HOA sign-off first
- If your association reviews sheds, switch the title block to HOA on the HOA site plan tool.
- Unsure what to label
- The step-by-step guide lists all ten checklist items and the scale guide covers paper and scale.
FAQ
Questions people ask before they submit
Does my shed need a permit at all?
Often not below a size threshold — 120 sq ft and 200 sq ft are common cut-offs — but it varies by town, and electricity, a foundation or a height over about 10–12 ft can trigger one anyway. Ask the building department before you buy.
Which setbacks apply to a shed?
Many codes give accessory structures their own side and rear setbacks, frequently 3–5 ft, smaller than the house. Enter the accessory values in Setbacks & limits while you draw the shed.
What distance does the reviewer measure?
From the nearest wall or roof edge of the shed to the property line, at right angles to the line. The Dimension to lot lines button draws exactly that and labels it, for example 6.0 ft to West Property Line.
Can a shed sit on an easement?
Usually not without written consent from the easement holder, because utilities may need to dig there. Draw the easement band and the tool warns when a proposed shed overlaps it.
Does a shed count toward lot coverage?
In most zoning codes, yes — it is a roofed structure. Leave the coverage toggle on unless your code exempts small sheds; the remaining coverage line shows how much footprint you have left.
Do I have to show the house and driveway too?
Yes. Reviewers want every existing building and paved area so they can check total coverage and access. The presets include a house and driveway for that reason.
Same engine, other jobs
More site plan tools
Every tool shares the drawing engine, the units switch and the Pro export pack, so a plan started on one page opens the same way on another.
DIY Site Plan CreatorLot, setbacks, structures and live coverage on one sheet.Open tool →Plot Plan CreatorTrace a plat or aerial screenshot after a 2-point scale.Open tool →Deck & Fence Plot PlanDeck clearance, fence runs, heights and new impervious area.Open tool →HOA Site Plan ToolArchitectural review title block and packet checklist.Open tool →Lot Coverage CalculatorTable-only coverage and impervious math with limits.Open tool →
Guides: How to draw a site plan for a building permit · Scales, sheet sizes and title blocks · Residential site plan examples.