A small detached storage shed in Burlington may not need a building permit. The key threshold is 15 square metres, or about 161 square feet.
A permit is required if the proposed shed or accessory building is larger than 15 square metres, taller than one storey, attached to another building or structure, or contains plumbing.
No building permit does not mean no rules
A shed can be exempt from the building-permit requirement and still violate zoning. Burlington explicitly tells homeowners that accessory buildings have to comply with the applicable zoning bylaw even when a building permit is not required.
That matters because where the shed sits on the lot, its height and how much of the property is covered by buildings can all be regulated.
Burlington now has two zoning bylaws in effect
The city's new Residential Zoning Bylaw came into force in March 2026, while Zoning Bylaw 2020 still applies in other situations. The city recommends checking the zoning for the specific property before construction.
Under the new residential bylaw, accessory buildings and structures are not allowed in a front yard or required exterior side yard, and they count toward the property's lot-coverage limit. The exact rule can depend on the zone and property.
Some properties need another approval
A property inside a Conservation Halton regulated area, the Niagara Escarpment, near a pipeline or affected by another agency can need additional clearance even when the shed itself is small.
The safest sequence is simple: check the property's zoning first, confirm whether the 15-square-metre permit exemption applies, then build.