You want the most usable storage you can get, set in your own yard, without a surprise stop-work notice taped to it. The good news is that finding out what applies to you is a short conversation, not a research project. Here is who sets the rules, what changes inside city limits and HOAs, the setbacks to ask about, and how we help you keep your install on the right side of the line from the first call to the last setup block.
No shed size comes with a guarantee that a permit is not needed. Whether you need a permit depends on your address, your zoning, the building, and how you will use it, and your county or city sets and updates those rules. Inside Ocala, Belleview, or Dunnellon city limits, the city handles permitting instead of the county. Before you order, confirm your address with Marion County Building Safety at 352-438-2400, or with your city’s building department. We help you figure out who to call and what to ask.
Your local governing body does. In unincorporated Marion County that is the county, which looks at your zoning, the size and use of the building, and the setbacks on your lot. The county sets and updates those rules, so confirm your parcel with Marion County Building Safety at 352-438-2400. Inside Ocala, Belleview, or Dunnellon city limits the city handles permitting instead, usually with stricter rules.
Here’s the trouble. Search the question and you get ten different answers, and there is a reason for that: the rules depend on where you live, and the only answer that counts is the one from the office that covers your address. One neighbor swears a certain size never needs a permit, another got a letter from the county for a building that looked fine to them. Meanwhile your yard still needs the storage.
The worry underneath it is real: nobody wants to spend good money on a building, watch it get delivered, and then find out it sits two feet inside a setback or needed a permit you never pulled. You deserve a clear picture before you buy, not after. That is the whole point of this page. We deal with Marion County placements every week, so we will help you find the right office to confirm the rules and then make sure your building lands where it is supposed to.
If your property sits outside the city limits of Ocala, Belleview, or Dunnellon, you are in unincorporated Marion County, and most of our customers are. Here is how it generally works:
Codes get updated, and special districts or flood zones can change things, so the honest move is to confirm your exact parcel with Marion County Building Safety at 352-438-2400, 2710 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. If you want something bigger, that is not a problem. We do this all the time and can help you handle the permitting.
Setbacks are the clear space the county wants between your building and your property lines. In Marion County, a residential accessory building generally needs:
The reason this matters: every shed, permitted or not, has to honor these clearances. We measure for it before delivery so your building does not end up sitting where the county will ask you to move it. If your lot is tight or oddly shaped, tell us up front and we will help you find a spot that works and still leaves room to walk around the building.
Inside an incorporated city, the county rules stop applying and the city’s building department sets its own:
Not sure which side of the line you fall on? A mailing address does not always match the city limit, so your parcel address is what decides it, and we can check it for you when we look at where we deliver. When you want a building inside the city, we handle the permit paperwork as part of the job.
Once the building permit question is answered, there are still a few things to check, and skipping them is how good people end up with a fine:
None of this should scare you off. It is simply the short list of “also check this,” and we walk through it with you so there are no surprises after the building is set.
Tell us what it’s for and where you live. Storage, a workshop, a she-shed, on acreage or a city lot. We help you work out whether you are in or out of city limits and which office sets the rules for your parcel, so you can confirm them before you order.
We size it to your needs and your lot. Once you know the rules, we match the building to what you need and what your lot allows, and price it all-in, delivery and setup included.
We deliver and set it up, then stand behind it. In-stock buildings usually arrive in about a week. We place it inside your setbacks and level it, and we are a phone call away after.
Skip the permit when you needed one, or set a building inside a setback, and the cost is real: a stop-work notice, a fine, or the county asking you to move or remove a building you already paid for. It can also flag later, when you go to sell the home and an inspector finds an unpermitted structure.
The other path is the easy one. You tell us the use and the address, you confirm the rules with your county or city, and a right-sized building, like a lofted barn, shows up in about a week and lands exactly where it should. No letter from the county, no second-guessing, just the storage or workspace you wanted, set up and ready. That is the whole job, done the honest way.
It depends on your parcel, your zoning, and the building, and the county sets and updates those rules. No size comes with a guarantee that a permit is not needed, so confirm your specific parcel with Marion County Building Safety at 352-438-2400 before you buy.
If your address is inside the City of Ocala limits, a shed generally requires a city permit no matter the size, because the city sets its own rules instead of the county. The building also has to meet zoning setbacks and carry a product approval or engineered plans. Check with City of Ocala Building before you order.
A residential accessory building in Marion County generally needs 8 feet of clearance from the rear and side property lines, and 15 feet on the street side of a corner lot. These setbacks apply whether or not a permit is required, and your zoning can change them, so confirm yours with the county. We measure for them before delivery so your building sits legal.
Yes. Whatever the county decides about the shed itself, running electrical or plumbing to it requires its own permit. That work has to be done to code and inspected. We can point you to what is needed before you wire it up.
You can face a stop-work order, fines, or an order to move or remove the building. An unpermitted structure can also create a problem later when you sell the home and it shows up during inspection. It is far cheaper to confirm the rule first, which is exactly what we help you do.
Yes. Needing a permit is common and not a problem. We price everything all-in and point you to the right office, so you are not left figuring out the county process on your own. Visit our permitting help page for the details.
Our Stor-Mor wood buildings are engineered for Florida, rated to 160 mph wind loads with double-stud framing, an LP ProStruct treated floor, and LP SmartSide siding. When a permit is required, having an engineered building makes the approval smoother. We provide the product approval or plans the county or city asks for.
Tell us what it’s for and where you live, and we’ll confirm the rule, size it right, and deliver it set up and ready, usually in about a week. All-in pricing, no hidden fees, no pressure.
