Can I build a garden shed or outbuilding without a building permit?
It depends — a small ancillary structure up to certain limits can be built without a permit, but the popular myth that "under 80 m² needs no permit" is misleading. Under the Construction Law and STR 1.01.03:2017, a structure counts as "simple" if its height does not exceed 8.5 m and its total area is under 80 m². For a group-I simple structure — a gazebo, a shed, an outbuilding — a building permit is usually not needed, unless the plot lies in a cultural-heritage area, a resort, the Curonian Spit or another protected zone. The key point people miss: a dwelling house, even one or two flats, always requires a building permit, whatever its size. Building without the required permit is unauthorised construction under Article 351 of the Code of Administrative Offences, and the fines were raised in 2025, so the old figures repeated online no longer apply.
📋 The rules
- A simple structure — height up to 8.5 m, total area up to 80 m² (STR 1.01.03:2017)
- A group-I simple outbuilding or gazebo usually needs no building permit
- A dwelling house (even 1–2 flats) always needs a building permit, regardless of size
- In protected areas (heritage, resort, Curonian Spit) even small structures need a permit or written approval
- Unauthorised construction — Article 351 CAO; fines raised in 2025 (Laws XIV-2622 and XV-214)
🔓 Exceptions
- In heritage objects, resorts and protected areas even a group-I structure needs a permit or written approval
- An unauthorised structure can be legalised retroactively if it meets current rules — by paying a statutory charge
- Garden-plot associations and the coastal strip carry extra restrictions and spatial-planning requirements
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Unauthorised building is costly less for the fine than for the consequences. Under Article 351 CAO, unauthorised construction of a simple structure carries a fine of €150 to €300, on repeat €600 to €1,200, and in a protected area €300 to €560. For a non-special structure the fine reaches €1,800 to €3,450. The fines were raised in 2025, so older figures circulating online no longer apply. What people miss: VTPSI can order the structure demolished at your own expense, or legalised by paying a charge calculated on the structure's value that can run to tens of thousands of euros. An unauthorised or un-legalised structure is not registered at the Centre of Registers, so it cannot be lawfully sold, mortgaged or insured — often the sharpest sting of all.
📎 Official sources
- e-seimas · Construction Law (Statybos įstatymas) →
- VTPSI · structures that need no building permit →
- e-tar · STR 1.01.03:2017 classification of structures →
❓ Frequently asked
Is it true that under 80 m² needs no permit?
No, this is a common oversimplification — 80 m² and 8.5 m are only the ceiling of the "simple structure" category, not an automatic right to build without documents. Whether you need a building permit depends on the structure's group, its use and the plot's location, and a dwelling house always requires one.
Does a garden house need a permit?
If the garden house is residential in use, a building permit is required even for a small building. A simple outbuilding or ancillary structure in ordinary areas often needs no permit, but in protected or heritage areas at least written approval is required.
How much is the fine for unauthorised building?
Unauthorised construction of a simple structure under Article 351 CAO carries a fine of €150 to €300, and in a protected area €300 to €560. These amounts were raised in 2025, so older figures listed online no longer apply and should not be relied on.
Can an unauthorised structure be legalised?
Yes, if the structure complies with current spatial-planning and construction rules, it can be legalised by obtaining a building permit retroactively. A statutory charge is payable, calculated on the structure's value, and it can be substantial, so legalising is often cheaper than demolishing.
Who checks unauthorised building?
Construction legality is supervised by the State Territorial Planning and Construction Inspectorate (VTPSI), which can issue a demand to remove the breach. If the demand is not met, the structure may have to be demolished at your own expense, and clearing costs sometimes exceed the building price.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can i build without a permit lithuania”
- “garden shed without permit”
- “simple structure 80 m2”
- “unauthorised construction fine”
- “outbuilding without permit”
- “article 351 cao”