Can I build a garden shed without a permit?
Yes, a garden shed can often be built without a planning permit — but only within strict limits on area, height and distance, and your municipality can be stricter. In Flanders a freestanding, non-habitable outbuilding (shed, carport, store) is exempt if: all freestanding outbuildings combined are at most 40 m², the height stays below 3.5 m, the building sits within 30 m of the house, and the boundary distance is right — up to 3 m in the side garden, up to 1 m in the rear garden (or against an existing party wall). It may not be in a spatially vulnerable area. A municipal regulation can impose stricter rules, so always check with your municipality. In Wallonia, a single shed up to 20 m² at least 1 m from the boundary (in wood or a similar tone); in Brussels, up to 9 m². Exceed a limit and you need a permit (often without an architect in Wallonia).
📋 The rules
- Flanders: all freestanding outbuildings combined ≤ 40 m² per property
- Flemish shed: height < 3.5 m, within 30 m of the house, not in a vulnerable area
- Boundary distance (Flanders): side garden up to 3 m, rear garden up to 1 m, or against an existing wall
- Wallonia: one shed ≤ 20 m², ≥ 1 m from the boundary, wood or similar tone, not in a flood zone
- Brussels: outbuilding ≤ 9 m², max 3 m high, in the cours-et-jardins zone
- A municipal regulation can always be stricter than the regional exemption
🔓 Exceptions
- Larger than the exemption, or habitable: a permit is required (in Wallonia often a 'limited-impact permit', no architect)
- In a protected or vulnerable area, or along a classified watercourse: the exemption lapses
⚠️ Penalties & fines
A shed without the required permit is a planning offence. In Flanders the municipality can order works to stop and demand restoration (demolition or adaptation), with administrative fines up to €400,000 for infringements and up to €2,000,000 for offences. Regularising afterwards is possible but not guaranteed — get certainty first via a planning certificate.
📎 Official sources
- Vlaamse Codex · Exemptions Decree (art. 2.1) →
- UVCW · CoDT exemptions, AGW 10 April 2025 →
- SPW Territoire · CoDT R.IV.1-1 (garden shed) →
- urban.brussels · works exempt from a permit →
❓ Frequently asked
Does my existing garage count toward the 40 m²?
Yes. In Flanders all freestanding outbuildings on the property count together — shed, garage, carport, store. Their total may not exceed 40 m² to stay exempt.
Can my shed touch the neighbour's hedge?
In the rear garden, up to 1 m from the boundary, or right against an existing party wall. In the side garden, up to 3 m. Closer than that needs consent or a permit.
Do I still need to file a notification?
For a freestanding shed within the limits, no: it needs neither a permit nor a notification. In Flanders the notification for small works has largely been abolished since 1 March 2026.
Can I live or sleep in the shed?
No — the exemption only covers non-habitable outbuildings. Turning a shed into living space or a holiday let makes it permit-liable and often clashes with the zoning.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “garden shed permit belgium”
- “shed without permit flanders”
- “how big shed without permit”
- “shed distance to boundary belgium”
- “garden shed rules belgium”