🏚️ Do I need permission for a garage or a garden shelter?

With conditions

Quick answer

Yes, a notification is needed — and since April 2025 an unauthorised build cannot be saved. A small building is a single-storey structure such as a shed, a shelter, a summer kitchen, a sauna, a bike store or a garage, where the built-up area does not exceed 50 m² and the height 5 metres, and where it cannot substantially affect its surroundings. Such a building must be notified to the building authority, which has 30 days to deal with it. The critical change: under the new Building Act in force from 1 April 2025, for anything you began building without permission after that date, subsequent legalisation does not exist — the authority simply orders it removed. That covers everything, from major developments down to an ordinary gazebo or garage.

📋 The rules

A small building: up to 50 m² and 5 m high
It must not substantially affect its surroundings
A notification is needed; the authority has 30 days
From 1 Apr 2025: an unauthorised build cannot be legalised
The authority simply orders it removed

🔓 Exceptions

Older structures without papers can still be legalised — apply by 31 March 2029 at the latest
If the authority does not verify the project within 30 days, a verification clause is presumed issued
The building inspectorate can impose a fine of €30 to €3,000

⚠️ Penalties & fines

This is the biggest change in building law in years. For anything you began building without permission after 1 April 2025, subsequent legalisation simply does not exist — the authority orders the structure removed, and at your expense. It makes no difference whether it is a house or a gazebo. The building inspectorate can also impose a fine of €30 to €3,000, and for a firm putting up a small building without a verified project, €1,000 to €5,000. If you have an older structure without papers, do not put it off: subsequent legalisation remains available only for buildings predating the new Act, and the application must be filed by 31 March 2029.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

What counts as a small building?

A single-storey structure such as a shed, shelter, summer kitchen, sauna, bike store or garage, where the built-up area does not exceed 50 m² and the height 5 metres, and which cannot substantially affect its surroundings.

Must I notify it?

Yes, to the building authority, which has a statutory 30 days to deal with it. If it does not verify the project within that period, a verification clause is presumed to have been issued.

Can an unauthorised build be legalised later?

Not if you began it after 1 April 2025. Under the new Building Act, subsequent legalisation does not exist for such structures and the authority will order their removal.

What about older structures without papers?

Those can still be legalised, but not indefinitely. The application must be filed with the building authority by 31 March 2029, after which the option disappears.

What are the fines?

The building inspectorate can impose €30 to €3,000. For a firm putting up a small building without a verified project, or contrary to it, the range is €1,000 to €5,000.

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