A storage shed may be smaller than a house or garage, but it is still an exterior structure occupying part of the lot.

Its proposed location can be affected by:

• Rear- and side-yard setbacks
• Utility easements
• Drainage easements
• Existing buildings
• Driveways and parking
• Fence gates and backyard access
• Lot coverage
• Flood-prone conditions
• Wells and septic systems where applicable
• Special zoning or design districts

A shed placed in the wrong area may need to be moved even when the structure itself is otherwise acceptable.

Why a Shed Plot Plan Matters

A shed plot plan is an overhead drawing showing where the proposed structure will be placed within the complete property.

It helps the homeowner, contractor, HOA and permit reviewer understand:

• The size of the proposed shed
• Where it will sit in the backyard
• How far it will be from the property lines
• Whether it overlaps an easement
• How close it will be to the house or another structure
• Whether it blocks a gate, driveway or access route
• How it affects the remaining open yard
• Whether there is enough room for installation and maintenance

A rough sketch may explain the general idea, but it may not provide enough information to verify the proposed placement.

A permit-focused plot plan should be:

• Drawn to a stated scale
• Clearly dimensioned
• Easy to read
• Based on reliable property information
• Consistent with the proposed shed specifications

Oklahoma City’s electronic-submittal standards state that plans must be drawn to scale, fully dimensioned and legible.

Official source: Oklahoma City Online Building Permit Submittal Standards .

Do You Need a Permit for a Shed in Oklahoma City?

Oklahoma City’s general building-permit guidance says permits are required when a person constructs, alters, repairs, enlarges, moves or demolishes a primary or accessory structure.

However, the city’s specific backyard-shed FAQ says that a shed may or may not require a permit because restrictions and project conditions can differ.

The city directs homeowners to contact Oklahoma City Plan Review at 405-297-2525. When a permit is required, it must be issued before the structure is built or moved onto the property.

The permit determination may be affected by factors such as:

• Shed size
• Shed height
• Foundation type
• Whether the structure is prefabricated or site-built
• Whether it will be moved onto the property
• Electrical, plumbing or mechanical work
• Proposed use
• Property zoning
• Floodplain or drainage conditions
• Special design-district requirements

Do not rely on a shed-size exemption published by a different city or on a general interpretation of the residential building code. Confirm the requirement for the specific Oklahoma City property and project.

Official sources: Oklahoma City Development Services and Oklahoma City Building and Trade Permits .

What an Oklahoma City Shed Plot Plan Should Show

The exact plan requirements depend on the application, but Oklahoma City’s residential checklist provides a useful starting point.

The city calls for a detailed site plan drawn to scale showing dimensioned property lines, easements, right-of-way and a north arrow. It also requests the proposed location with distances to each property line.

For a backyard shed, the drawing should commonly include the following information.

1. Correct property information

• Complete street address
• Legal description when required
• Owner or applicant information when part of the application
• Project title
• Short description such as “Proposed Backyard Storage Shed”
• Drawing date or revision date

2. Complete property boundaries

Show the full legal lot rather than only the corner where the shed will be installed.

The plan should identify:

• Front property line
• Both side property lines
• Rear property line
• Angled or curved boundary sections
• Available lot-line dimensions
• Street frontage
• Alley or right-of-way where applicable

A fence, hedge, retaining wall or edge of lawn should not automatically be treated as the legal property boundary.

3. Existing house

Show the complete footprint of the existing house, including relevant:

• Attached garage
• Covered porch
• Existing addition
• Covered patio
• Exterior stairs
• Roofed areas affecting lot coverage

The reviewer may need to understand how the proposed shed relates to the main dwelling and other buildings.

4. Existing backyard structures

Show relevant existing improvements such as:

• Detached garage
• Carport
• Existing shed
• Deck or patio
• Pergola or patio cover
• Swimming pool or spa
• Pool equipment
• Retaining walls
• Driveway and parking areas
• Walkways
• Fences and gates

Existing improvements can affect lot coverage, building separation, drainage and the available placement area.

5. Proposed shed footprint

The shed should be clearly labelled as proposed and visually distinguishable from existing structures.

Show:

• Complete shed outline
• Overall length
• Overall width
• Roof overhangs when relevant
• Door location when it affects access
• Ramp, landing or steps when proposed
• Foundation or slab area when relevant

The site-plan dimensions should agree with the shed manufacturer’s drawing, contractor proposal or permit application.

6. Distances to property lines

Show measurable distances from the proposed shed to:

• Rear property line
• Left-side property line
• Right-side property line
• Street-side boundary on a corner lot
• Front property line when relevant

Use the shortest relevant distance rather than an approximate location.

7. Distance to existing structures

The plan may need to show the distance between the shed and:

• Main house
• Detached garage
• Another shed
• Carport
• Swimming pool
• Deck or covered patio

Building separation can be relevant to zoning, fire safety, maintenance access and the practical use of the backyard.

8. Easements

Show all known:

• Utility easements
• Drainage easements
• Sewer easements
• Access easements
• Shared-driveway easements
• Rights-of-way

Include the easement width and location when that information is available from a survey, plat or recorded document.

9. Access to the shed

Show how the shed will be reached from the driveway, side yard or backyard.

Relevant features may include:

• Fence gates
• Side-yard paths
• Driveway access
• Alley access
• Walkways
• Vehicle or equipment route used during installation

A technically compliant location may still be impractical when a shed cannot be delivered, assembled or accessed after installation.

10. North arrow and scale

Include:

• North arrow
• Written drawing scale
• Graphic scale bar when helpful
• Readable dimensions
• Street name
• Existing-and-proposed legend

Official source: Oklahoma City Residential Submittal Requirements .

Utility Easements: The Most Important Shed Placement Check

Utility easements frequently run along the rear or side boundaries of residential lots—the same areas where homeowners commonly want to place sheds.

An easement may look like ordinary backyard space. Its legal purpose, however, can be to provide room for:

• Water lines
• Wastewater mains
• Electric services
• Gas services
• Communications utilities
• Future maintenance and repairs

A proposed shed can comply with the normal zoning setback and still be prohibited because it overlaps an easement.

Oklahoma City’s current utility-easement rule

Oklahoma City Utilities issued revised utility-easement requirements dated March 3, 2025.

The city’s memo states that the following are not allowed within a utility easement:

• Any permanent primary structure
• Accessory dwelling units
• Garages
• Sheds
• Outbuildings
• Enclosed patios
• Buildings of any kind
• Concrete flatwork containing footings or piers
• Decks and porches with structural elements
• Retaining walls

The memo allows certain limited encroachments, including ordinary concrete flatwork without structural elements and some removable fences, but those exceptions do not allow a shed.

Official source: Oklahoma City Utility Easement Requirements .

Why the Rear Property Line Can Be Misleading

Many homeowners choose the far rear corner of the property because it appears to keep the shed out of the way.

That location may contain:

• A rear utility easement
• A wastewater main
• A drainage easement
• A rear-yard setback
• An alley or right-of-way
• Overhead or underground utilities

The utility memo explains that revised back-lot easement configurations are intended to preserve at least 10 feet of separation between a wastewater main and a structure built up to the easement boundary.

This does not mean every homeowner should measure 10 feet from an assumed sewer location. It means the recorded easement and utility information must be identified before finalising the shed position.

A survey or subdivision plat may show the easement. When the documents are unclear or utilities must be located precisely, additional professional or utility information may be required.

Setbacks: How Far Must the Shed Be From the Property Line?

A setback is the minimum required distance between a structure and a property line or another regulated feature.

Oklahoma City’s zoning districts regulate matters such as:

• Permitted uses
• Lot size
• Building placement
• Front, side and rear setbacks
• Parking
• Screening
• Accessory structures

There is no single setback number that can safely be applied to every Oklahoma City shed.

The controlling distance can depend on:

• Base zoning district
• PUD or SPUD regulations
• Corner-lot status
• Shed height
• Property configuration
• Recorded building lines
• Design or historic district
• Previous zoning approvals

Use Oklahoma City’s official zoning map to identify the zoning district, then confirm the applicable accessory-structure rules with Subdivision and Zoning or Plan Review.

Official source: Oklahoma City Subdivision and Zoning .

For general guidance, read Setbacks and Zoning: How to Find the Rules for Your Property .

Setback vs Easement: They Are Not the Same

A shed must comply with both. Satisfying one does not automatically satisfy the other.

Do Not Use the Fence as the Property Line

A fence can be helpful for understanding the backyard layout, but it should not automatically be used as the legal boundary.

A fence may be:

• Inside the owner’s property
• On a neighbour’s property
• Offset from an easement
• Built without a boundary survey
• Following landscaping rather than the legal lot line

When a reliable survey or plat is available, use its boundary information as the drawing base.

A licensed boundary survey may be needed when:

• The property corners cannot be identified
• The shed will be close to a boundary
• Existing documents conflict
• The lot is irregular
• There is a neighbour dispute
• The city requests certified boundary information

A remotely drafted plot plan does not independently locate or certify legal property boundaries.

Show the Complete Backyard Layout

A shed plan should not show only a rectangle floating in an empty yard.

Showing the surrounding property helps explain whether the proposed location is practical and reviewable.

Include relevant:

• Main house
• Attached and detached garages
• Existing sheds
• Patios and decks
• Swimming pools
• Driveways and parking
• Walkways
• Fence lines and gates
• Retaining walls
• Drainage areas
• Utility easements
• Side-yard access

The completed drawing should make it easy to understand:

• How the shed will be delivered or constructed
• Which door or gate will provide access
• Whether the shed blocks an existing route
• Whether enough room remains for maintenance
• Whether water can continue to flow through the yard

Shed Doors, Gates and Installation Access

Shed placement involves more than legal setbacks.

Before finalising the location, consider:

• Which direction the shed door will face
• Whether the door can open fully
• Whether a lawn mower or equipment can reach the door
• Whether a delivery truck or installation crew can access the site
• Whether fence panels must be removed temporarily
• Whether the route crosses a septic area or drainage path
• Whether the shed blocks access to utility equipment

Showing the door, gate and access route on the plan can prevent a technically acceptable but unusable layout.

Lot Coverage and Existing Hard Surfaces

Lot coverage can limit the combined amount of building and paving on a residential property.

Oklahoma City’s current accessory-dwelling guidance describes a 50% residential lot-coverage limit in that context and notes that existing patios, driveways, swimming pools and sheds can reduce the remaining area available for development.

The exact calculation for a shed property should still be confirmed against the controlling zoning district, PUD, SPUD, overlay or property-specific approval.

A plot plan can help identify:

• Total lot area
• Existing house footprint
• Garages and accessory structures
• Existing sheds
• Patios and decks
• Driveways and parking areas
• Swimming pools
• Proposed shed area

A shed can satisfy its setbacks and easement requirements but still affect a lot-coverage limit.

Official source: Oklahoma City Accessory-Dwelling Guidance .

Drainage and Ground Conditions

A shed, slab or foundation can change how water moves through a backyard.

Drainage becomes more important when the proposed location is:

• Within a low area
• Near a drainage easement
• Beside a retaining wall
• On sloping ground
• Near a swale
• Close to the house foundation
• Within or near a flood-prone area

A site plan may need to show:

• Drainage easement
• Direction of surface flow
• Existing slope
• Proposed slab or foundation
• Retaining walls
• Ground elevations when requested

Avoid placing a shed where it blocks a designed drainage route or directs runoff toward the house or neighbouring property.

A basic plot plan does not replace grading calculations, drainage design or civil engineering when those services are required.

Wells, Septic Systems and Rural Properties

Some properties within the Oklahoma City jurisdiction may use private wells or septic systems.

The city’s residential checklist requests the location of wells and septic tanks when applicable.

For a shed project, the available information may need to identify:

• Water well
• Septic tank
• Septic drainfield
• Reserve drainfield area
• Access lids or maintenance routes

Do not place a permanent shed over a septic tank, drainfield or required service area.

Additional health-department, environmental or professional requirements may apply.

Will the Shed Have Electricity or Plumbing?

A basic storage shed and a shed containing electrical, plumbing or mechanical systems can follow different permit paths.

Oklahoma City states that electrical, plumbing and mechanical work must be performed by contractors licensed by the State of Oklahoma and registered with the city.

Tell the permit office and drafter when the shed will include:

• Lighting
• Electrical outlets
• Heating or cooling
• Plumbing fixtures
• Water service
• Sewer connection
• Permanent equipment

Utility routes, meters or service connections may need to be shown separately from the basic shed placement drawing.

Check Special Zoning and Design Districts

Some Oklahoma City properties are located within:

• Historic districts
• Historic landmarks
• Urban design districts
• Special zoning districts
• Planned Unit Developments
• Simplified Planned Unit Developments
• Overlay districts

These areas may have additional requirements affecting:

• Shed location
• Height
• Exterior materials
• Roof shape
• Visibility from the street
• Design review
• Certificate of approval or appropriateness

Check the property’s zoning and special-district status before purchasing or installing the shed.

How to Prepare for an Oklahoma City Shed Permit

1. Confirm the property jurisdiction. Verify that the site is within Oklahoma City’s permitting jurisdiction.
2. Contact Plan Review. Ask whether the proposed shed requires a permit.
3. Find the zoning district. Review the official zoning map and property-specific regulations.
4. Locate the property documents. Find an existing survey, subdivision plat or closing documents.
5. Identify easements. Pay particular attention to rear and side utility easements.
6. Select the proposed shed. Obtain the manufacturer’s dimensions, height and foundation information.
7. Measure the proposed location. Record distances to each property line and nearby structure.
8. Prepare the plot plan. Show the complete property, existing improvements and proposed shed.
9. Review the current checklist. Confirm the required permit documents and file standards.
10. Submit before installation. Do not build or move the shed onto the property until any required permit is issued.

Submitting the Plot Plan Online

Oklahoma City accepts electronic permit submissions through its online access portal.

The current electronic standards state that:

• Plans should be submitted as PDF or PDF/A files
• Plans must be drawn to scale
• Plans must be fully dimensioned
• Plans must be legible
• Plan sets should use landscape orientation
• Document sets should be consolidated where possible
• Uploaded documents must be unsecured
• Text should remain readable when printed

Current residential guidance says files should be uploaded as one combined file where possible.

Applicants can submit through: Oklahoma City’s online permit portal .

What to Send When Ordering Your Shed Plot Plan

Marking the proposed location clearly helps prevent the shed from being placed in a different position than the one shown on the final drawing.

How Our Shed Plot Plan Service Works

1. Place your order. Choose the site-plan option matching the required detail.
2. Provide the property address. Available property and mapping information can be reviewed.
3. Upload your documents. Send any survey, plat, previous plan or permit comments.
4. Provide the shed dimensions. Include the complete footprint and relevant projections.
5. Mark the proposed location. Send a sketch, photographs or marked aerial image.
6. Review the completed draft. Check the shed position, dimensions, easements and labels.
7. Submit the drawing. Use it with the permit, HOA or contractor documents when appropriate.

The usefulness and accuracy of a remotely prepared plot plan depend on the quality of the survey, plat, measurements, photographs and project information supplied.

Common Oklahoma City Shed Plot Plan Mistakes

• Ordering the shed before confirming whether a permit is required
• Placing the shed inside a utility easement
• Leaving easements off the drawing
• Using the fence as the legal property line
• Showing only part of the backyard
• Omitting the existing house or garage
• Not showing the shed dimensions
• Missing rear- and side-yard measurements
• Not identifying the shed as proposed
• Ignoring lot coverage
• Blocking a gate or access route
• Placing the shed over a drainage path
• Ignoring well or septic information
• Not identifying electrical or plumbing work
• Submitting a blurry aerial screenshot
• Leaving off the north arrow or scale
• Using an outdated or unreliable property drawing
• Assuming HOA approval replaces a city permit

A complete plot plan cannot guarantee approval, but it can reduce avoidable questions about the proposed location.

Oklahoma City Shed Plot Plan Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all Oklahoma City sheds require a permit?

Oklahoma City says a backyard shed may or may not require a permit. Contact Plan Review at 405-297-2525 with the shed dimensions, use, foundation and proposed location to confirm the requirement.

Can the shed be installed before I receive the permit?

No, not when a permit is required. Oklahoma City says the permit must be issued before the structure is built or moved onto the site.

Can I put a shed in a utility easement?

No. Oklahoma City’s March 2025 utility-easement requirements specifically prohibit sheds, garages, outbuildings and other permanent structures within utility easements.

How close can a shed be to the property line?

The required distance depends on the property’s zoning, lot configuration, shed characteristics and any special district or planned-development regulations. Confirm the specific setback with Oklahoma City Plan Review or Subdivision and Zoning.

Can I use the backyard fence as the property line?

Not automatically. A fence may be offset from the legal boundary. Use a survey, subdivision plat or other reliable property document.

What if I do not have a survey?

A recorded subdivision plat, previous site plan or other property record may provide useful information. A licensed boundary survey may be necessary when the boundaries are uncertain or the shed will be close to a lot line.

Does a shed count toward lot coverage?

A shed occupies part of the developed lot and may affect the applicable coverage calculation. The controlling definition and limit should be confirmed for the property’s zoning district or planned development.

Can the shed have electricity?

It may, but electrical work requires the appropriate permit and must be performed by a contractor licensed by the State of Oklahoma and registered with Oklahoma City.

Can a shed plot plan be prepared online?

Many straightforward plans can be prepared remotely using an existing survey or plat, available property information, photographs and customer-supplied measurements.

Are USA Site Plans drawings stamped?

No. USA Site Plans provides residential drafting services. Licensed surveying, architecture, structural engineering, civil engineering and professional seals must be obtained separately when required.

Will the plot plan guarantee permit approval?

No. Oklahoma City controls the permit decision and may request revisions, a licensed survey, structural plans or other supporting documents.

Official Oklahoma City Sources

• Oklahoma City Development Services — Backyard Shed FAQ
• Oklahoma City Building and Trade Permits
• Oklahoma City Residential Submittal Requirements
• Oklahoma City Online Building Permit Submittal Standards
• Oklahoma City Utility Easement Requirements
• Oklahoma City Subdivision and Zoning
• Oklahoma City Zoning Map
• Oklahoma City Accessory-Dwelling and Lot-Coverage Guidance
• Oklahoma City Plan Review

Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information and is not legal, surveying, engineering, architectural, zoning, utility or permitting advice. Oklahoma City requirements vary according to the property, zoning district, planned development, project scope, easements, utilities and current regulations. A drafted plot plan does not establish legal property boundaries or replace a licensed survey, structural plan, engineering or another professionally certified document when required. Confirm the current permit and placement requirements with Oklahoma City Plan Review before purchasing, constructing or moving a shed onto the property.