Pole barn permits, explained

Do you need a permit for a pole barn?

Start with the size. In the International Residential Code (IRC), Section R105.2 exempts one-story detached accessory structures from a building permit only when the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet^[1]. A pole barn is rarely that small: a 24 by 36 foot building is 864 square feet, more than four times the limit.

Local rules sit on top of the model code, and they are not all the same:

Two details catch people out. First, the size limit only removes the building permit: in Johnson County, any size structure is subject to setback requirements^[2], and Waterford applies all its zoning requirements to the small buildings it exempts^[3]. Second, there is no special treatment for the pole-frame method itself: Snohomish County, Washington, says pole buildings follow the same regulations as other structures when it comes to permit exemptions^[7].

The agricultural exemption, and why it rarely covers a backyard barn

Many rural counties exempt farm buildings from the building code. The catch is that the exemption follows the use of the building, not its shape.

• Prince William County, Virginia: a pole barn may be exempt if the property is zoned A-1 Agricultural, approved for agricultural uses, and the structure is strictly for agricultural use. A building permit may be required if the principal use of the property is residential, or if the building is not solely agricultural^[4].
• Mason County, Michigan: the exemption is for buildings used exclusively for agricultural purposes, on land used for agriculture. No residential storage is allowed in the building, which the county spells out as lawn tractors, cars, RVs and recreational equipment, and the building official may inspect to verify the use^[6].
• Clark County, Washington: the owner certifies that the sole use of the structure meets the definition. Plumbing and mechanical permits are still required, residential accessory structures, shops and garages are not exempt, and a seller must tell the buyer about the exempt status^[5].
• Johnson County, Kansas: a building used solely for agriculture skips part of the permit process but still needs an application, a site plan and an accessory building use form, and electrical, mechanical or plumbing work needs separate trade permits^[2].

Even an exempt barn is not paperwork-free. Armada Township requires a zoning compliance permit for all agricultural accessory structures^[8], and Mason County says a zoning permit is still required for an agricultural building^[6].

What the county asks for

The application is mostly drawings. Prince William County asks for a plan view (from above), an elevation (from the side) and a section through the wall showing the footing, the wooden post and the connection details. If the barn is a prefabricated kit, the plans must come from the fabricator, manufacturer or supplier^[4].

Other counties add their own pieces:

1. A site plan to scale. Johnson County wants the size and location of the new building on the lot^[2]. Waterford wants a site plan based on a survey^[3]. Armada asks for a plot plan showing lot dimensions, the house, driveways, existing and proposed utilities, the septic field and the well^[8].
2. Construction plans. Johnson County asks for front, side and rear elevations^[2]. Armada asks for two sets of scaled plans with wall, insulation and foundation details, a floor plan and a roof section^[8].
3. Proof of ownership, in Armada, and an affidavit if an agent applies for the owner^[8].
4. A use form. Johnson County requires an accessory building use form before it approves the permit^[2].

When a pole barn needs an engineer

You do not always need one. Two counties publish ready-made designs that a homeowner can follow without an engineer, inside strict limits:

Step outside those limits and the design must be engineered. Snohomish County requires engineered plans for a pole barn used as a residence, for a mezzanine or second story, and for any building that does not meet its design criteria^[7]. Laramie County requires a Wyoming licensed engineer for buildings larger than its guide allows^[12]. Johnson County, Kansas, goes further: non-conventional designs such as post frame must be designed by a Kansas-registered design professional under the 2018 International Building Code^[2].

The inspections

The inspector visits several times. Armada Township lists the usual sequence for pole barns, garages and sheds^[8]:

• Post hole or footing, before the holes are filled;
• Sand compaction, if it applies;
• Rough, before the metal siding and roofing go on;
• Final, after the plumbing, electrical and mechanical inspections are complete.

Johnson County will not inspect without the approved plans on the job site^[2]. Laramie County wants the stamped truss plans on site for inspections^[12].

What a pole barn permit costs

Fees are published, and they vary more than people expect:

For a 30 by 40 foot barn (1,200 square feet), that is $240 in Jerusalem, or $60 if it qualifies as an agricultural building there, and $360 in Canandaigua^[9][10]. In Armada, a barn with the four inspections listed above comes to $575 in fees plus the $500 bond^[8].

How long it takes

Waterford Township says its site plan review may take two to three weeks^[3]. Elsewhere, the clock depends on the county and on how complete the first submission is: a site plan and drawings that answer the reviewer's questions up front avoid the correction rounds that restart it.

Building without a permit

The penalties are written into the same fee schedules. In Armada Township, work started before the permit is issued costs $175 plus a $75 inspection fee, and a stop work order costs $175^[8]. In Jerusalem, working without a permit costs $250 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater^[9]. In Mason County, a building that claimed the farm exemption but is not used exclusively for agriculture may need more permits, or may have to be reconstructed, remodeled or removed^[6].

The problem also follows the property. Fairfax County applies its unpermitted-construction rules to homes that have been bought and sold, regardless of when the construction was done^[11].

Get the file right the first time

A pole barn permit file is a site plan with the right distances, drawings that match your county's rules or your kit, the use form if there is one, and the fee from the published schedule. That is what our Permit Kit prepares for your address. The All-in offer adds the review before filing and the follow-up of every county comment until the permit is approved.

Common questions