Do You Need a Permit for a Metal Building?

Thinking of adding a metal building to your property? It’s a fantastic way to protect your vehicle from the elements and add valuable storage space. But before you break ground (or pour concrete!), there’s one crucial question to answer.

Do you need a permit for a metal building? Yes, most of the time, you will require a permit for a metal building. However, the answer, unfortunately, isn’t a simple yes or no. Building requirements vary. Things like your location and the specifics of your metal building design will play into account on whether you’ll need a permit. However, The Carport Co. is here to help you navigate the process!

All metal buildings sold by The Carport Co. use high-quality, American-made galvanized steel.

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Understanding Local Permit Codes

Every city and county has its own building code, which outlines the regulations for constructing new structures. These codes often dictate whether a metal building requires a permit. You should always check with your local building department before ordering a metal or steel building. Here are some factors that may influence permit requirements:

Building Size: Generally, smaller metal buildings (think single-car units) are less likely to require a permit than larger metal buildings.
Permanence: Metal buildings with permanent foundations typically need permits more than temporary or portable structures.
Attachments: If your metal building connects to your existing house or garage, a permit is often mandatory.

Best Practices to Avoid Getting a Permit for Your Metal Building

Whether you require a permit for your metal building or not, you will still have to adhere to local building regulations. It is important to adhere to these requirements as to avoid being forced to tear your metal building down. This can include things such as the following:

Building Distance From Road: Distance requirements can vary greatly depending upon the township, but generally it will be something like “metal building is at least 20’ from the center line of the road.”
Snow Load Rating: Snow load rating requirements will vary by location, with states further north requiring a higher snow load rating. If your state isn’t in the snow belt, a good figure to shoot for is 30 psf. If you’re in northern Michigan, or another northern state, this requirement could increase anywhere from 50 psf to 70 psf.
Building Size: Some areas will allow structures such as metal buildings or shed to be constructed with no permit, as long as they are not in violation of any regulations and are smaller than a certain size. Sizing allowed for a metal building with no permit is generally 1,000 sqft, which would work out to a 10×10 building. This size of a building is too small for most uses and vehicles, so you may be forced to get a permit if you wish to construct something larger.
Construction Material: Some local governments require out buildings like metal buildings and sheds to be constructed of non-combustible materials if you’re not going to get a permit. Our metal buildings are made of steel, so if this is a requirement your township has, you won’t need to worry with The Carport Co.

As a reminder, if you decide to have a metal building or other structure installed without consulting your local government, you may run into issues in the future.

The Carport Co. Streamlines Your Permit Process

At The Carport Co, we understand the importance of getting your metal building project started on the right foot. That’s why we offer the following resources to help you with permits:

Free Generic Engineering Plans: Most areas accept generic plans for metal and steel buildings. We offer these free of charge to expedite your permit application process. We have generic engineering plans for metal buildings up to 30’ wide and 12’ high. Almost every company in the prefabricated metal building industry will require a paid deposit before giving you these plans, not us. We understand you’d like to get a permit and be fully compliant before handing over money, and we have no issue with that.
Site-Specific Engineering Plans (for purchase): If your local building department requires more detailed plans,we can provide them for a reasonable fee. Our experienced engineers will take into account your specific location and building design to ensure compliance with local codes.
Willingness to Assist: Most companies in the prefabricated metal building industry refuse to do anything with permitting, they expect their customer to handle all of this on their own, not us. We understand it can be intimidating to begin the permitting process and have no issue assisting. If our team needs to call your local building department and help, we will have no issue doing so.

Get Help With Getting a Permit for Your Metal Building Today

Don’t let permit concerns delay your metal building project. Contact The Carport Co. today! We’ll guide you through the permitting process and provide you with the perfect metal building solution for your needs.

Call us now at (317) 300-4190 or request a free consultation to get assistance with your project.

Want to Read More Articles?

The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide is a collection of articles by The Carport Co. These articles have been catered to first time steel and metal carport, garage, and commercial building buyers. Our goal is to share as much information with customers as possible, to help make informed decisions, and ensure a customer doesn’t discover an addition they would have liked to added at the time of sale, but was not aware of the option’s existence.

Here is a preview of a few articles. To view the full Buyer’s Guide, please visit the Ultimate Buyer’s Guide page.