Sheds, Barns & Cabin Shells Near Palmer, TX

Inside Palmer city limits: accessory building permits are priced by size: $150 up to 400 sq ft, $300 from 401 to 1,200 sq ft, and $500 above that. Buildings can't sit in the front or side yard, and there's no setback from the rear building line to the rear property line. Detached sheds, workshops, and similar buildings under 401 sq ft in residential districts are exempt from the city's exterior wall requirements.

Outside city limits (unincorporated Ellis County): Ellis County has required permits outside city limits since the late 1970s. Sheds, barns, and storage buildings of 300 sq ft or more need a county development permit ($75), filed online through MyGovernmentOnline with a site plan or survey and a basic floor plan; one accessory building under 300 sq ft per property is exempt from the fee. A cabin used as a dwelling is a habitable permit ($350) and needs a septic application. Buildings stay 25 ft from local road right-of-way (50 ft on major roads), floodplain sites add $200 and likely an elevation certificate, and permits usually take 5–7 business days. Department of Development: 972-825-5200.

Adding plumbing? New septic (OSSF) systems are $600 through the same department.