Can I Put A Portable Garage In My Driveway [Things To Avoid]

Usually, people are looking for a portable garage to park their vehicles. They want to put it on their driveway but are confused about whether they are allowed to do it or not. 

A portable garage is a non-permanent structure that can be used to park your cars, boats, etc. Many people prefer to put a portable garage on their property because it is very easy to build, easy to install, and less costly than building a permanent garage. 

Yes, are allowed to put a portable garage in your driveway, and you don’t need to take building planning permission for this but you have to take care of a few very crucial things before start building a portable garage on your driveway. 

do you need a permit for a portable garage?

You don’t need to take building planning permission for putting a portable garage on your property but you could require a site plan review for this.

What Are Some Rules And Regulations For Buiding A Portable Garage On My Driveway  

In this section, I’ve mentioned some very important rules and regulations that you must know before installing a portable garage on your property:

According to Thatcher’s data,

Rule 1: A portable garage shall be opened from all four sides. 

Rule 2: You can build a portable garage with a maximum size of 400 square feet. 

Rule 3: Its base should be installed in such a way that it can not uplift or fly away with the wind. 

Rule 4: A portable garage may not be installed permanently on a concrete foundation, footing, and anywhere else but it must be installed in such a manner that no one can easily uproot it from its place and take it away. 

Rule 5: One property may have only one portable garage on a driveway. It totally depends on the rules and regulations of your city or county. You can confirm the portable garage installation rules and regulations by contacting your contact city hall or by contacting your county authority. 

Rule 6: If a portable garage or carport occupies lots of space on a property and affects accessibility then it might not be allowed to be put on your driveway. 

Also Read: How To Open Garage Door Without Remote [Self-Applied Methods]

How Do Know If I Have A Portable Garage Or Carport? 

You can identify a portable garage if its structure is temporary. You can use it to park your car, bikes, boats, and other transport vehicles. 

Another identity of a portable garage is you can easily move it from one place to another. It shall not be stuck to the foundation permanently. In other words, it shall not be a permanent structure.

Where You Are Allowed To Install A Portable Garage?

A portable garage can be installed anywhere on your property. You can install it on your driveway, on the sides, front, or on the backside of your house. 

Make sure you follow the zoning rules of your area to build a portable garage on your property. Keep its distance from the property line as per the defined permit rules of your local zonal area. Its height should not exceed 13 feet otherwise you need a building permit for such type of construction work.

Also, make sure it doesn’t look awkward on your driveway.  

Which garage structure doesn’t consider a portable garage?

I garage structure that seems permanent storage building of a property that has a large space, and cover with walls, and has a garage door (automatic or manual) is not considered a portable garage. 

In most cases, such type of permanent garage required additional building planning or zonal area code permit. 

Can You Put A Garage Or Carport On A Sloped Driveway?

If you owned a property on sloped land then don’t think as you are not eligible for putting a portable garage on your driveway. 

You can put a carport on your driveway if you followed all rules of your area’s building and zonal codes.  

However, you have to take care of a few things:

  1. The land should not steep beyond the 15% grade incline otherwise it becomes hard to build a  headroom of enough height and parking your vehicles on such a sloppy surface could be difficult. 
  2. A portable garage on a sloppy surface makes reverse driving difficult. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, you can definitely put a portable garage or a carport on your driveway but you have to take care of your area’s building and zonal rules and regulations. 

In most cases, you don’t need to take building permits and zonal permits, but if the structure of your portable garage is larger than 400 square feet and if it encroaches the property lines where it is going to install and affects the accessibility of that area then you have to consult your area authority to put it on your driveway. 

FAQ

Q.1 Does a portable garage need planning permission?

Ans: In most cases, you are allowed to put a portable garage on your driveway, if its size and distance from your property line follow the rule of your area’s building and zoning laws. 

Q.2 Is a portable garage considered a structure?

Ans: A portable garage is a temporary structure that can be moved or removed when you want. It has a rigid roof and is empty from all four sides (in most cases). Its base must be clipped with the ground in such a manner that it doesn’t uplift with the wind. 

Sources:

Portable garage or carport rules and regulations


About The Author

Harry walter

Harry Walter is here, I'm a passionate writer of home guides, backyard, and garage problems, and have been doing this for a couple of years. I love to share simple solutions for your home and backyard problems.

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