No planning permission required or a planning application? Keeping an eye on the cubic metre limit

In Germany, the construction of a garden shed is governed by the relevant State Building Regulations (LBO). The key question for builders is: from what size is a planning application mandatory? The answer lies in the so-called gross internal volume, measured in cubic metres.

Planning certainty through standard dimensions

For our garden sheds, we use a standard height of 2.45 m. This is a strategic dimension: it provides a comfortable headroom inside whilst ensuring that you often enjoy greater freedom in terms of floor area without exceeding the critical volume limits set by the planning authorities.

Example: A shed with a floor area of 3 x 4 metres has a volume of 29.4 m³ at our standard height of 2.45 m. This means you are still within the limits in almost all federal states.

Permit-free volumes by federal state (interior)

Here you will find the current limits (as of 2024/2025). Up to this gross volume (or floor area), a garden shed in an internal area is generally exempt from planning permission – provided it does not contain any living areas, toilets or fireplaces:

Bavaria as a benchmark for builders

As the table shows, Bavaria is particularly generous with 75 m³. With our standard height of 2.45 m, you could theoretically erect a garden shed with a floor area of up to 30 m² (e.g. 6 x 5 metres) in Bavaria without a planning permission. In federal states such as Hesse or Hamburg, a planning application would be required for an area of approx. 12 m² at the same height.

Important: Location matters

These figures apply to so-called ‘inner areas’ (within built-up areas). In ‘outer areas’ (open countryside, scattered settlements), the rules are significantly stricter; here, a permit is often required from the very first cubic metre.

Our service: We calculate the exact gross volume for your chosen model, check this against the regulations in your federal state and provide you with an initial assessment. This means you know right from the planning stage whether your project can be implemented without red tape.