top of page
Redemption Steel logo (trimmed for header).png

Providence County

Providence County, RI Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

Rhode Island

Yes, you need a permit for a carport in Providence County if it is larger than 64 square feet, which nearly every carport is, and you get it from your city or town. Rhode Island counties have no government, so there is no county permit office. Your building official is at your own city or town hall, and the zoning rules are local too. Cumberland, for example, caps most accessory buildings at 936 square feet or 60% of the house, whichever is less.


Permit office: There is no county office. Here are eight of the 16 city and town offices we verified.


When a permit is required

  • Under the state building code (SBC-2, the 2021 IRC with Rhode Island amendments, in effect since December 1, 2025), a one-story detached accessory structure is exempt from a building permit only if it is 64 square feet or less.
  • A carport, metal garage or barn over 64 square feet needs a building permit from the city or town where the land sits.
  • Any wiring needs an electrical permit, even in a small building that is exempt from the building permit.
  • North Providence lists sheds and garages by name among work that needs a permit.
  • East Providence says building permits are required for most improvements and tells owners to contact the Building Inspector or Zoning Officer before starting.


Zoning and setbacks

A building that is small enough to skip the building permit still has to meet local zoning. Cumberland has the clearest rules we found: no accessory building between the front of the house and the street, no more than 936 square feet or 60% of the house, whichever is less, a 20 foot height limit, and up to two accessory buildings on a residential lot. A detached garage or shed can sit as close as 6 feet from a rear or side line only if it is 14 feet tall or less and 120 square feet or less. Accessory uses other than required parking and an attached private garage are not allowed on Cumberland lots under 6,000 square feet. In Providence, the city's zoning manual shows sheds barred from front and corner side setbacks and allowed in interior side and rear setbacks, and a Zoning Certification can be requested through the city's online permitting site. Cranston publishes a residential accessory setback sheet and a zoning certificate form on its Permits and Zoning page. Pawtucket's office issues certificates of zoning compliance.


What to bring

  • Your application through the city or town's online system where it has one. Providence, Woonsocket, Johnston and North Providence all take applications online, and North Providence no longer accepts paper applications.
  • Scaled drawings of the building. North Providence requires them to be uploaded and its Building Official may also ask for three printed sets.
  • A site plan showing where the building sits on the lot and how far it is from the property lines. Ask your building office what level of survey it wants.
  • The contractor's Rhode Island license or registration, unless you are a homeowner doing your own work on your one-family home. North Providence spells this out, and Cranston also says anyone working on another person's home must be licensed or registered with the state.
  • Woonsocket also accepts an application from a lessee or contractor with a signed letter of authorization, and a contractor needs an active state registration.


Farm buildings

Rhode Island has no general farm-building exemption from the building permit. The only carve-out is for plastic-covered temporary greenhouses under R.I. Gen. Laws 23-27.3-109.1.3.5, so plan on a permit for a steel barn on farmland. Zoning can still treat barns differently: Cumberland lets agricultural barns go up to 45 feet, exempts agricultural buildings from its accessory size cap, and allows a farm barn ahead of the house, where other accessory buildings cannot go.


Good to know

Starting early costs money. North Providence adds $500 per required permit when work starts without one, and Pawtucket charges a $250 late fee. Woonsocket charges a 2.9% plus $1 service fee on card payments through its permit portal, and Providence has a permit and zoning portal of its own. Providence County has 16 cities and towns. If yours is not listed here, call your town hall and ask for the building official.


Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Providence County?
Yes, if it is over 64 square feet, which covers nearly every carport. The permit comes from your city or town building official because Rhode Island counties have no government.


Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Providence County, RI?
A one-story detached building of 64 square feet or less is exempt from the building permit, but it still has to meet local zoning, and any wiring needs an electrical permit. Anything larger needs a building permit. North Providence names sheds and garages among work that needs one.


How close to the property line can a garage or shed go in Cumberland?
A detached garage or shed can sit as close as 6 feet from a rear or side line only if it is 14 feet tall or less and 120 square feet or less. Larger ones must meet the full setbacks for the zone.


Sources


Rules and fees change. Call the office to confirm before you order.


See the full Rhode Island permit guide for statewide rules, farm exemptions and wind and snow ratings.


Looking at buildings? See our metal carports, metal garages and metal buildings.


Ready to design your building?

Design it yourself in 3D with the button below, or call 919-725-8176 and we'll help you figure out what your county needs.

bottom of page