Vicksburg treats a shed’s floor area and location as different questions. A qualifying small shed can be exempt from a building permit and still need zoning approval. The City’s shed instructions also prohibit sheds in a front setback.
Exactly 120 square feet: read the exemption, not just the headline
The shed page says buildings over 120 square feet need a permit and describes an exemption below 120. It leaves equality unstated. The City’s building-permit exemption list is more precise: it includes one-story detached tool/storage sheds, playhouses and similar structures whose floor area does not exceed 120 square feet.
That qualification matters. An attached structure, another story or a different use is not automatically covered just because a product listing says “120 sq. ft.” Ask the City how to establish the relevant floor area and classify the actual design.
LSL’s rectangular-floor examples illustrate the arithmetic, not measurements of products or the City’s acceptance of a particular measuring method:
| Assumed floor dimensions | Calculation | Comparison with the stated area boundary |
|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 feet | 10 × 10 = 100 sq. ft. | Below 120 |
| 10 × 12 feet | 10 × 12 = 120 sq. ft. | Equality is included in the qualifying exemption |
| 11 × 12 feet | 11 × 12 = 132 sq. ft. | Above 120 |
Draw the location before ordering the shed
For a permit-required shed, the City asks for both a building plan and a site plan showing lot size, property lines, and existing and proposed buildings, with approval from Building & Inspection and the Zoning Administrator before issuance. Smaller exempt sheds still need the zoning answer.
Use those location details when asking about the front setback and other applicable placement requirements. The page gives no universal setback distance; this guide cannot infer one from a product footprint.
The listed contacts are 601-638-6203 for zoning and 601-634-4528 for Building & Inspection. Have the design, intended use, floor-area calculation and proposed position ready. This gives the City enough context to distinguish a permit exemption from permission to put the shed in that particular place.