Barndominium Zoning, Permits and Building Codes

Do You Need a Permit to Build a Barndominium?

Almost always, yes. A barndominium is a home, so it needs the same zoning approval and building permit as any house. Expect a zoning check, a building permit with plan review, and separate permits for electrical, plumbing, septic or well work where those apply.

A common mistake is permitting the building as a farm structure and moving in later. Many places exempt agricultural buildings from some permits, but that exemption usually ends the moment someone lives in the building. Converting a barn or shop to a dwelling after the fact can mean opening walls for inspections, adding insulation and egress windows, and paying penalties.

Who Sets the Rules Where You're Building

Barndominiums are often built outside city limits, which changes who you call. On unincorporated land, the county usually handles zoning and permits. In some states, towns or townships have their own zoning on top of or instead of the county's. If one office says the use is fine, ask whether another layer of government also reviews it.

In agricultural zones, a home is usually allowed on a parcel that meets the minimum lot size, and the rules on building materials tend to be loose. Our agricultural zoning guide explains how those districts usually treat homes and accessory buildings.

Barndominium Building Codes

Where a residential building code is adopted, a barndominium is built under the same code as a conventional home. The International Residential Code covers detached one- and two-family dwellings up to three stories, and it doesn't care that the frame is steel or posts. Your plans still need to show:

• A structural design for the frame, often stamped by an engineer for steel or post-frame buildings
• Insulation that meets the energy code, which metal shells often need a lot of
• Egress windows in sleeping rooms, smoke alarms and safe stairs
• Fire separation between the living space and an attached shop or garage

Some rural counties don't enforce a building code at all. That can make building easier, but lenders and insurers may still ask for inspections.

Does a Barndominium Count as a House?

For zoning, yes, once it's approved as a dwelling. It counts toward the one-home-per-lot limit in most residential and agricultural zones, so a barndominium plus an existing house may need an extra approval.

For financing, it can be harder. Wikipedia's barndominium entry notes that lenders can struggle to value nontraditional homes, which makes mortgages harder to get. Talk to a lender before you buy land.

Barndominiums in HOA Neighborhoods

A subdivision's covenants often decide the question before zoning does. Many HOAs set rules on exterior materials, roof style, minimum home size and outbuildings, and some ban metal siding outright. Ask for the recorded covenants and the architectural review rules, then get written approval before you order a building kit. Zoning approval doesn't override a private covenant.

Living Quarters With a Shop

Many barndominiums combine a home with a large shop. Zoning often treats the shop as part of the home, but running a business from it brings in home occupation rules, which usually limit employees, customer visits and outdoor storage. See our home business zoning guide.

Before you buy a parcel, search for your city's zoning map or the county's, and check the district's minimum lot size, setbacks and rules on accessory buildings. For other nontraditional homes, compare container homes and manufactured homes.