A 10,000 PLN fine for a simple shed on your property. A legal trap.

• The area of the shed cannot exceed 35 square meters, otherwise a building permit is required.
• The building may be located directly on the plot boundary or at least 1.5 m from it - anything in between is illegal.
• An illegally built shed can cost the owner up to 10,000 PLN - 5,000 PLN for legalization and a 5,000 PLN fine for unauthorized construction.

Almost every garden owner has a shed in their yard, where they store tools, a lawnmower, or garden furniture. However, few realize that under Polish law , such a building requires notification, and in some cases, a building permit, and its distance from the property line is strictly defined .

Infor.pl reminds that it is necessary to obtain a building permit if the shed exceeds 35 square meters and if there are more than two objects from the following categories: farm buildings, garages and sheds for every 500 square meters of the plot area, and if it is permanently attached to the ground - even if it stands on cement blocks.

You do not need to register a shed or apply for a building permit if:

• the total area of the shed does not exceed 35 m2, with a structure span of no more than 4.80 m,
• it is a container drying room with a building area of up to 21 m2,
• it is a gazebo,
• it is a shelter of simple construction, related to agricultural production, with a building area of up to 150 m2, with a structure span of no more than 6 m and a height of no more than 7 m.

In all other cases, the construction of a shed must be reported . Infor.pl notes that the notification must be submitted before the intended commencement of work related to the installation of the garden shed. The architectural and construction authority may then file an objection within 21 days of receiving the notification, stating, for example, that a building permit is required in the given case.

Before submitting a registration, it's also worth checking the development conditions for a given plot. If it's covered by a local development plan, you should first obtain a development conditions decision.

The situation also becomes more complicated if the plot of land on which the shed is to be built has multiple owners. In such a case, all of them must submit written consent for its construction.

The size of the building isn't the only factor. It turns out that a shed can be placed no closer than 1.5 meters if the local zoning plan allows for this. However, Polish regulations also allow for a shed to be placed directly on the property line.

And why can't a shed be placed, for example, 70 cm from the boundary? The legislature has provided that, provided the specified distance is maintained, the building's wall can be freely maintained without trespassing on the neighbor's property.

Moreover, if the shed adjoins the property line, it must be reported because, under Polish law, it will impact the neighbor's property . It's important to remember that the decision-making body may require a building permit.

If the constructed shed does not meet the above conditions, officials may consider it as illegal construction .

Infor.pl points out that legalizing such unauthorized construction is a cost of PLN 5,000 for the property owner , and the fine that may also be imposed on the owner for carrying out construction works contrary to the regulations, i.e. at an inappropriate distance from a neighboring property, or for example without the required notification, is another PLN 5,000 .

Before starting any construction work, it is always worth carefully checking the building regulations, as ignorance can be expensive.