Rules
What a Property Setback Actually Is
9 min · Updated 2026-08-01
Front, side, rear, accessory, and easements — a plain-language map of the invisible lines that kill backyard projects.
A setback is a required open distance between a structure and a lot line — or another structure, or a street. It is not a suggestion, and it is not the same thing as an easement.
The five lines
Front, side, and rear setbacks apply to the house. Accessory-structure setbacks are often smaller, which is why a shed can sit closer to the rear line than the dwelling can. Easements are strips where someone else has a right to use your land — usually a utility. You still own it. You often cannot build a permanent structure in it.
A survey, a GIS parcel map, and the zoning table for your district beat any national article, including this one. Use this page to know which questions to ask.
This guide is in the editorial research queue and is excluded from search until its official-source review is complete.
Requirements vary by jurisdiction and by the specifics of a project. YardPermit publishes educational patterns and labeled estimates — not legal determinations, not construction documents, and not a bid. Verify with your local building department and a licensed contractor before you build.