Rules for metal shops and garages near OKC
Most metro cities treat a detached shop, garage or barn as an accessory building. The limits scale with lot size, and several cities have rules aimed squarely at metal walls. These are the rules we confirmed in the code text.
Oklahoma City
For residential lots under half an acre, all detached accessory buildings together may cover 1,000 square feet, none may be taller than the house, metal-walled buildings stop at 10 feet to the side-wall fascia and need baked-on paint on panels and trim, anything over 10 feet tall needs a hip or gable roof of at least 4:12 with a one-foot soffited overhang, buildings must sit behind the rear wall of the house, and overhead doors top out at 9 feet (Oklahoma City Code Ch. 59, Art. XII (Zoneomics copy)). Bigger lots get more room; details are on the Oklahoma City page.
Moore
On residential lots under half an acre, accessory buildings are capped at 600 square feet total, three buildings, 10-foot walls and a 15-foot ridge (Moore zoning code, Sec 12-396 (Zoneomics copy)).
Yukon
Accessory buildings may not have uncoated metal on the exterior and may not exceed 30 feet in height (Yukon zoning code (Zoneomics copy)).
Norman
Norman requires plans for manufactured steel buildings to be signed and sealed by an engineer licensed in Oklahoma (Norman one and two family residential checklist).
Unincorporated Oklahoma County
The county issues permits only outside city limits, and its requirements state that permits are needed for construction of outbuildings (Oklahoma County Planning Commission; Oklahoma County residential permit requirements).
Rules that apply almost everywhere
- Build the house first. Oklahoma City and Moore both bar putting up an accessory building before construction of the main building has started (Oklahoma City Code Ch. 59, Art. XII (Zoneomics copy); Moore zoning code, Sec 12-396 (Zoneomics copy)).
- Keep off easements. Yukon bars accessory buildings in drainage easements (Yukon zoning code (Zoneomics copy)).
- Check your HOA. Covenants can be stricter than the city.
Commercial lots
Oklahoma City does not permit exposed metal walls in its office and commercial districts, or for nonresidential uses in residential districts; metal panels are allowed only as accent material there (Oklahoma City Code Ch. 59, Art. XII (Zoneomics copy)).