Carport: Do I need a building permit?
Roofed parking space without walls. The table shows for every checked German state when the project is exempt from the permit procedure under the state building code. Each row leads to a detail page with provision and wording.
- exemptThe building code lists the project as exempt without an open question of interpretation. The numbers are upper limits.
- not clear-cutMatter of interpretation: it is not clear whether the provision applies to this project in this way. The calculator also shows “not clear-cut” here. The reason opens in the row.
- not listed as exemptThe law does not list the project as exempt: a building permit is usually needed.
| State | Rule | Area (m²) | Height (m) | Provision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | exempt not outside built-up areas | 50 | 3 | Anhang 1 (zu § 50 Absatz 1) LBO, Nr. 1 Buchst. b |
| Bavaria | exempt + 1 variant not outside built-up areas | 50 | – | Art. 57 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. b BayBO |
| Berlin | exempt not outside built-up areas | 50 | 3 | § 61 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. b BauO Bln |
| Brandenburg | exempt not outside built-up areas | 50 | 3 | § 61 Abs. 2 Nr. 1 Buchst. d BbgBO |
| Bremen | exempt not outside built-up areas | 50 | 3 | § 61 Abs. 1 BremLBO, Nr. 1 Buchst. b |
| Hamburg | exempt not outside built-up areas | 50 | 3 | Anlage zu § 61 HBauO, Abschnitt I Nr. 1 Buchst. b |
| Hesse | not clear-cut Matter of interpretation – see detail pageOb ein offener Carport als „Garage“ (Nr. 1.2) oder als Stellplatz/Gebäude zu behandeln ist, ergibt sich nicht aus dem Gesetzestext; die Werte der Garage sind übernommen. Rückfrage bei der Bauaufsicht nötig. | 50 | – | Anlage zu § 63 HBO, Abschnitt I Nr. 1.2 |
| Lower Saxony | exempt not outside built-up areas | 60 | 3 | Anhang (zu § 60 Abs. 1) NBauO, Nr. 1.2 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | not clear-cut Matter of interpretation – see detail pageKeine ausdrückliche Nennung von Carport/Garage in § 61; Zuordnung zu Nr. 1 Buchst. b ist Auslegung nach der Gebäudedefinition (§ 2 Abs. 2, 7). Praxis der Bauaufsicht nicht geprüft. | 40 | 3 | § 61 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. b LBauO M-V |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | exempt not outside built-up areas | 50 | 3 | § 62 Absatz 1 Nummer 1 Buchstabe b BauO NRW 2018 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | exempt not outside built-up areas | 50 | 3.2 | § 62 Abs. 1 LBauO Nr. 1 Buchst. f |
| Saarland | exempt not outside built-up areas | 36 | 3 | § 61 Absatz 1 LBO, Nr. 1 Buchst. b |
| Saxony | exempt not outside built-up areas | 50 | 3 | § 61 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. b SächsBO |
| Saxony-Anhalt | exempt not outside built-up areas | 50 | 3 | § 60 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. b BauO LSA |
| Schleswig-Holstein | not clear-cut Matter of interpretation – see detail pageDie Nummer erfasst dem Wortlaut nach nur "notwendige" Garagen und überdachte Stellplätze (bauordnungsrechtlich geforderte). Ob darüber hinausgehende Garagen/Carports verfahrensfrei sind, ergibt sich nicht aus dieser Nummer; Nr. 1 Buchst. a nimmt Garagen ausdrücklich aus. Mögliche Auffangtatbestände (nicht abschließend geprüft): Nr. 14 Buchst. b (notwendige Stellplätze bis 50 m² Nutzfläche je Grundstück) und Nr. 15 Buchst. f (untergeordnete bauliche Anlagen bis 30 m³ Brutto-Rauminhalt, im Außenbereich 10 m³). | 50 | 3 | § 61 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. b LBO |
| Thuringia | exempt not outside built-up areas | 60 | 3 | § 63 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. b ThürBO |
- Area: 36 m² – 60 m²
- exempt, no number
- not clear-cut (interpretation)
- not listed as exempt
- not checked yet
At a glance
How to read the table
The numbers are upper limits from the general rule of each building code. Variants, location, further conditions and the wording are on the detail page. Exempt does not mean free of rules: setback areas, the development plan, heritage protection and neighbour law still apply.
Check your own plot
Choose the state, enter the dimensions, get an answer with provision and wording.
Frequently asked questions
Which state allows the largest carport without a permit?
According to the checked data, the highest value for area is in Lower Saxony: 60 m². The lowest is in Saarland: 36 m². Variants, location and further conditions are on the detail pages.
Is a carport exempt in every German state?
No, each state regulates it on its own. Of 16 checked states, 16 list the project as exempt and 0 do not. The conditions of the respective state building code are decisive.
Do setback areas and the development plan still apply to an exempt project?
Yes. Exempt only means that no permit procedure is needed. The substantive requirements, for example setback areas, the development plan, heritage protection and neighbour law, still apply.