Patio roof: Do I need a building permit?
Open roof over a ground-level terrace. 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) | Depth (m) | Volume (m³) | Provision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | exempt not outside built-up areas | 30 | – | – | Anhang 1 (zu § 50 Absatz 1) LBO, Nr. 1 Buchst. l |
| Bavaria | not clear-cut Matter of interpretation – see detail pageMöglicherweise frühere Gesetzesfassung mit „und einer Tiefe bis zu 3 m“ (nicht belegt, nur Sekundärquellen); für die aktuelle Fassung gilt der amtliche Text ohne Tiefe. | 30 | – | – | Art. 57 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. g BayBO |
| Berlin | exempt | 30 | 3 | – | § 61 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. g BauO Bln |
| Brandenburg | exempt not outside built-up areas | 30 | 4 | – | § 61 Abs. 2 Nr. 1 Buchst. k BbgBO |
| Bremen | exempt | 30 | 3.5 | – | § 61 Abs. 1 BremLBO, Nr. 1 Buchst. h Doppelbuchst. bb |
| Hamburg | exempt | 30 | 3 | – | Anlage zu § 61 HBauO, Abschnitt I Nr. 1 Buchst. g |
| Hesse | exempt | – | – | – | Anlage zu § 63 HBO, Abschnitt I Nr. 1.13 |
| Lower Saxony | exempt | 40 | – | – | Anhang (zu § 60 Abs. 1) NBauO, Nr. 1.8 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | exempt | 40 | – | – | § 61 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. g LBauO M-V |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | not clear-cut Matter of interpretation – see detail pageSatzbezug nicht eindeutig lesbar: "Wintergärten bis 30 m² Brutto-Grundfläche bei Gebäuden der Gebäudeklassen 1 bis 3 mit einem Mindestabstand von 3 m zur Nachbargrenze" steht am Ende der Aufzählung; ob Gebäudeklassen 1 bis 3 und der Mindestabstand von 3 m nur für Wintergärten oder auch für Terrassenüberdachungen, Balkonverglasungen und Balkonüberdachungen gelten, ergibt der Wortlaut nicht sicher. | 30 | 4.5 | – | § 62 Absatz 1 Nummer 1 Buchstabe g BauO NRW 2018 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | exempt not outside built-up areas | – | – | 50 | § 62 Abs. 2 Nr. 2 LBauO |
| Saarland | not clear-cut Matter of interpretation – see detail pageDer Begriff „Terrassenüberdachung“ ist im Gesetz nicht definiert; ob eine sehr große oder seitlich geschlossene Überdachung noch darunter fällt oder als Gebäude (dann z. B. Nr. 1 Buchst. a, 75 m³) zu beurteilen ist, steht nicht im Text. Eine Zahlengrenze enthält Buchst. h nicht. | – | – | – | § 61 Absatz 1 LBO, Nr. 1 Buchst. h |
| Saxony | exempt | 30 | 3 | – | § 61 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. g SächsBO |
| Saxony-Anhalt | exempt | 30 | – | – | § 60 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. i BauO LSA |
| Schleswig-Holstein | exempt | 30 | 3 | – | § 61 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. g LBO |
| Thuringia | exempt not outside built-up areas | 30 | 4 | – | § 63 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 Buchst. g ThürBO |
- Area: 30 m² – 40 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 patio roof without a permit?
According to the checked data, the highest value for area is in Lower Saxony: 40 m². The lowest is in Thuringia: 30 m². Variants, location and further conditions are on the detail pages.
Is a patio roof 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.