Garden Cube: building regulations in Bavaria

Before ordering, please clarify whether your Garden Cube is permitted at your chosen location and for its intended use. This overview helps with the initial questions.

75 m³ gross volume – not 75 m²

Under Article 57(1)(1)(a) of the Bavarian Building Code (BayBO), buildings with a gross volume of up to 75 m³ outside the legally defined Außenbereich (outlying area) are exempt from the building approval procedure. The threshold concerns building volume, not floor area. Gross volume must be determined from the specific design.

For the Außenbereich, the current provision contains a separate rule for up to 20 m³: it applies to buildings without habitable rooms, toilets or fireplaces, used neither for sales nor exhibitions. Their permissibility must also be checked separately.

Source: Article 57 BayBO – Projects exempt from approval procedures.

Exemption from the procedure does not remove other requirements

Article 55(2) BayBO makes clear that public-law requirements still apply even without a building approval procedure. A small Garden Cube therefore cannot automatically be built at any location.

Source: Article 55 BayBO – General principle.

Clarify these points with the municipality or building authority before planning

  • Which rules apply to your plot, for example under a development plan or local bylaws?
  • What distances must be maintained from property boundaries and neighbouring buildings?
  • Is the proposed use as storage, a garden office or a guest room permitted?
  • What requirements arise from fittings, utility connections and possible heating?

Have the property address, site plan, desired external dimensions and a description of the intended use ready. Classification under building law depends on your specific project. This general guidance does not replace assessment by the competent authority.

Information dated 10 September 2026; the linked version of the BayBO is effective from 1 May 2026. Outside Bavaria, the relevant state regulations apply.

Back to the MaWood Garden Cube · Enquire about your dimensions and project