Rules for Attefall houses – what applies in 2026
Since 1 December 2025 Attefall houses and "friggebodar" are called komplementbostadshus (supplementary dwellings) and komplementbyggnader (outbuildings) in the Planning and Building Act (PBL). Our 6 × 3 m house (18 m²) fits within the size limit both inside and outside a detailed development plan. The house itself no longer needs a notification, but water and drainage for the kitchen and toilet do.
Updated
House 6 × 3 m, 18 m², kitchen and toilet. Foundation and connections not included.
Our house against the rules – in short
- Size: 18 m² building area – below the limit of 30 m² (inside a detailed plan) and 50 m² (outside).
- Allowance: 18 m² of the plot's total 45 m² or 65 m² for permit-free outbuildings. Existing sheds and older Attefall houses count towards it.
- Height: the ridge may be at most 4.0 m inside and 4.5 m outside a detailed plan, measured from the average ground level. The house's height is shown on the quote drawing – include the height of the foundation too.
- Notification: not required for the house itself, but for installing water and drainage (kitchen and toilet). You may not connect until the municipality has issued a start decision ("startbesked").
Limits without a building permit
| Condition | Inside a detailed plan | Outside a detailed plan |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum building area | 30.0 m² | 50.0 m² |
| Maximum ridge height | 4.0 m | 4.5 m |
| Total allowance for permit-free outbuildings on the plot | 45 m² | 65 m² |
| Smaller than the house it complements | Yes | Yes |
| Location | Within the plot | Within the plot |
Distance to the boundary and railway
If the house stands closer than 4.5 metres to the plot boundary, a building permit is required unless the neighbours concerned have approved the placement in writing. The same applies closer than 30 metres from the centre of a railway track (Chapter 9, sections 34–35 PBL). If the plot borders a street or park, the municipality counts as the neighbour.
Notification and start decision
The specific notification for Attefall houses was abolished on 1 December 2025. Under the Planning and Building Ordinance (Chapter 6, section 1) a notification is still required when you install water or drainage, ventilation or a fireplace. As our house has a kitchen and toilet, that almost always applies. Read notification and start decision step by step.
Supplementary dwelling or outbuilding?
A "komplementbostadshus" is detached, complements a one- or two-family home and is fitted out as a self-contained dwelling. If the house is used as a guest cabin rather than a separate home, it counts as a "komplementbyggnad" (outbuilding). The size limits are the same.
When do the exemptions not apply?
- The detailed plan or area regulations extend the permit requirement, for example for culturally valuable environments.
- Within or near areas of national interest for total defence (airports, training and firing ranges), a building permit is required for supplementary dwellings.
- Within a shoreline protection area, an exemption under the Environmental Code is needed.
- The plot has no one- or two-family home with a final clearance (or lawfully built under older rules).
What to ask the municipality
- Is the property within a detailed plan, and is there an extended permit requirement or protection of cultural values?
- Is there shoreline protection or a national interest for total defence?
- Which documents do you want in the notification for water and drainage?
- Is a permit from the environment committee needed for the drainage (applies if you do not connect to municipal sewerage)?
- Which fees apply, and how long is the processing time?
In depth: when a building permit is required, what happened to the friggebod and check your own plot.
Sources (in Swedish): Boverket – komplementbostadshus · Boverket – notification · Boverket – list of PBL changes · Government – new building permit rules
Frequently asked questions
Do Attefall houses still exist?
The word is still used, but since 1 December 2025 the law calls them "komplementbostadshus" (supplementary dwelling) or "komplementbyggnad" (outbuilding).
How big can an Attefall house be in 2026?
Without a building permit, at most 30.0 m² inside a detailed plan and 50.0 m² outside, always smaller than the house it complements and within the plot's allowance of 45 or 65 m².
Do I need to submit a notification for an Attefall house?
Not for the house itself since 1 December 2025. But installing water, drainage, ventilation or a fireplace requires a notification and a start decision. Our house has a kitchen and toilet, so expect a notification.
How close to the boundary can the house stand?
Closer than 4.5 metres requires a building permit unless the neighbours concerned have approved the placement in writing.
How tall can the house be?
The ridge may be at most 4.0 m inside a detailed plan and 4.5 m outside, measured from the average ground level next to the house.