§ 6 BremLBO

# Abstandsflächen in Bremen

In Bremen the depth of the setback area is 0.4 H, at least 3. m. The governing provision is § 6 BremLBO. H is the wall height from ground level to the point where the wall meets the roof surface.

0.4 H · min. 3. m
As of 08/2026

The dimensions

## What § 6 BremLBO requires

| Standard factor | 0.4 H |
|---|---|
| Minimum depth | 3. m |
| Commercial and industrial zones | 0.2 H |
| Central area | no separate rule — the standard factor applies |
| Roof allowance | Dachflächen unter 70° Neigung werden zu einem Drittel angerechnet, ab 70° voll. Eine Zwischenstufe bei 45° gibt es nicht. |
| Special rule for residential buildings | 3 m genügen für Gebäude der Gebäudeklassen 1 und 2 mit höchstens drei oberirdischen Geschossen. Nachbarschützend sind allerdings nur drei Viertel, mindestens 2,50 m. |

Work it out yourself

## Calculating Abstandsflächen in Bremen

Set eaves height, roof pitch, building depth and distance to the boundary — the required depth is calculated under § 6 BremLBO as you go. The roof allowance is what stands out: the same building yields different values of H across the 16 states.

Under § 6 BremLBO

6.00 m

35 °

10.00 m

3.00 m

Ridge above eaves 3.50 m

of which counted 1.17 m

governing height H 7.17 m

required depth 3.00 m

The setback area lies entirely on the plot. 3.00 m are required, 3.00 m are kept.

A symmetrical gable roof and level ground are assumed. The figure is geometric, not a statement about permissibility: a local by-law, a development plan or a building encumbrance can set different dimensions.

Worked through

## Worked examples at a glance

Depth = 0.4 × H, but never less than 3. m. These values apply to a wall in the standard case; commercial zones, core zones and privileged boundary structures follow the figures above and below.

| Wall height H | Calculation | Depth of the setback area |
|---|---|---|
| 3. m | 0.4 × 3. = 1.2 m → minimum applies | 3. m |
| 4.5 m | 0.4 × 4.5 = 1.8 m → minimum applies | 3. m |
| 6.5 m | 0.4 × 6.5 = 2.6 m → minimum applies | 3. m |
| 9. m | 0.4 × 9. = 3.6 m | 3.6 m |
| 12. m | 0.4 × 12. = 4.8 m | 4.8 m |

Building on the boundary

## What may stand on the boundary in Bremen without a setback area

Garages, carports and garden sheds may stand directly on the property boundary under narrow conditions. The dimensions differ in every state.

| Height | 3. m |
|---|---|
| Length per boundary | 9. m |
| Total length along all boundaries | 18. m |
| Additional conditions | mittlere Wandhöhe an der Grenze; Dachüberstände und Gesimse bis 0,50 m bleiben außer Betracht |
| Habitable rooms and fireplaces | Aufenthaltsräume und Feuerstätten ausgeschlossen |

In comparison

## What is different in Bremen

Der nachbarschützende Teil beträgt nur drei Viertel der Abstandsfläche – wer sich auf den Nachbarschutz beruft, hat weniger in der Hand als anderswo.

On the roof allowance: Dachflächen unter 70° Neigung werden zu einem Drittel angerechnet, ab 70° voll. Eine Zwischenstufe bei 45° gibt es nicht. This system is shared by 6 of the 16 states. The formula that guides usually claim applies across Germany — "over 70° in full, over 45° one third" — applies in only four.

[ All 16 states compared → ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/)Limits of this information

## What this page does not answer

These figures reproduce the state building code. A local by-law, a development plan or a registered building encumbrance can set different dimensions — and there is no nationwide register of such by-laws. Only the building authority's own information is binding.

Also not covered: provisions in the development plan, registered building encumbrances, the duty of mutual consideration between neighbours, fire-safety distances, and whether a project is exempt from a permit.

And the most common error: exempt from a permit does not mean exempt from setbacks. A carport that needs no building application must still keep the setback areas.

Legal reference

## Read the original

Bremische Landesbauordnung, § 6 BremLBO. Last amended: Neufassung vom 29.05.2024, in Kraft 01.07.2024.

[BremLBO im Transparenzportal Bremen](https://www.transparenz.bremen.de/metainformationen/bremische-landesbauordnung-bremlbo-vom-6-oktober-2009-129046?asl=bremen203_tpgesetz.c.55340.de) (Gesetzestext)

[ View parcel boundaries in Bremen → ](https://schwarzplan.eu/flurkarte/bremen/) [ Official site plan for a building application ](https://schwarzplan.eu/lageplan-bauantrag/)

Other states

## Setback areas and boundary building elsewhere

- [ Baden-Württemberg 0.4 H · 2.5 m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/baden-wuerttemberg/)
- [ Bayern 0.4 H · 3. m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/bayern/)
- [ Berlin 0.4 H · 3. m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/berlin/)
- [ Brandenburg 0.4 H · 3. m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/brandenburg/)
- [ Hamburg 0.4 H · 2.5 m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/hamburg/)
- [ Hessen 0.4 H · 2.5 m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/hessen/)
- [ Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 0.4 H · 3. m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/mecklenburg-vorpommern/)
- [ Niedersachsen 0.4 H · 3. m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/niedersachsen/)
- [ Nordrhein-Westfalen 0.4 H · 3. m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/nordrhein-westfalen/)
- [ Rheinland-Pfalz 0.4 H · 3. m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/rheinland-pfalz/)
- [ Saarland 0.4 H · 3. m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/saarland/)
- [ Sachsen 0.4 H · 3. m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/sachsen/)
- [ Sachsen-Anhalt 0.4 H · 3. m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/sachsen-anhalt/)
- [ Schleswig-Holstein 0.4 H · 3. m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/schleswig-holstein/)
- [ Thüringen 0.4 H · 3. m ](https://schwarzplan.eu/abstandsflaechen/thueringen/)
