Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. If you submitted plans along with your permit application, a copy of these plans need to be onsite for all inspections. This copy must be available for the inspector to review for determination that the work is in compliance with the approved plans.

Your permit will be emailed to you once the fee is paid in the portal.

Any person seeking to construct, alter, repair, remove or demolish a building or structure; or to change the use or occupancy of a building or structure; or to install or alter any equipment for which provisions are made or is regulated by the 780 CMR Massachusetts State Building Code must first obtain a building permit from the Building Department. For more specific information, see 780 CMR Section 110.0 Application for Permit.

Paving projects do not require a building permit but will require a permit from the Department of Public Works is work is being done within the public right-of-way. There are also zoning restrictions on the amount and location of paving, so check first with the Department of Public Works.

No. Work cannot proceed until the permit has been issued, paid for, received, and posted on the site.

Any structure over 200 square feet a permit is required. You must comply with the zoning setbacks.

Any shed structure that is over 400 square feet require footings and foundations per the Massachusetts State Building Code (CMR 780).

Any proposal to construct a new building, structure, or accessory structure (shed, swimming pools, fences, etc), or alter the footprint of any existing building or structure requires a certified plot plan be submitted with your Building Permit application.

The purpose of a plot plan is for determination of compliance with dimensional controls of the Zoning By-Law. A mortgage plan is only a rough approximation of where the house is located, and was prepared only for mortgage purposes. Due to the inaccuracy of these plans, they can only be used if the project is far in excess of the required setbacks (generally, at least 15 feet in excess of the required setback). If the plan shows that your project will be close to the required setbacks, a more accurate plan will be required.

No. Plot plans can only be prepared by a Registered Land Surveyor, and must bear his/her stamp.

For all new house and for additions which are close to the required setbacks, a certified "as-built" plot plan must be submitted to the Building Department after completion of the foundation. Framing cannot proceed until the plot plan has been submitted.

You should allow 30 business days for your permit. The more involved the job is, the longer it will take to review. You may not start any work until you have been issued a Building Permit.

The State Building Code states that no structural work shall be done without a construction supervisor's license. A homeowner can do work on his/her own home without a license proved that if the homeowner contracts with a person for hire to do such work that the homeowner shall act as a supervisor.

No. Any work associated with plumbing or gas fitting must be performed by individuals licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

We only take inspections from Plumbers, Gasfitters, Electricians and Contractors. If a homeowner has taken out their own electrical or building permits, we will take their inspections. If a contractor has taken out the building permit, we will only take the inspections from them. Our inspections are done Monday through Friday mornings only. We do not make specific time appointments.

If access to the new work requires the inspector to walk through your existing, furnished house, someone must be present to let the inspector in. The inspector will not enter an unoccupied furnished house. We also will not enter a house in which only a child is home, unaccompanied by an adult.

Any building permit issued shall be deemed abandoned and invalid unless the work authorized by it shall be commenced within six months of the date of issuance. The building official, upon written request, may issue extensions. Work under such a permit, in the opinion of the building official, must proceed in good faith continuously to completion so far as reasonably practicable under the circumstances. For more information see 780 CMR Section 111.8 Expiration of Permit.

The card must be posted in a location visible from the street and accessible to the inspector. Generally, the best location is inside a front storm door. Please protect the permit from weather.

Yes. A swimming pool must be set back a minimum of 10 feet to the structure of the pool.

Requirements are a minimum of 4 feet high fencing with a self-closing, self-latching gate. Openings in the fencing shall not allow passage of a 4-inch diameter sphere. All doors with direct access to the pool from the dwelling, if used as part of the pool enclosure, must be equipped with an audible alarm. (Refer to State Building Code 780CMR Section 421.10.1 (9) Sixth Edition.

A pool permit is required for a "temporary inflatable pool". Per the Massachusetts State Building Code, as well as some local town by-laws address swimming pools with more than two feet of water in depth, or 200 cubic feel in volume. An installation of a fence around the pool and any type of removable for fold-up ladder or stairs is required. The fence should be a minimum of 48 inches in height and the open holes or gaps should not be larger than 4 inches. It should include a self-closing/latching gate with the release mechanism 54 inches from the bottom of the gate. Locking this gate when not in use is a good idea. Regulations require that the circuit that the pool plugs into be a ground fault protected device and should always be used according to the manufacturer's recommendation for proper sizing of the circuit and wire diameter. These requirements may appear to be extreme when installing a portable pool, but hundreds of needless deaths occur each year from swimming pool accidents.

The State Board of Building Regulations and Standards have a table of activities requiring (or not requiring) either a construction supervisor license (CSL) and/or a Home Improvement Contractor Registration (HIC) and building permit.