Do I need a permit for a shed in Andover, Massachusetts?
In Andover, a shed can go as close as 5 feet to the property line if it's in the rear yard, no more than 1½ stories, covers no more than 30% of the yard area, and doesn't house animals. Anywhere else, it has to meet the district's full setbacks. Under state code, sheds over 200 sq ft need a building permit.
| Min. distance to property line (rear-yard shed) | 5 ft [1] |
| Location for reduced setback | Rear yard only [1] |
| Max height (reduced-setback shed) | 1½ stories [1] |
| Max coverage of the yard | 30% of the yard area [1] |
| Standard setbacks (SRA / SRB / SRC) | Front 35/40/50 ft; side 20/25/30 ft; rear 30 ft; height 35 ft [2] |
| Floor area larger than the house | Needs a ZBA special permit [3] |
| Wetlands setback (permit-exempt shed) | 25 ft (50 ft in Watershed Protection Overlay; 100 ft from vernal pools) [4] |
These rules come from the 2022 recodified Zoning Bylaw (adopted 2023), the newest full text we have; they may have changed since.
Sheds in the rear yard
Andover's Zoning Bylaw lets an accessory building sit inside the normal minimum yard as long as it meets all five conditions [1]:
- it's in the rear yard
- it's no taller than 1½ stories
- it covers no more than 30% of the yard area
- it's at least 5 feet from every property line
- it isn't used to house domestic animals or livestock
Elsewhere on the lot
A shed that doesn't meet those conditions, such as one in a side yard, must meet the district's regular setbacks [2]. In Single Residence A the front setback is 35 feet, the side 20 feet and the rear 30 feet. In Single Residence B the figures are 40, 25 and 30 feet, and in Single Residence C they're 50, 30 and 30 feet. The height limit in all three is 35 feet. Footnotes to the table keep a 15-foot side yard for some older or state-exempt dwellings, so ask the Building Division how they apply to yours. Accessory buildings can't go in front yards under the 5-foot rule.
Size
The ground floor of an accessory building can be larger than the house's ground floor only with a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals [3].
Near wetlands
The Conservation Commission's setbacks apply even to small sheds. Structures that don't need a building permit must be at least 25 feet from wetlands, banks and water (50 feet in the Watershed Protection Overlay District, 100 feet from a vernal pool). Buildings that do need a building permit must be 50, 75 or 100 feet away [4][5].
Permits
The bylaw doesn't set a shed permit threshold. Under the state building code, a one-story shed of 200 sq ft or less doesn't need a building permit, but zoning setbacks still apply.
See how Andover compares with 8+ other Massachusetts towns on sheds & accessory buildings →
Next steps
- Find your zoning district (SRA, SRB or SRC) and measure your rear yard to confirm the shed covers no more than 30% of it.
- Place the shed in the rear yard at least 5 feet from every property line, or meet the full district setbacks elsewhere.
- If the shed will be within 100 feet of a wetland, pond or stream (200 feet of a river), contact the Conservation Commission first.
- For a shed over 200 sq ft or more than one story, apply for a building permit from the Building Division (978-623-8620).
Common questions
- Do I need a permit for a shed in Andover, Massachusetts?
- The bylaw doesn't set a shed permit threshold. Under state building code, a one-story shed of 200 sq ft or less doesn't need a building permit, but zoning setbacks still apply.
- How close to the property line can I put a shed in Andover, Massachusetts?
- A shed can be as close as 5 feet if it is in the rear yard, no more than 1½ stories, covers no more than 30% of the yard area, and doesn't house animals. Otherwise it must meet the district's full setbacks.
- What are the shed setbacks elsewhere on the lot in Andover, Massachusetts?
- In SRA, SRB and SRC the front setback is 35, 40 and 50 feet, the side is 20, 25 and 30 feet, and the rear is 30 feet. The height limit is 35 feet.
- How close can a shed be to wetlands in Andover, Massachusetts?
- Sheds that don't need a building permit must be at least 25 feet from wetlands, banks and water (50 feet in the Watershed Protection Overlay, 100 feet from a vernal pool).
Massachusetts building code rules for sheds
The Massachusetts State Building Code (780 CMR, 10th edition) sets when a shed needs a building permit. Your town's zoning sets where it can go.
- No building permit needed for a one-story detached accessory structure used as a tool or storage shed, playhouse or similar, if the floor area is 200 sq ft or less (Residential Code R105.2).
- Bigger sheds, or any with more than one story, need a building permit from your local building department.
- Also exempt from a building permit: detached decks of 200 sq ft or less that are no more than 30 inches above grade, and greenhouses covered only in plastic film.
- The exemption covers only the building permit. Electrical, plumbing or gas work in the shed still needs its own permits, and the shed still has to meet local zoning (setbacks, lot coverage, height). Many towns set accessory-structure setbacks even for small sheds.
- Wetlands: putting a shed in a wetland resource area or within 100 feet of a wetland (or 200 feet of a river) may require Conservation Commission approval first, whatever its size.
The 10th edition took effect October 11, 2024 and has been the only code in force since July 1, 2025.
What the bylaw says
- Sec. 4.2.2 Yard Depth, Re-Codified Andover Zoning Bylaw (March 21, 2022 text, adopted as new Article VIII at 2023 ATM) - town PDF, p. 15
The minimum requirements for yard depth shall not preclude the placing of an accessory building in the minimum yard area, provided that it (a) is located in the rear yard; (b) does not exceed 1 1/2 stories in height; (c) covers not more than 30 percent of the yard area; (d) is not located nearer than five feet to any property line; and (e) is not used for housing domestic animals or livestock.
- Appendix A, Table 2, Table of Dimensional Requirements, Re-Codified Andover Zoning Bylaw (March 21, 2022 text, adopted as new Article VIII at 2023 ATM) - town PDF, p. 145
Single Residence A 15,000(a) 115 35 20(d) 30 35 — — Single Residence B 30,000(a) 150 40 25(c) 30 35 — — Single Residence C 43,560(a) 180 50 30(c) 30 35 — —
- Sec. 4.2.3 Floor Area, Re-Codified Andover Zoning Bylaw (March 21, 2022 text, adopted as new Article VIII at 2023 ATM) - town PDF, p. 16
The ground floor area of a building accessory to a dwelling may exceed the ground floor area of the dwelling only if granted a special permit by the Zoning Board of Appeals upon its determination that the proposed accessory building will not cause visual or functional disruption to the character of the neighborhood.
- Sec. 4(3) Building/Structure Setbacks, table item 2, Conservation Commission Wetland Protection Regulations (revised through July 8, 2026), p. 5
2. Structures that are exempt from building permits except as listed below.(The distances are the same as those required for 25 50 100 Buffer Strips)
- Sec. 4(3) Building/Structure Setbacks, table item 1, Conservation Commission Wetland Protection Regulations (revised through July 8, 2026), p. 5
1. Buildings/Structures that require a building permit except as 50 75 100 listed below.