Do I need a permit for a shed in Brookline, Massachusetts?
Under the version of Brookline's Zoning By-Law we reviewed (effective 2018), a shed in a required rear yard must be at least 6 feet from the side and rear lot lines and from the house, and no more than 15 feet tall. Sheds can't go in the required front yard. A non-commercial tool shed or greenhouse over 150 sq ft in a residence district needs a Board of Appeals special permit.
| Front yard | Not allowed in the required front yard [1] |
| Setback in rear yard | 6 feet from side and rear lot lines and from the house [2] |
| Max height in a required yard | 15 feet [2] |
| Rear yard coverage | Accessory buildings up to 25% of the required rear yard [2] |
| Side yard (within 75 ft of street) | Not allowed in the required side yard; farther back, may extend halfway into it but at least 6 ft from the line [3] |
| Size needing special permit | Over 150 sq ft (non-commercial tool shed or greenhouse, S/SC/T/F/M districts) [4] |
Where a shed can go
- Front yard: accessory buildings aren't allowed in the required front yard [1].
- Rear yard: accessory buildings or structures may cover up to 25% of the required rear yard. Each must be no taller than 15 feet, at least 6 feet from any side or rear lot line, and at least 6 feet from the main house [2]. If the rear lot line borders an alley, the State Building Code sets the setback.
- Side yard: in residence districts (S, SC, T, F and M), no part of an accessory building within 75 feet of the street line (or three-fourths of the lot depth, if less) may extend into the required side yard. Farther back, it may extend halfway into the side yard but no closer than 6 feet to the line, and no taller than 15 feet [3].
Outside the required yards, the regular district setbacks in Table 5.01 apply. We couldn't read that table reliably, so check the numbers for your district.
Size and approvals
The Table of Use Regulations (§4.07, Use 61) allows a non-commercial greenhouse, tool shed or similar accessory structure in every district, but in the S, SC, T, F and M residence districts a special permit is required if it exceeds 150 square feet of gross floor area. That table is printed sideways and our text copy can't be quoted, so we read it from the original PDF; the bylaw's index lists the same special-permit case [4]. So a shed over 150 sq ft needs a special permit from the Board of Appeals; smaller sheds are allowed by right if they meet the yard rules. Overall, accessory uses outside buildings may take up no more than 25% of the unbuilt lot area or of the required rear yard [5].
Under the state building code, a one-story shed of 200 sq ft or less doesn't need a building permit, but it still has to meet these zoning rules.
Caveats
The zoning text we reviewed is the town-posted PDF effective November 13, 2018, which may not include amendments adopted since then. Projects in wetland buffers or local historic districts need extra review.
See how Brookline compares with 8+ other Massachusetts towns on sheds & accessory buildings →
Next steps
- Find your zoning district and its required yard depths (Table 5.01) on the Town's zoning map, or ask the Building Department (617-730-2100).
- Site the shed outside the front yard, at least 6 feet from side and rear lot lines and from the house, and keep it at 15 feet or less in height.
- If the shed will be over 150 sq ft, apply to the Board of Appeals for a special permit.
- If the shed is over 200 sq ft or has wiring, get a building permit and any electrical permit from the Building Department.
Common questions
- How far from the property line must a shed be in Brookline, Massachusetts?
- In a required rear yard, a shed must be at least 6 feet from the side and rear lot lines and from the house, and no more than 15 feet tall. Sheds can't go in the required front yard. This is from the 2018 text.
- Do I need a special permit for a shed in Brookline, Massachusetts?
- In residence districts, a non-commercial tool shed or greenhouse over 150 sq ft needs a Board of Appeals special permit. Smaller sheds are allowed by right if they meet the yard rules.
- Do I need a building permit for a shed in Brookline, Massachusetts?
- Under the state building code, a one-story shed of 200 sq ft or less doesn't need a building permit, but it still has to meet the zoning rules.
- How much of my rear yard can sheds cover in Brookline, Massachusetts?
- Accessory buildings may cover up to 25% of the required rear yard.
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
- §5.53 Accessory Buildings in Front Yards, Zoning By-Law full PDF (effective Nov 13, 2018; file dated 12/16/2021) - STALE, p. 155
Accessory buildings shall not be permitted within required front yards.
- §5.72 Accessory Buildings or Structures in Rear Yards, Zoning By-Law full PDF (effective Nov 13, 2018; file dated 12/16/2021) - STALE, p. 161
Except as may be permitted in §5.44, accessory buildings or structures may occupy up to 25 percent of the required rear yard provided that no such accessory building or structure within a required rear yard shall exceed 15 feet in height, nor be located closer than six feet to any side or rear lot line; nor shall an accessory building be closer than six feet to a principal building; however, if the rear lot line is adjacent to an alley, the setback for the accessory building shall be governed by the State Building Code.
- §5.63 Accessory Buildings or Structures in Side Yards, Zoning By-Law full PDF (effective Nov 13, 2018; file dated 12/16/2021) - STALE, p. 159
Except as may be permitted in §5.44, in any S, SC, T, F, or M District no part of any accessory building or structure situated within 75 feet of the street line, or within a distance equal to three- fourths of the lot depth if that be less, shall extend within any required side yard. Elsewhere on the lot such buildings or structures may extend into the side yard one-half the required width, but such setback shall be no less than six feet. No accessory building or structure within a required side yard shall exceed 15 feet in height.
- Index: Special Permit, Cases where Authorized (§4.07, Use 61), Zoning By-Law full PDF (effective Nov 13, 2018; file dated 12/16/2021) - STALE, p. 227
For Greenhouse or Tool Shed, Non-Commercial, of More than 150 Square Feet, in S, SC, T, F, and M Districts
- §4.04.2 Limitation of Area of Accessory Uses, Zoning By-Law full PDF (effective Nov 13, 2018; file dated 12/16/2021) - STALE, p. 31
No accessory use or uses not within a building shall occupy more than a combined total of 25 per cent of the unbuilt lot area, or of the required rear yard area, other than required off-street parking.