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Concord, Massachusetts: what can you build or do?

Plain-English answers to common homeowner questions, taken from Concord's published bylaws, with every rule linked to the section it comes from.

Last reviewed 2026-10-05

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
  Yes. Concord allows one accessory dwelling unit per lot, attached or in a detached accessory building, with a building permit from the Building Commissioner. It can be up to 1,000 sq ft, needs one parking space (none near transit), and must meet the main house's setbacks; there's no owner-occupancy rule.Allowed with a permit
• Backyard Chickens
  Yes, with a Board of Health permit, renewed every May 31. The permit sets how many birds you may keep (there's no fixed number in the regulation); roosters are allowed only if the permit says so, and birds may not roam off your property.Allowed with a permit
• Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO)
  Only with a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals. Concord treats short-term rentals as a "tourist home or bed and breakfast," which can be allowed in a single-family detached home with no more than 3 rooms used for guests, and never on a lot with an accessory dwelling unit.Allowed with board review
• Fences
  Concord's Zoning Bylaw doesn't cap residential fence height, and fences are exempt from yard setbacks, so they can generally go up to the lot line. On corner lots, nothing over 3 ft may stand within the 10-ft sight triangle at the intersection. Fences near wetlands may need Natural Resources Commission review.Allowed
• Sheds & Accessory Buildings
  A shed is allowed in the back yard at least 5 ft from side and rear lot lines, as long as it isn't closer to the street than the back of the house. In the side or rear yard it can be up to 24 ft tall (pitched roof). The local bylaw sets no permit-size threshold; the state building code exempts one-story sheds of 200 sq ft or less.Allowed
• Burn Permits & Backyard Fires
  Brush burning is allowed only January 15 to May 1, with a Concord Fire Department burn permit and a call to the department between 9 a.m. and noon on the day you burn. Burning is limited to 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Any outdoor fire on private property needs the owner's written consent and must follow state fire laws.Allowed with a permit
• Home-Based Businesses
  Yes. A "customary home occupation" is allowed by right if no one but residents works there, nothing outside shows it's a business, there's no more than one visitor vehicle at a time (about 4 trips a day), and no retail sales. A business needing an outside employee or a sign needs a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals.Allowed
• Swimming Pools
  Yes. Private pools are allowed in all residential districts but must meet the same setbacks as the house: 15 ft from side lines, the lesser of 30 ft or 25% of lot depth from the rear, and a 20–40 ft front yard depending on the district. A building permit and safety barrier are required under the state building code.Allowed with a permit
• Building Near the Water (Wetlands Rules)
  Work within 100 ft of a wetland, pond or stream, or within 200 ft of a river, needs Natural Resources Commission review under Concord's Wetlands Bylaw. New structures and expansions are prohibited within 25 ft of the resource area unless the Commission grants a waiver, and allowed between 25 and 50 ft only in exceptional circumstances with mitigation. Lawn conversions to decks, sheds or pools more than 50 ft away are exempt.Allowed with board review
• Docks, Piers & Floats
  Concord has no dock bylaw. A dock, pier or float is work in a wetland resource area, so it needs a permit from the Natural Resources Commission under the Wetlands Bylaw (usually a Notice of Intent and public hearing). Docks are exempt from the Commission's 50-ft No Build Zone, but no local size limits are set, and state Chapter 91 and federal permits may also apply.Allowed with board review