Do I need a permit for a shed in Concord, Massachusetts?
Allowed
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.
| Side setback | 5 ft, if the shed is no closer to the street than the back of the house [1] |
| Rear setback | 5 ft [2] |
| Front yard | Treated like the house: 40 ft (Res. AA/A) or 20 ft (Res. B/C) front yard [5] |
| Max height in side/rear yard | 24 ft to the peak (pitched roof); 18 ft (flat roof) [3] |
| Floor area ratio | Sheds under 100 sq ft or without a permanent foundation don't count toward FAR [4] |
| Near wetlands | No wetlands permit needed more than 50 ft from the wetland; no new structures within 25 ft [6] |
Where a shed can go
Under Concord's Zoning Bylaw, a "building of accessory use" such as a shed can sit as close as 5 ft to a side lot line, as long as it is no closer to the street than the rearmost point of the house [1]. In residential districts it must be at least 5 ft from the rear lot line [2]. In practice the shed goes in the back yard. A shed placed further forward than the back of the house has to meet the regular yard requirements: a 15 ft side yard, and a front yard of 40 ft in Residence AA and A and 20 ft in Residence B and C [5].
Height and size
- A shed inside the required side or rear yard can be up to 24 ft to the peak of a pitched roof, or 18 ft for a flat roof [3].
- Residence districts have no lot-coverage cap, but they do have a maximum floor area ratio. Sheds without a permanent foundation, or under 100 sq ft, don't count toward it [4]. Larger sheds on foundations do.
Permits
The Zoning 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. It still has to meet the zoning setbacks above.
Wetlands and floodplain
These wetlands rules come from the 2013 Wetlands Bylaw, its 2010 regulations and the 2021 No Build Zone policy, and may have changed.
- More than 50 ft from a wetland: turning lawn into a shed site needs no Wetlands Bylaw permit if the shed is more than 50 ft from the wetland or mean annual high-water line [6].
- 25–50 ft from a wetland: this is the Natural Resources Commission's "No Build Zone." New structures are allowed there only in exceptional circumstances [8].
- Within 25 ft: sheds are prohibited without a waiver [7].
- Floodplain Conservancy District: sheds there need a Board of Appeals special permit [9].
See how Concord compares with 8+ other Massachusetts towns on sheds & accessory buildings →
Next steps
- Sketch the shed on your plot plan: at least 5 ft from side and rear lines and behind the back of the house.
- If it's over 200 sq ft, more than one story, or has electrical work, apply for permits at Building & Inspections (141 Keyes Road, 978-318-3280).
- If the spot is within 100 ft of a wetland or stream, or in the floodplain, check with the Natural Resources Division first.
Common questions
- How close to the property line can a shed be in Concord, Massachusetts?
- At least 5 ft from side and rear lot lines, as long as the shed is no closer to the street than the rearmost point of the house. A shed placed further forward must meet the regular yard requirements.
- Do I need a permit for a shed in Concord, Massachusetts?
- The Zoning Bylaw sets no 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 it must still meet the zoning setbacks.
- How tall can a shed be in Concord, Massachusetts?
- In the side or rear yard, up to 24 ft to the peak of a pitched roof, or 18 ft for a flat roof.
- Can I put a shed near wetlands in Concord, Massachusetts?
- Sheds are prohibited within 25 ft of a wetland without a waiver. More than 50 ft away, turning lawn into a shed site needs no Wetlands Bylaw permit. Sheds in the Floodplain Conservancy District need a Board of Appeals special permit.
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
- §6.2.7 Side yards, Zoning Bylaw (amended through Annual Town Meeting April 2026), p. 32
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a building of accessory use may be placed not less than five (5) feet from a sideline so long as such building is not to be 26 Town of Concord · Massachusetts located nearer the sideline of the right-of-way than the rearmost point of the dwelling or any structure attached thereto.
- §6.2.8 Rear yards, Zoning Bylaw (amended through Annual Town Meeting April 2026), p. 32
In the residential districts or for single-family dwellings in the Business or Medical-Professional districts, no building of accessory use shall be placed nearer to the rear lot line than five (5) feet.
- §6.2.11 Height, Zoning Bylaw (amended through Annual Town Meeting April 2026), p. 33
In the Residence AA, Residence A, Residence B, and Residence C Districts, any accessory structure located within the required minimum side or rear yard shall be limited in height to not more than twenty-four (24) feet to the peak of a pitched roof or eighteen (18) feet to the highest point of the exterior in the case of a flat roof.
- §6.2.13 Maximum floor area ratio, Zoning Bylaw (amended through Annual Town Meeting April 2026), p. 33
Excluded from the gross floor area in the Residence Districts are basements, open or screened porches, decks and accessory structures with no permanent foundation or less than 100 square feet in area.
- Table III – Dimensional Regulations, Zoning Bylaw (amended through Annual Town Meeting April 2026), p. 36
Residence AA 80,000 200 160 160 40 Residence A 40,000 150 120 120 40 Residence B 20,000 125 100 100 20 Residence C 10,000 80 80 64 20
- §3.1(f) Exemptions, Concord Wetlands Bylaw (Art. 43, 2009 TM; amended Art. 58, April 2013), p. 2
f. Conversion of lawns to decks, sheds, patios, and pools that are accessory to residential structures, provided the activity, including any discharge pipes, is located more than 50 feet from the mean annual high water line or bordering vegetated wetland (whichever is farther).
- Section 2.1.2(ii) No Disturbance Zone, Concord Wetlands Bylaw Regulations, p. 2
Structures, including but not limited to buildings, porches, decks, pools, sheds, fences, and driveways, shall not be constructed or placed within a No Disturbance Zone.
- The Policy, Natural Resources Commission 50-foot No Build Zone Policy, p. 1
“50-foot No Build Zone” (NBZ) shall mean the area 25 to 50 feet from jurisdictional wetland resource areas where new structures are permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
- §7.2.5.1 Floodplain Conservancy District, Zoning Bylaw (amended through Annual Town Meeting April 2026), p. 44
including new construction or changes to existing buildings, placement of manufactured homes, placement of agricultural facilities, fences, sheds or storage facilities, drilling, mining, paving and any other development that might increase flooding or adversely impact flood risks to other properties.
This page summarizes Concord's posted bylaws as of 2026-10-03. Bylaws are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Building & Inspections (Building Division and Zoning Enforcement), 141 Keyes Road, 2nd Floor (978-318-3280) before you build. Spot an error?