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Dover, Massachusetts: what can you build or do?

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

Last reviewed 2026-10-05

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
  Yes. Dover allows one attached or detached ADU with a home in its R, R-1, R-2, B, M, M-P and R-M districts after Partial Site Plan Review by the Planning Board, under § 185-43 as amended at the May 4, 2026 Town Meeting. The ADU can be no larger than 50% of the main home's gross floor area (basements count) or 900 square feet, whichever is less, and it can't be used as a short-term rental.Allowed with board review
• Burn Permits & Backyard Fires
  Yes, for brush, during burning season only: January 15 to May 1, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., with an online Fire Department permit for each day you burn. The fire must be at least 75 feet from all buildings with a hose or water source nearby. Dover's page doesn't address backyard fire pits.Allowed with a permit
• Swimming Pools
  Yes, with a Board of Health permit. A pool (or in-ground outdoor hot tub) must be at least 20 feet from any foundation and from any part of the septic system, it must meet zoning setbacks as a structure, and a fence or barrier at least 4 feet high with a self-closing, self-latching gate must surround it completely.Allowed with a permit
• Building Near the Water (Wetlands Rules)
  Work within 100 feet of a wetland, pond, lake or intermittent stream, or within 200 feet of a river or perennial stream, needs a Conservation Commission permit under the Dover Wetlands Protection Bylaw. Inside that buffer, new structures generally must stay 70 feet from the resource area and any disturbance 50 feet away, with a 100-foot no-disturb zone around vernal pools.Allowed with board review
• Docks, Piers & Floats
  A dock, pier or float on a Dover pond or river needs a permit from the Conservation Commission, because any building on or within 100 feet of a pond or river requires one under the Wetlands Protection Bylaw. The Commission's filing fee for dock work is $4 per linear foot, with a $100 minimum and $2,000 maximum. Dover's rules set no dock size limits; the Commission sets conditions case by case.Allowed with board review

We couldn't download Dover's bylaw text for the other 5 topics yet, so we don't cover them rather than guess.