Do I need a permit for a shed in Falmouth, Massachusetts?
Yes. In Falmouth, a shed of 100 sq ft or less can sit 3 feet from the side and rear lot lines; bigger accessory buildings need 10 feet. Sheds can't go in the front yard without a Zoning Board of Appeals special permit, and accessory buildings are capped at 22 feet tall.
| Side/rear setback, shed 100 sq ft or less | 3 ft [1] |
| Side/rear setback, accessory structure over 100 sq ft | 10 ft [1] |
| Street (front) setback | 25 ft (more on some main roads) [2] |
| Accessory structure in front yard | ZBA special permit only, at least 50 ft from the street [3] |
| Max height | 22 ft (25 ft by special permit on lots of 2+ acres) [5] |
| Accessory structure in a side/rear yard | Up to 1½ stories, covering no more than 30% of that yard [4] |
| Max lot coverage by structures (residence districts) | 20% [6] |
Setbacks
These rules come from the November 2022 compiled zoning bylaw and may have changed. Falmouth's zoning bylaw sets a 3-foot side and rear setback for sheds of 100 sq ft or less. Residential structures and accessory structures larger than 100 sq ft need 10 feet [1]. From the street, the standard setback is 25 feet. It's 35 feet or more along Routes 28, 28A and 151 and a few other roads [2].
Accessory structures are generally kept out of the front yard. The Zoning Board of Appeals may grant a special permit for one in a front yard, but it must be at least 50 feet from the street [3]. A lot can have more than one front yard (for example, a corner lot). The Building Commissioner can designate which one is the primary front yard.
Size and height
An accessory structure in a side or rear yard can be up to 1½ stories and can cover no more than 30% of that yard [4]. Accessory structures are limited to 22 feet tall. On lots of 2 acres or more, the ZBA can allow 25 feet by special permit [5]. In the Residence AA, A, B and C districts, all structures together can cover no more than 20% of the lot (40% counting paving and parking) [6].
Near wetlands and water
The town's wetland regulations treat new or replacement sheds as "redevelopment" in the 100-foot buffer to a wetland or the shore [7]. Placing a shed there needs Conservation Commission approval, and the commission's no-disturbance zone may rule out spots close to the resource.
Permits
The bylaw doesn't set its own shed permit threshold. Under the state building code, a one-story shed of 200 sq ft or less doesn't need a building permit. Zoning setbacks still apply, and larger sheds need a permit from the Building Department.
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Next steps
- Measure where the shed will sit: at least 3 ft from side/rear lines if 100 sq ft or less, 10 ft if larger, and behind the front of the house.
- Keep the shed under 22 ft tall and check that total building coverage stays under 20% of your lot.
- If the shed is over 200 sq ft or has electrical work, apply for permits with the Building Department (508-495-7470).
- If the site is within 100 ft of a wetland, pond, marsh or the shore, contact the Conservation Commission first.
Common questions
- Do I need a permit for a shed in Falmouth, Massachusetts?
- The zoning bylaw allows sheds, and if the shed is over 200 sq ft or has electrical work, apply for permits with the Building Department.
- How close to the property line can a shed be in Falmouth, Massachusetts?
- A shed of 100 sq ft or less can sit 3 feet from the side and rear lot lines; bigger accessory buildings need 10 feet.
- Can I put a shed in my front yard in Falmouth, Massachusetts?
- Not without a Zoning Board of Appeals special permit.
- How tall can a shed be in Falmouth, Massachusetts?
- Accessory buildings are capped at 22 feet tall, or 25 feet by special permit on lots of 2+ acres.
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
- § 240-11.4A(2)(a) Setback from Side and Rear Lot Lines, Zoning Bylaw, Town Code Chapter 240, Articles 1-14 (November 2022 recodification), p. 114
a. For residential structures, and appurtenant accessory structures larger than 100 square feet, except piers, floats, docks, and bulkheads, the minimum setback in all districts shall be 10 feet; for sheds of 100 square feet or less the minimum setback shall be 3 feet.
- § 240-11.4A(1) Setback from Street Frontage, Zoning Bylaw, Town Code Chapter 240, Articles 1-14 (November 2022 recodification), p. 114
(1) SETBACK FROM STREET FRONTAGE – Minimum setbacks from the street frontage shall be 25 feet, with the following exceptions:
- § 240-11.4A(1)(i) Setback from Street Frontage, Zoning Bylaw, Town Code Chapter 240, Articles 1-14 (November 2022 recodification), p. 114
i. The Zoning Board of Appeals, may issue a special permit for an accessory structure in a front yard, but the structure shall not be located closer to the street frontage than 50 feet.
- § 240-11.4A(2)(f) Setback from Side and Rear Lot Lines, Zoning Bylaw, Town Code Chapter 240, Articles 1-14 (November 2022 recodification), p. 115
f. A side or rear yard may contain an accessory structure not over 1½ stories high if not covering more than 30% of its area.
- § 240-11.5B Accessory Structures, Zoning Bylaw, Town Code Chapter 240, Articles 1-14 (November 2022 recodification), p. 116
(1) MAXIMUM HEIGHT – Unless otherwise provided for in the Maximum Height Table above, the maximum height for accessory structures shall be 22 feet. (2) ZONING BOARD SPECIAL PERMIT – On lots of 2 acres or greater, the Zoning Board of Appeals may grant a special permit to allow an accessory structure to have a maximum height of 25 feet, subject to the following requirements:
- § 240-11.3A Table of Maximum Lot Coverage Percentage, Zoning Bylaw, Town Code Chapter 240, Articles 1-14 (November 2022 recodification), p. 113
Table of Maximum Lot Coverage Percentage (%) District Structures Structures/Paving/Parking Residence AA, A, B, C 20 40
- FWR 10.18(2)(f) Redevelopment, Falmouth Wetland Regulations FWR 10.00 (Conservation Commission; 2014 compilation), p. 56
(f) Redevelopment means 1. Replacement, rehabilitation or expansion of legally existing structures, and also 2. Addition, rehabilitation, or replacement of accessory structures and appurtenances such as, but not limited to, swimming pools, sheds, freestanding garages, decks, patios, and landscape features, and improvement of existing roads, on a previously developed site.