Town Permit Guide

Home › Massachusetts › Gloucester › Sheds & Accessory Buildings

Do I need a permit for a shed in Gloucester, Massachusetts?

Gloucester, Essex County · Bylaws checked 2026-10-15 · Reviewed · 10 cited sections

Depends on your zone

Sheds are allowed as accessory buildings in every residential district, but they can't be closer to the street than your house. In R-80 through R-20 a shed must be at least 15 ft from side and rear lot lines (10 ft in R-10, 5 ft in R-5), and a shed that doesn't meet the house setbacks is limited to 12 ft tall. Gloucester's ordinances don't set a permit size threshold; the state building code does.

AllowedGarage or storage shed: Y in all districts [1]
Min. distance from street40 ft (R-80, R-40, RC-40); 30 ft (R-30, R-20); 20 ft (R-10); 15 ft (R-5) [2]
Min. distance from side lot lines15 ft (R-80 to R-20); 10 ft (R-10); 5 ft (R-5) [3]
Min. distance from rear lot line15 ft (R-80 to R-20); 10 ft (R-10); 5 ft (R-5) [4]
Min. distance from house20 ft (R-80 to R-20); 10 ft (R-10); 5 ft (R-5) [5]
Max height12 ft unless it meets the house's setbacks [8]
Max lot coverage (all structures)25% (R-80 to R-20); 30% (R-10); 35% (R-5) [6]
Front yardNot closer to the street than the house [7]

Where a shed can go

A garage or storage shed accessory to a home is allowed in every zoning district [1]. It can't be closer to the street than the main house [7], so in practice sheds go beside or behind the house.

Setbacks by district

The dimensional table for single, two- and three-family lots (Sec. 3.2.1) sets separate setbacks for accessory buildings:

  • Distance from street: 40 ft in R-80, R-40 and RC-40; 30 ft in R-30 and R-20; 20 ft in R-10; 15 ft in R-5 [2].
  • Side and rear lot lines: 15 ft in R-80 through R-20, 10 ft in R-10 and 5 ft in R-5 [3][4].
  • Distance from the house: 20 ft, 10 ft and 5 ft on the same pattern [5].

Older homes (built or permitted by March 9, 1999) on listed streets in parts of R-20 and R-30 get different, superseding setbacks under the Appendix to Sec. 3.2 (for example 10 ft from side and rear lines and 20 ft from the street on listed North Gloucester R-20 streets). Ask the Building Department whether your street is on the list.

Height and size

An accessory building is capped at 12 ft tall unless it meets the front, side and rear setbacks for the house, in which case it can be as tall as the house allows [8]. All structures together can cover at most 25% of the lot in R-80 through R-20, 30% in R-10 and 35% in R-5 [6]. A use that takes up more than 30% of the floor area or 50% of the lot area is no longer considered accessory [9].

Permits

The ordinances we reviewed don't set a size below which a shed needs no permit; that comes from the state building code. In the floodplain overlay district, any shed needs a permit from the city [10], and work near wetlands may need Conservation Commission review.

See how Gloucester compares with 8+ other Massachusetts towns on sheds & accessory buildings →

Next steps

  1. Look up your zoning district on the city zoning map.
  2. Site the shed behind the front of the house and at least the side/rear setback for your district (15 ft in most outer residential districts, 5 ft in R-5).
  3. Keep it 12 ft tall or less unless it meets the full house setbacks.
  4. Check with Inspectional Services, 3 Pond Road (978-325-5210) whether your shed size needs a building permit, and whether your lot is in a flood zone or near wetlands.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a shed in Gloucester, Massachusetts?
It depends. Gloucester's ordinances don't set a size below which a shed needs no permit; that comes from the state building code, so check with Inspectional Services. In the floodplain overlay district any shed needs a city permit, and work near wetlands may need Conservation Commission review.
How far does a shed have to be from the property line in Gloucester, Massachusetts?
It depends on the district: at least 15 ft from side and rear lot lines in R-80 through R-20, 10 ft in R-10 and 5 ft in R-5. A shed also can't be closer to the street than the house. Older homes on listed streets in parts of R-20 and R-30 may have different setbacks, so ask the Building Department.
How tall can a shed be in Gloucester, Massachusetts?
A shed is capped at 12 ft tall unless it meets the front, side and rear setbacks required for the house, in which case it can be as tall as the house allows.
Are sheds allowed in the front yard in Gloucester, Massachusetts?
No. Sheds are allowed as accessory buildings in every residential district, but a shed can't be closer to the street than the main house, so in practice sheds go beside or behind the house.

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.

State sources: 780 CMR 10th ed., Residential Chapter 1, R105.2 (work exempt from permit) · BBRS, Tenth edition of the MA State Building Code 780 · MassDEP, Protecting Wetlands in Massachusetts

What the bylaw says

Exact text from Gloucester's published bylaws. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. Sec. 2.3.7 Accessory Uses, line 1, Zoning Ordinance Section II - Use Regulations (Municode, Supp. No. 8, codified through Ord. No. 2025-233, adopted Sept 12, 2025)
    1 Garage or storage shed, accessory to allowed or permitted use
  2. Sec. 3.2.1, For Accessory Uses, Zoning Ordinance Section III - Dimensional Regulations
    Minimum distance from street (ft) c 40 40 40 30 30 20 15 15 15 15
  3. Sec. 3.2.1, For Accessory Uses, Zoning Ordinance Section III - Dimensional Regulations
    Minimum distance from side lot lines (ft) 15 15 15 15 15 10 5 5 5 5
  4. Sec. 3.2.1, For Accessory Uses, Zoning Ordinance Section III - Dimensional Regulations
    Minimum distance from rear lot line (ft) 15 15 15 15 15 10 5 5 5 5
  5. Sec. 3.2.1, For Accessory Uses, Zoning Ordinance Section III - Dimensional Regulations
    Minimum distance from principal building (ft) 20 20 20 20 20 10 5 5 5 5
  6. Sec. 3.2.1, Zoning Ordinance Section III - Dimensional Regulations
    Maximum Lot Coverage — Total of All Structures 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 30% 35% 35% 35% 35%
  7. Sec. 3.2.1, footnote c, Zoning Ordinance Section III - Dimensional Regulations
    The accessory building may not be closer to the street than the principal building.
  8. Sec. 3.2.1, footnote d, Zoning Ordinance Section III - Dimensional Regulations
    If the accessory building complies with the front, side and rear yard setbacks for the principal building, the maximum building height for the accessory building shall be that of the principal building. If the accessory building does not comply with said setbacks, the maximum height shall be 12 feet.
  9. Section VI - Definitions, Accessory Building or Use, Zoning Ordinance Section VI - Definitions
    A building or use customarily incidental to and located on the same lot with the principal building or use, except that if more than 30% of the floor area or 50% of the lot area is occupied by such use, it shall no longer be considered accessory.
  10. Sec. 5.5.6 Permit Requirements, Zoning Ordinance Section V - Special Regulations (5.3 Home Occupations, 5.5 Floodplain Overlay, 5.24 ADUs, etc.)
    The City of Gloucester requires a permit for all proposed construction or other development in the floodplain overlay district, including new construction or changes to existing buildings, placement of manufactured homes, placement of agricultural facilities, fences, sheds, storage facilities or drilling, mining, paving and any other development that might increase flooding or adversely impact flood risks to other properties.
This page summarizes Gloucester's posted bylaws as of 2026-10-15. Bylaws are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Inspectional Services (Building Commissioner), 3 Pond Road (978-325-5210) before you build. Spot an error?