Do I need a permit for a shed in Hingham, Massachusetts?
Yes. In Hingham's residential districts, one small shed of up to 64 sq ft and 9 feet tall can go behind the house as close as 5 feet to the side or rear lot line. Larger accessory buildings must meet the full district setbacks (for example 15 ft side/rear in Residence A, 20 ft in Residence B, C and E) and be no more than two stories or 30 feet tall.
| Small shed exemption | 1 per lot, up to 64 sq ft and 9 ft tall, behind the house [1] |
| Small shed setback | 5 ft from side or rear lot line [1] |
| Larger accessory buildings | Must meet district front, side and rear yard setbacks [2] |
| Max height (accessory buildings) | 2 stories and 30 ft [2] |
| Residence A yards | 25 ft front, 15 ft side, 15 ft rear [3] |
| Residence B / C yards | 35 ft (B) or 50 ft (C) front; 20 ft side and rear [3] |
| Residence E yards | 35 ft front, 20 ft side, 20 ft rear [4] |
Small sheds
Hingham's zoning definition of "structure" leaves out, in residential districts, one detached accessory building per lot that is no more than 64 sq ft in ground coverage and 9 feet high, as long as it sits behind the house and at least 5 feet from the side and rear lot lines [1]. Because it isn't a "structure" for zoning purposes, the usual yard setbacks don't apply to that one small shed.
Larger sheds, garages and barns
Any other accessory building can't be closer to the lot line than the district's minimum front, side and rear yards, and can be no more than two stories and 30 feet tall [2]. The minimum yards for residential districts are:
- Residence A: 25 ft front, 15 ft side, 15 ft rear [3]
- Residence B: 35 ft front, 20 ft side, 20 ft rear [3]
- Residence C: 50 ft front, 20 ft side, 20 ft rear [3]
- Residence E: 35 ft front, 20 ft side, 20 ft rear [4]
The Schedule of Dimensional Requirements doesn't list a maximum lot coverage for single-family lots in Residence A, B, C or E.
What you can use it for
Accessory buildings on a single- or two-family lot may hold home-occupation uses and things customarily incidental to a home, such as barns, garages, workshops and studios, as long as they don't become a separate dwelling with complete living facilities [5]. An accessory dwelling unit is handled separately under the ADU rules.
Building permits
The zoning by-law doesn't set the building-permit size threshold; that comes from the state building code, summarized separately below. If the shed is near a wetland or in a flood zone, check with the Conservation Commission first.
See how Hingham compares with 8+ other Massachusetts towns on sheds & accessory buildings →
Next steps
- Check your zoning district and measure the distance from the planned spot to the side and rear lot lines.
- For a shed over 64 sq ft or 9 ft tall, or a second shed, site it to meet the full district setbacks.
- Ask the Building Department (781-741-1420) whether your shed needs a building permit; bring a plot plan showing its size, height and setbacks.
- If the site is within 100 feet of a wetland or the water, contact the Conservation Commission before you build.
Common questions
- Can I build a shed in Hingham, Massachusetts?
- Yes. One small shed of up to 64 sq ft and 9 feet tall can go behind the house as close as 5 feet to the side or rear lot line.
- How close to the property line can a larger shed be in Hingham, Massachusetts?
- Larger accessory buildings must meet the full district setbacks, for example 15 ft side/rear in Residence A and 20 ft in Residence B, C and E.
- How tall can a shed be in Hingham, Massachusetts?
- Accessory buildings can be no more than two stories or 30 feet tall.
- Do I need a building permit for a shed in Hingham, Massachusetts?
- Ask the Building Department whether your shed needs one, and bring a plot plan showing its size, height and setbacks.
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
- Section VI, Definitions (Structure), Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 148
In residential districts, “structure” shall further exclude one detached accessory building per lot, provided that said accessory building does not exceed sixty-four (64) square feet in ground coverage and nine (9) feet in height, and further provided that said accessory building is located to the rear of the dwelling and no closer than five (5) feet from the side or rear lot line.
- Section IV-C, General Intensity Provisions, 3. Location of Accessory Buildings, Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 78
Accessory buildings shall not be located nearer the lot line than the minimum dimensions of the front, side, or rear yards and shall be no more than two stories and not exceed 30 feet in height.
- Section IV-A, Schedule of Dimensional Requirements, Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 72
RESIDENCE DISTRICT A 20,000 sq. ft. 125’ 35’ 2½ 25’ 15’ 15’ 6, 9, 10, 13, 16 RESIDENCE DISTRICT B 30,000 sq. ft. 150’ 35’ 2½ 35’ 20’ 20’ 6, 9, 13, 16 RESIDENCE DISTRICT C 40,000 sq. ft. 150’ 35’ 2½ 50’ 20’ 20’ 6, 9, 13, 16
- Section IV-A, Schedule of Dimensional Requirements, Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 72
RESIDENCE DISTRICT E 30,000 sq. ft. 150’ 35’ 2½ 35’ 20’ 20’ 6, 9, 10, 16
- Section III-A, Schedule of Uses, 1.8.7, Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 27
1.8.7 In accessory buildings incidental to a Single-Family Dwelling or a Two-Family Dwelling, the following uses are permitted: (a) the accessory uses listed in subsections 1.8.1 through 1.8.6 above; and/or (b) such other uses as are customarily incidental to a residential use, including, but not limited to, barns, garages, workshops, artist studios and the like, living rooms, eating areas, cooking facilities and sanitary facilities (excluding bathing facilities), as long as, in combination, these uses do not create a detached dwelling unit with complete living facilities for one or more households.