Do I need a permit for a shed in Plymouth, Massachusetts?
Yes, but every shed needs town sign-off. In Plymouth a shed under 12 feet tall and under 300 sq ft is allowed by right if it sits at least 20 feet from the front lot line, 10 feet from side and rear lines and 10 feet from the house. Sheds up to 200 sq ft need a zoning application with a site plan; sheds 201 sq ft and up also need a building permit.
| Max height (by right) | Less than 12 feet [1] |
| Max footprint (small-shed setbacks) | Less than 300 sq ft; a larger shed must meet the full yard setbacks for buildings in your district, or get a special permit to sit in a required yard [1] |
| Front setback | 20 feet [1] |
| Side and rear setbacks | 10 feet [1] |
| Distance from house | 10 feet [1] |
| Sheds up to 200 sq ft | Zoning application with site plan only [3] |
| Sheds 201 sq ft and up | Building permit required [4] |
Size, height and setbacks
Plymouth's zoning bylaw bars accessory buildings from required front, side and rear yards and from within 10 feet of the main building, unless they have a special permit or are under 12 feet tall with a footprint under 300 sq ft and meet setbacks of 20 feet from the front and 10 feet from the side and rear [1]. The bylaw's setback definition also lists a shed under 300 sq ft and under 12 feet tall, not within 10 feet of any lot line, as a minor structure allowed within a setback [2]. That wording could suggest 10 feet from the front line is enough, but the accessory-building section [1] and the town's handout [3] both say 20 feet from the front, so use 20 feet. A shed is defined as an accessory building for storage [2].
The Inspectional Services shed handout says the same: a 12-foot maximum height, setbacks of 20 feet front, 10 feet side, 10 feet rear and 10 feet from the principal structure, and sheds larger than 300 sq ft must meet the full zoning requirements [3]. A shed 300 sq ft or larger, or 12 feet or taller, must stay out of the required front, side and rear yards for your district (the full building setbacks) and 10 feet from the house, unless the Zoning Board of Appeals grants a special permit [1]. A small shed closer to the lines than 20/10 feet also needs a special permit [1].
Permits
The bylaw requires a zoning permit before any building is erected [6]. According to the handout, a shed up to 200 sq ft needs only a zoning application with a site plan [3]. A shed of 201 sq ft or more needs a building permit; you file a new construction permit with a site plan and construction plans or the manufacturer's specs, and the fee is based on square footage [4]. This matches the state building code, which exempts one-story sheds of 200 sq ft or less from a building permit.
Other limits
The bylaw sets no separate lot-coverage figure for sheds in the sections we reviewed; the district's coverage and open-space rules still apply. In the floodplain district, the Building Commissioner reviews sheds for flood impacts [5], and sheds near wetlands may need Conservation Commission approval under the town wetlands bylaw. Electrical work needs its own permit.
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Next steps
- Measure the planned spot: at least 20 ft from the front lot line, 10 ft from side and rear lines, and 10 ft from the house; keep the shed under 12 ft tall and under 300 sq ft.
- Draw a site plan showing the shed's size and its distances to lot lines and the house.
- For a shed up to 200 sq ft, file a zoning application with the site plan at Inspectional Services (26 Court Street, 508-747-1620).
- For a shed of 201 sq ft or more, file a new construction building permit with the site plan and construction plans or manufacturer's specs (fee based on square footage).
- If the lot is in a floodplain or near wetlands, check with the Building Commissioner and Conservation Commission first.
Common questions
- Do I need a permit for a shed in Plymouth, MA?
- Yes, every shed needs town sign-off. A shed up to 200 sq ft needs a zoning application with a site plan; a shed of 201 sq ft or more also needs a building permit, with the fee based on square footage.
- How big can a shed be without a special permit in Plymouth, Massachusetts?
- A shed under 12 feet tall and under 300 sq ft is allowed by right if it meets the small-shed setbacks. A larger shed must meet the full yard setbacks for buildings in your district, or get a special permit to sit in a required yard.
- How far does a shed have to be from the property line in Plymouth, MA?
- At least 20 feet from the front lot line, 10 feet from side and rear lines, and 10 feet from the house. A small shed closer than that needs a 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
- §203-1.C Accessory Building Location, Zoning Bylaw of the Town of Plymouth (as amended through October 2025), p. 34
C. Accessory Building Location. No Accessory Building shall be erected in any required Front, Side, or Rear Yard or within 10 feet of any Principal Building, except: 1. as authorized by Special Permit; or, 2. if less than 12 feet in Height, having a footprint of less than 300 feet and meeting the following Setbacks: Front – 20 feet; Side and Rear – 10 feet.
- §201-3 Definitions, Setback; Shed, Zoning Bylaw of the Town of Plymouth (as amended through October 2025), p. 23
SETBACK – The dimensional measurement of a Yard which is the area within a Lot required to be maintained open and unoccupied by a Building, or any Structure of 3 or more feet in Height, except for a customary minor Structure such as a fence or flagpole, or Shed having a footprint of less than 300 square feet and Height of less than 12 feet and not located within 10 feet of any Lot line. SHED – An Accessory Building for storage incidental and subordinate to the Use of a Lot.
- General Residential Shed Information, General Residential Shed Information (Inspectional Services handout), p. 1
Max Height: 12’ (feet). Setbacks should be 20 ft from the front property line, 10-ft from the side and 10-ft from the rear and 10-ft from the principal structure. Note: Sheds larger than 300 sq ft must meet new zoning requirements. Sheds up to 200 sq ft need a Zoning application submitted with a site plan only.
- General Residential Shed Information, General Residential Shed Information (Inspectional Services handout), p. 1
Sheds 201 sq. ft. and larger require a building permit. You can file a new construction permit including a proposed site plan and proposed construction plans/manufacturers specs on the shed. The fee is based on square footage.
- §206-2.G.1 Floodplain Overlay District, Building Permits, Zoning Bylaw of the Town of Plymouth (as amended through October 2025), p. 99
In the case of minor changes (300 SF or less) to existing buildings, placement of facilities that the Building Commissioner determines are directly associated with an agricultural activity, fences, sheds, drilling, mining, paving or any other minor development that might increase flooding or adversely impact flood risks to other properties the Building Commissioner shall determine if said activity increases flooding or will adversely impact flood risks to other properties and
- §202.2.A Zoning Permit Required, Zoning Bylaw of the Town of Plymouth (as amended through October 2025), p. 28
A. No Building or Structure shall be erected, structurally altered, added to or moved, nor shall any change of land use be made, and no Building Permit shall be issue, except as authorized by a Zoning Permit.