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Sandwich, Massachusetts: what can you build or do?

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

Last reviewed 2026-10-20

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
  Yes. Sandwich's zoning bylaw (Section 4130, as rewritten by the May 2025 Town Meeting; we used the town's May 2025 printed edition) allows one accessory dwelling unit inside, attached to, or detached from a single-family home by right in all residential districts, with a building permit. The ADU can be no larger than half the house or 900 sq ft, whichever is smaller, needs one extra off-street parking space, and can't be a short-term rental; if rented, leases must be at least 12 months. No owner-occupancy, special permit or yearly permit cap applies.Allowed with a permit
• Backyard Chickens
  None of the Sandwich bylaws or Board of Health regulations we reviewed has a specific rule on backyard chickens: no hen limit, rooster ban, coop setback or poultry permit. The Board of Health's stable permit covers horses, sheep, goats, pigs and cattle, not poultry. Ask the Health Department and Building Department before getting hens.Not specifically regulated
• Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO)
  Yes, but every short-term rental in Sandwich has to be registered with the Building Department and pass an inspection every year. The first year costs $250 ($150 registration plus $100 inspection), stays must be at least 2 nights, and ADUs, accessory apartments and income-restricted homes can't be rented short-term.Allowed with a permit
• Fences
  Under Sandwich's zoning bylaw, a solid (sight-obstructing) fence or wall can be up to 3 feet tall in a required front yard and up to 6 feet in a required side or rear yard; taller needs a Zoning Board of Appeals special permit. If your home is north of Route 6 (the Old King's Highway Historic District), you also need a Historic District Committee certificate. Wood fences up to 4 feet in approved styles can get a $10 Certificate of Exemption without a hearing.Allowed with board review
• Sheds & Accessory Buildings
  Yes, you need a building permit for any shed in Sandwich. Sheds under 200 sq ft cost $50. A one-story shed can sit in a side or rear yard if it's at least 10 feet from the lot line (6 feet if it's 100 sq ft or less) and 12 feet from any other building. North of Route 6 you also need Historic District Committee approval, which can be a simple exemption for a wooden shed up to 120 sq ft and 12 feet tall.Allowed with a permit
• Burn Permits & Backyard Fires
  Brush burning is allowed only from January 15 to May 1, with permission you get by calling the Fire Department (508-888-0525, option 6) between 10 AM and 2 PM on each day you want to burn. The fire must be more than 75 feet from any dwelling and out by 4 PM. A small cook fire in a fire pit or chiminea (up to 3 ft wide and 2 ft high, at least 15 ft from structures) needs no Fire Department permit on your own property, but the department says you must first call 508-888-0525 ext. 5 with your name, address and call-back number.Allowed with a permit
• Home-Based Businesses
  Yes. Sandwich's zoning bylaw (Section 4110) allows a home occupation by right in residential districts as long as it uses no more than 30% of the home's floor area, has at most one employee from outside the household, has no exterior display or storage, and doesn't generate more traffic than a normal residential street. Parking must be off-street and not in the required front yard.Allowed
• Swimming Pools
  Yes, with a building permit. In Sandwich, a pool can't go in front of the house and must be at least 10 feet from side and rear property lines and 12 feet from the house, deck, shed or other structures. An in-ground pool must also be 20 feet from the septic leaching area. Pool fencing follows the Massachusetts State Building Code, and the permit fee is $0.45 per square foot.Allowed with a permit
• Building Near the Water (Wetlands Rules)
  Building, clearing, filling or other changes within 100 feet of any wetland, pond, stream, beach, dune, bank or salt marsh, or anywhere in the 100- or 500-year flood zone, needs a Conservation Commission permit under Sandwich's Wetlands Bylaw (Chapter 7). The Commission generally requires a 50-foot undisturbed buffer next to the resource area. Zoning also bars new principal buildings within 50 feet of freshwater ponds and lakes.Allowed with board review
• Docks, Piers & Floats
  A private dock or pier in Sandwich needs an Order of Conditions from the Conservation Commission, and a license from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. A dock over a salt marsh must have its lowest structural member at least 60 inches above the marsh, and coastal docks must sit on driven piles or helical anchors. The town's bylaws we reviewed set no specific dock length or size limit.Allowed with board review