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Sheds & Accessory Buildings in Massachusetts: rules in 21 towns compared
Do I need a permit for a shed, and how close to the property line can it go? Here's how each town answers it. Click a town for the details and the exact bylaw text.
Last reviewed
This page is for Massachusetts homeowners adding a backyard shed, playhouse or small storage building. The State Building Code (780 CMR, 10th edition) decides whether you need a building permit: a one-story detached shed of 200 sq ft or less doesn't need one, while bigger sheds, or any with more than one story, do. That exemption covers only the building permit. Electrical, plumbing or gas work still needs its own permits, and the shed must still meet your town's zoning rules on setbacks, lot coverage and height. A shed in a wetland resource area, or within 100 feet of a wetland or 200 feet of a river, may need Conservation Commission approval first, whatever its size.
All 21 towns we cover for this topic allow sheds, but where they can go varies a lot. Many, including Belmont, Concord, Hamilton, Hingham, Lexington, Sudbury and Swampscott, let a small shed sit as close as 5 feet to the side and rear lot lines, with size caps ranging from 64 sq ft in Hingham to 200 sq ft in Sudbury, and Falmouth allows 3 feet for a shed of 100 sq ft or less. In Weston and Lincoln a shed must meet much larger setbacks, at least 20 feet from side and rear lines. Wayland's Building Department requires a building permit for every shed, whatever its size, and Brookline requires a special permit for a tool shed over 150 sq ft. Pick your town below for the details and the bylaw text.
Town-by-town comparison
| Town | Verdict | Short answer |
|---|---|---|
| Wellesley | Allowed | Yes. A detached shed of 100 sq ft or less doesn't have to meet Wellesley's side and rear yard setbacks, but a larger one must: typically 20 ft from side lines and 10 to 40 ft from the rear line, depending on your district and when the lot was created. Under the state building code, sheds over 200 sq ft also need a building permit. |
| Weston | Allowed | Yes, but in Weston a shed is a "structure" and must meet the same zoning setbacks as a house: 20 to 45 ft from side and rear lot lines and 30 to 60 ft from the street, depending on your district. The Zoning By-law sets no special size threshold for sheds. Under the state building code, a one-story shed of 200 sq ft or less doesn't need a building permit. |
| Lexington | Allowed | Yes. In Lexington you can place one small shed (under 150 sq ft, no more than 12 feet tall or long) in a side or rear yard as close as 5 feet to the lot line. Larger sheds must meet the normal building setbacks, which in the RO and RS districts are 30 feet from the front and 15 feet from side and rear lot lines. |
| Concord | Allowed | A shed is allowed in the back yard at least 5 ft from side and rear lot lines, as long as it isn't closer to the street than the back of the house. In the side or rear yard it can be up to 24 ft tall (pitched roof). The local bylaw sets no permit-size threshold; the state building code exempts one-story sheds of 200 sq ft or less. |
| Brookline | Allowed with board review | Under the version of Brookline's Zoning By-Law we reviewed (effective 2018), a shed in a required rear yard must be at least 6 feet from the side and rear lot lines and from the house, and no more than 15 feet tall. Sheds can't go in the required front yard. A non-commercial tool shed or greenhouse over 150 sq ft in a residence district needs a Board of Appeals special permit. |
| Needham | Allowed with a permit | Sheds are allowed by right as accessory uses in Needham's residential districts. A shed must be at least 5 ft from side and rear lot lines and 10 ft from other buildings, and a shed taller than 15 ft must meet the full district side and rear setbacks. Needham's Zoning By-Law says no building may be built without a permit from the Building Commissioner, so check with the Building Department even for a small shed. |
| Sudbury | Allowed | Yes. In residential districts a small one-story shed (no more than 16 feet on any side or 200 sq ft) can go in the rear yard as close as 5 feet to the side and rear lot lines. Larger accessory buildings must meet the full district setbacks: in Residence A and C that's 40 feet front, 20 feet side and 30 feet rear. |
| Wayland | Allowed with a permit | Wayland's Building Department says every shed needs a building permit, whatever its size, with a minimum $100 fee for a residential shed. A shed may go in the rear yard 10 feet or more from the property line; anywhere else it has to meet your zone's regular setbacks (30 feet front and rear, and 15 to 30 feet on the sides depending on the zone). |
| Lincoln | Allowed with a permit | Sheds are allowed as accessory structures. Lincoln's zoning bylaw requires them to be at least 50 feet from the street line and at least 20 feet from side and rear lot lines, or farther if the shed is taller than 20 feet. The Board of Appeals can grant a special permit to reduce these setbacks. State building-code rules (shown separately) decide whether a small shed needs a building permit. |
| Belmont | Allowed | Yes. Belmont's Zoning By-Law allows tool sheds and similar accessory buildings in residential districts, but caps them at 150 sq ft of floor area and 10 ft in height, and they must sit at least 5 ft from the side and rear lot lines and 5 ft from the house. A shed placed forward of the back wall of your house must meet the full house setbacks. |
| Winchester | Allowed | Yes. A tool shed, greenhouse or similar accessory structure up to 150 sq ft is allowed by right in Winchester's residential districts. In the RDA, RDB, RDC and RG districts it can sit in the required rear yard if it's at least 5 ft from every property line, no more than 1.5 stories, at least 15 ft from other buildings, and (with other accessory buildings) covers no more than 30% of the rear yard. In the RA and RB districts, sheds can't go in any required yard. These rules come from the 2018 bylaw and may have changed. |
| Andover | Allowed | In Andover, a shed can go as close as 5 feet to the property line if it's in the rear yard, no more than 1½ stories, covers no more than 30% of the yard area, and doesn't house animals. Anywhere else, it has to meet the district's full setbacks. Under state code, sheds over 200 sq ft need a building permit. |
| Hingham | Allowed | 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. |
| Duxbury | Allowed with a permit | In Duxbury's main residential district, a shed is an accessory structure. It must be at least 15 feet from side and rear lot lines and meet the same front setback as the house: 25 feet from the street line, or 45 feet from the centerline of a narrow road. The zoning bylaw says no structure may be built without a permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer, so check with the Building Department even for a small shed. |
| Manchester-by-the-Sea | Depends on your zone | Sheds count as accessory structures under Manchester-by-the-Sea's Zoning By-law. They must be 5 to 15 feet from side and rear lot lines depending on the district, set back from the street 10 feet more than the house's front setback, and no taller than 1.5 stories or 25 feet. The bylaw sets no permit-size threshold, so the state building code's 200 sq ft exemption applies. |
| Chatham | Allowed | Yes. In Chatham, one garden shed of 100 sq ft or less may sit as close as one-third of the district's abutter setback (about 5 ft in R20/R30, about 8 ft in R40/R60, less on some older lots), up to 12 ft tall, but not in the street setback. Sheds over 100 sq ft must meet the full building setbacks, and anything near wetlands needs Conservation Commission review. |
| Falmouth | Allowed | 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. |
| Scituate | Depends on your zone | Scituate's Building Department requires a building permit for a shed larger than 200 sq ft or taller than 15 feet, but every shed must meet zoning setbacks. A one-story detached shed must be at least 15 feet from side and rear lot lines in the R-1 and R-2 districts, or 8 feet in R-3, and at least 30 feet from the street. |
| Swampscott | Allowed | Swampscott's zoning bylaw allows one detached accessory building (like a shed) in the rear yard, up to 15 feet tall, at least 10 feet from the house and at least 5 feet from side and rear lot lines (or half the district's required setback, if that's larger). It can cover no more than 25% of the required rear yard. The one-building limit counts every accessory building, so if you already have a detached garage, a shed needs a special permit from the Board of Appeals. |
| Hamilton | Allowed | Yes. One small storage shed, no larger than 8 by 12 feet and no taller than 10 feet, can sit as close as 5 feet to the side and rear lot lines. Larger sheds and other accessory buildings must be at least 25 feet from the street line and at least 20 feet (or their height, if greater) from side and rear lot lines. |
| Carlisle | Allowed with a permit | Yes. Tool sheds are allowed accessory structures. In most of Carlisle (District B), buildings must be 40 feet from side and rear lines, but a shed under 180 sq ft and under 15 feet tall can go 10 feet from those lines if it's at least 100 feet from the street. Near the town center (District A) the figures are 20 feet, or 5 feet for small sheds set at least 40 feet from the street. Carlisle's older General Bylaw requires a building permit for almost any building, but the state building code exempts one-story sheds of 200 sq ft or less and may override it, so ask the Building Department whether yours needs one. |
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.
Common questions about shed permits in Massachusetts
- Do I need a permit for a shed in Massachusetts?
- It depends on size and your town. Under the State Building Code, a one-story detached shed of 200 sq ft or less doesn't need a building permit, but bigger or multi-story sheds do. Some towns still require a local permit for any shed, and every shed must meet local zoning.
- What is the biggest shed you can build without a permit in Massachusetts?
- 200 sq ft, if it's a one-story detached accessory structure such as a tool or storage shed or playhouse. That's the state building permit exemption. Your town may still require a permit, and electrical or plumbing work needs separate permits.
- How close to the property line can a shed be in Massachusetts?
- It depends on your town. The state doesn't set shed setbacks; local zoning does. Many towns we cover let a small shed sit about 5 feet from side and rear lot lines, while others apply the full building setbacks to every shed.
- Do I need Conservation Commission approval for a shed in Massachusetts?
- Possibly. 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. Some local wetlands bylaws set their own no-build zones.
- Does a shed with electricity need a permit in Massachusetts?
- Yes, for the electrical work. The building permit exemption for small sheds covers only the building permit. Electrical, plumbing or gas work in the shed still needs its own permits.
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