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Yarmouth, Massachusetts: what can you build or do?

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

Last reviewed 2026-10-15

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
  Yarmouth's current zoning bylaw (Section 407) allows one "accessory apartment" per lot by special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals in the residential districts, capped at 800 sq ft (studio/1-bedroom) or 900 sq ft (2-bedroom) and no more than 50% of the main home, with owner-occupancy and minimum lot sizes. These rules predate the state ADU law in effect since February 2, 2025, which protects one ADU per lot by right and may override the special permit, owner-occupancy, lot-size and parking rules; a rewrite to match state law goes to the November 16, 2026 Special Town Meeting and is not yet adopted.Allowed with board review
• Backyard Chickens
  Likely yes, with a license. Yarmouth's Board of Health requires a poultry license for anyone keeping poultry, so apply to the Health Department first; the zoning bylaw allows "agricultural production of livestock" by right in the residential districts, which we read as covering backyard hens (the bylaw does not define livestock). We could not read the full Board of Health poultry regulation, so flock limits, rooster rules and coop setbacks are not covered here; no new coop may go within 50 feet of a wetland or pond.Allowed with a permit
• Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO)
  Yes, for now: Yarmouth's zoning bylaw (Section 418) allows short-term rentals by right in the residential district if you register the rental each year with the Health Department, pass inspection, provide at least one parking space per bedroom and rent for at least 2 nights. But Section 418 expires at 11:59 PM on November 30, 2026, and the November 16, 2026 Special Town Meeting will vote on a new STR bylaw (Chapter 110) that would limit owners to one STR, so check the outcome before taking bookings for dates after November 30, 2026.Allowed with a permit
• Fences
  Yarmouth's zoning bylaw sets no fence height limit and specifically excludes fences from its dimensional and setback rules, so outside the Old King's Highway Historic District zoning does not stop a typical residential fence at the lot line (state code requires a building permit only over 7 feet, and fences in flood zones need a town permit). Inside the Old King's Highway Historic District, every new or altered fence needs approval, fences are limited to 6 feet, fences over 4 feet are not allowed in front of the house, and vinyl is prohibited.Depends on your zone
• Sheds & Accessory Buildings
  Yes. A single-story shed of 150 sq ft or less can sit 6 feet from the side and rear lot lines (and at least 12 feet from any building on the neighbor's lot), and must be 30 feet from the front lot line, which is both the residential districts' front setback and what the Building Department's Express Shed Permit form requires. Larger sheds must meet the district's regular setbacks (for example, 20 feet side and rear in the R-40 and RS-40 districts); state code exempts one-story sheds of 200 sq ft or less from a building permit, but Yarmouth uses an Express Shed Permit, so confirm with the Building Department whether you need one, and sheds in the Old King's Highway Historic District or near wetlands need extra approval.Allowed with a permit
• Burn Permits & Backyard Fires
  Brush burning needs a $25 online permit from the Yarmouth Fire Department and is allowed only during the open burning season (January 15 to May 1 in 2026, so the 2026 season is over; check the Fire Department page for 2027), and you must activate the permit each day you burn. Backyard fire pits need no permit but, under Fire Department policy, are for cooking only, must be under 3 feet across and 2 feet high, and must sit 25 feet from the house, shed or deck.Allowed with a permit
• Home-Based Businesses
  Yes, Yarmouth's zoning bylaw allows home offices and home occupations by right in residential areas, but the rules are strict: no more than 250 sq ft, no non-resident employees, no clients or customers on site, no signs, and no outdoor activity or storage. You must get a town Business Certificate before you start.Allowed
• Swimming Pools
  Pools are allowed with a building permit, but Yarmouth's zoning bylaw has no pool-specific section or pool setback. It counts a pool holding 4,000 gallons or more as a "structure" and says required yards must be free of structures, so our reading is that such a pool must meet the district's yard setbacks (30 feet front and 20 feet side and rear in the R-40 and RS-40 districts); confirm with the Building Department. Separately, the Conservation Commission's 2026 regulations bar any new pool within 50 feet of a wetland, pond, beach or other wetland resource area.Allowed with a permit
• Building Near the Water (Wetlands Rules)
  Almost any work within 100 feet of a wetland, pond, beach, bank or salt marsh (200 feet of a perennial stream) in Yarmouth needs Conservation Commission approval under the town Wetlands Bylaw and its 2026 regulations. No new structures (including pools and chicken coops) are allowed within 50 feet of those areas, small sheds or decks up to 140 sq ft must stay 35 feet away, and a 35-foot strip of natural vegetation must be left undisturbed.Allowed with board review
• Docks, Piers & Floats
  Possibly, with Conservation Commission approval (a Notice of Intent and Order of Conditions) plus state permits. On tidal water, a private pier can be at most 4 feet wide and reach no more than 80 feet from mean high water, with floats totaling no more than 200 sq ft; on ponds, piers are limited to 30 feet long and 120 sq ft, must be seasonal, and can't have floats. Docks are barred in mapped No Dock/No Mooring Zones.Allowed with board review