How long it takes to get a project approved in Massachusetts
Most projects in Massachusetts start with the town. The planning board and the zoning board of appeals must approve the land use, and the local building commissioner issues the building permit.
Below are the five phases of a project in Massachusetts, who approves it and how long the path to a building permit usually takes, worked out by ShovelCue from the review times it holds for Massachusetts.
How long to a building permit
- New multifamily building12 to 16 months
- Retail tenant fit outAbout 3 months
- Addition to a single family home3 to 6 months
These are estimates from typical review times, not promises. They run from the start of due diligence to the building permit. Your town, your site and how complete your drawings are can move them.
A sample list for a new multifamily building in Massachusetts
Due Diligence
- Boundary / ALTA SurveyThe property lines, the easements and what sits on the land.
- Geotechnical Investigation / ReportSoil borings that tell the engineers what the foundations need.
- Phase I Environmental Site AssessmentA look at past uses of the site for signs of contamination.
- Zoning Verification / Zoning DeterminationWord from the town on what the zoning allows.
- Topographic SurveyThe ground levels the site design starts from.
Entitlements
- Site Plan ReviewThe board approves the layout of the building, the parking and the drainage.
- Public HearingThe meeting where the board hears the project and the neighbors speak.
- Written Decision Filed with the Town ClerkThe board puts its decision and its conditions in writing.
- Zoning Appeal PeriodThe window when the approval can still be challenged.
- Decision Recorded at the Registry of DeedsThe approval goes on the record and runs with the land.
Pre-construction
- Civil Design PackageGrading, drainage, utilities and parking.
- Architectural Design PackageThe floor plans, the elevations and the code review.
- Structural Design PackageThe frame and the foundations.
- Mechanical Design PackageHeating, cooling and ventilation.
- Electrical Design PackagePower and lighting.
Construction
Inspections and insurance are tracked here once work starts.
Closeout
- Certificate of Occupancy and UseThe town signs off that people can move in.
And 43 more for your site.
The five phases in Massachusetts
- Due DiligenceBefore you commit to a site in Massachusetts, you check the survey, the soil, the flood risk and what the zoning allows.
- EntitlementsThe planning board and the zoning board of appeals must approve the site plan and any zoning relief, and in some areas a regional planning commission reviews it too. Larger projects also go through MEPA, the Massachusetts environmental review.
- Pre-constructionThe drawings go to the local building commissioner for the building permit and the trade permits, while the state environmental agency and the utility companies sign off on the parts of the site they control.
- ConstructionThe local building commissioner inspects the work in stages with the local fire official, and each stage must pass before it is covered up.
- CloseoutThe last inspections lead to the certificate that lets people move in, and in Massachusetts the state labor or safety office checks equipment such as elevators before it runs. Then the owner gets the warranties, the manuals and the record drawings.
Who approves a project in Massachusetts
- The planning board and the zoning board of appeals
- The local building commissioner
- A regional planning commission
- The town wetlands or conservation commission
- The local historic district commission
- The local board of health
- The local fire official
- The state environmental agency, for stormwater, wetlands and utility extensions
- The state transportation department, for driveways onto state roads and large project review
- The state coastal or waterways program, for wetlands
- The state fish and wildlife agency, for wetlands and protected species
- The state historic preservation office, for historic sites
- The state labor or safety office, for elevators
- The water, sewer, power and gas companies
Not every project needs all of them.
Questions
How long does it take to get a building permit in Massachusetts?
ShovelCue estimates 12 to 16 months for a new multifamily building, from the start of due diligence to the building permit. A retail tenant fit out takes about 3 months, and an addition to a single family home takes 3 to 6 months. Your town and your site can change this.
Who approves a construction project in Massachusetts?
Most approvals come from the town, through the planning board and the zoning board of appeals, then the local building commissioner. Depending on the site, 6 state agencies may also sign off, such as the state environmental agency and the state transportation department. The utility companies approve new service.
Why is the estimate a range?
The short end counts only what the rules require for every project of that type. The long end adds what is usual for that kind of project. In Massachusetts the gap is widest for a new multifamily building, about 4 months.
Does Massachusetts have its own environmental review?
Yes. Massachusetts has MEPA. A lead agency, usually the town or the county, decides how much study a project needs before it can be approved, and that can add months.
How do I see what my own project needs?
Ask for a free first look. ShovelCue builds the list for your site and shows the date the project can start.
This is general information from public sources. It is not legal advice. Confirm every item with your town and the agencies named before you rely on it.