Do You Need a Permit to Build a Deck in Massachusetts?
Yes, most new decks in Massachusetts need a building permit. Under 780 CMR, only small decks under 200 square feet, no more than 30 inches high, and not attached to the house skip the permit. Footings must go below the state's 48-inch frost line. A Construction Supervisor License holder can pull the permit for you.
What Size Deck Can You Build Without a Permit in Massachusetts?
Most decks need a permit. Only a few small decks skip it, under the Massachusetts building code (780 CMR). To skip the permit, a deck must be: under 200 square feet, no more than 30 inches off the ground at any point, not bolted to the house, and not blocking a required exit door. All four things have to be true at once. A small deck that is bolted to the house still needs a permit. So does a small deck sitting in front of a required exit door. A typical deck off a kitchen or living room is usually bigger than 200 square feet, or bolted to the house, or both. That means it needs a permit. Check your own town's rules too, since local zoning can still apply on top of the state rule.
Why Do Deck Footings Need to Go Below the Frost Line?
Massachusetts sets the frost line at 48 inches deep across the whole state. If a footing sits above that depth, the ground around it freezes and thaws every winter. That freeze-thaw cycle slowly pushes the footing up. After a few winters, that lifts the deck. It pulls the ledger board away from the house. It racks the frame out of square. The footing check is built to catch this early: an inspector looks at the hole depth and the forms before any concrete is poured. A footing that is too shallow gets caught while it is still cheap to fix. Walbridge Construction digs every deck footing below the 48-inch line, no matter how small the deck is.
What Happens if You Build a Deck Without a Permit?
An unpermitted deck never gets a footing inspection or a final inspection, so nobody ever confirms the footings are deep enough or the ledger is attached safely. That risk shows up later, not right away. It can also come up when you sell the house. A home inspector or the buyer's attorney can flag a deck with no permit on file, and the town can require you to open up finished work for a late inspection or, in some cases, take the deck down. Pulling the permit up front costs less time and money than fixing it after the fact.
Who Pulls the Permit and Schedules the Inspections?
In Massachusetts, a licensed Construction Supervisor can pull a building permit for you. Michael Walbridge holds a Massachusetts Unrestricted Construction Supervisor License. He is also a registered Home Improvement Contractor. On a Walbridge deck project, Michael pulls the permit. He also books both required inspections: a footing check after the holes are dug but before concrete goes in, and a final check after the deck is done. The footing check matters most. It is the only point in the whole project where an inspector can see the hole depth and the forms before it all gets covered in concrete. Homeowners can pull their own permit in most towns, too. But then the homeowner is the one who has to book and pass every inspection.
What Does a Deck Permit Cost in Massachusetts?
Permit fees are set town by town, not by the state. As of 2026, most Massachusetts towns charge somewhere in the $100 to $600 range for a deck permit. Some towns, like Boston, calculate the fee off the project's construction value instead of a flat rate. Check your own town's fee schedule for the exact number.
Get a free deck estimate and Walbridge Construction will handle the permit and both inspections for you, start to finish.
Do You Still Need a Permit to Rebuild an Old Deck?
Usually, yes. The Massachusetts building code (section R105.1) requires a permit to build a structure. It also requires one to rebuild, change, or fix a structure. So a permit is not just for new decks. Swapping out old framing, old footings, or an old ledger board counts as rebuilding. It needs a permit, too. Do not assume a rebuild is exempt just because a deck already stood there.
Walbridge Construction is a veteran-owned, family-run general contractor based in Hull, MA. Michael holds a Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License and a Home Improvement Contractor registration, and he handles the permit and both inspections on every deck we build. See our South Shore deck cost guide for full pricing, or read about choosing between wood and composite decking. We also build decks across Hull and the South Shore.
Request a free estimate from Walbridge Construction. We will tell you honestly whether your project needs a permit before we ever start.
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FAQ
Related questions
How long does it take to get a deck permit approved in Massachusetts?
It varies by town. Plan for at least a week or two for plan review before you can start digging footings. Some towns move faster, especially outside the busy spring and summer season.
Do I need a permit for a floating deck or a ground-level platform?
It depends on the size and height. A small, low platform that is not attached to the house may fall under the same small-deck exemption. Check with your town's building department before you build, since some towns still require a zoning sign-off even on an exempt structure.
Can I pull my own deck permit as a homeowner instead of the contractor?
In most Massachusetts towns, yes. But then you are the one responsible for scheduling and passing the footing and final inspections. Many homeowners let their contractor's Construction Supervisor License handle it instead.