Hanson, Massachusetts Building Permit Guide

Hanson’s Building Department, on the second floor of Town Hall at 542 Liberty Street, issues building, electrical, plumbing and gas permits, and every application is filed online through PermitEyes. A residential permit for new construction or a renovation costs $30 plus $12 per $1,000 of construction value, with a $50 minimum, and the office is closed on Fridays.

What requires a building permit in Hanson?

Hanson is a town of roughly 10,900 people in Plymouth County. The Building Department evaluates construction plans, issues permits, inspects work in the field and enforces the state building, electrical and plumbing codes alongside the Town’s Zoning Bylaw and General Bylaws. Its fee pages, pool rules and shed brochure set out the common cases:

What Hanson decides and what the state holds

All building work in Hanson follows 780 CMR, the State Building Code issued by the Board of Building Regulations and Standards; the Town has no power to change it. Hanson’s own levers are the permit fees approved by the Board of Selectmen, the Zoning Bylaw (2023 edition, with a separate accessory dwelling unit bylaw and a zoning map dated December 31, 2025), a local Wetlands Protection Bylaw and a pool fencing bylaw that asks for more than the code minimum. Hanson’s posted General Bylaws have no energy-code article and no demolition-delay article, and its list of state laws accepted by Town Meeting since 2011 shows no Stretch or Specialized code vote, so confirm the energy compliance path with the department before a new home or addition is designed.

Hanson building department: who handles permitting

The Building Department issues every building, electrical, plumbing and gas permit in town. A Building Commissioner handles plan review and building inspections, and a plumbing and gas inspector and a wire inspector cover the trades; the Town’s page lists an administrative assistant at the main number and a direct line for the wire inspector.

The Conservation Commission (781-294-4119), the Board of Health (781-293-3138) and the Zoning Board of Appeals (781-293-5165) are in the same building, and the Board of Health keeps the same Monday-to-Thursday schedule with a 6 pm close on Tuesdays. The main Town Hall switchboard is 781-293-5186.

Hanson permit types and the approvals that come first

All four permit types are applied for through PermitEyes. After creating an account you land on a Homepage that tracks each application; New Application opens the form, fields with a red asterisk are required, and Submit sends it to the Building Department.

Residential permits

A homeowner may file building and electrical permits through PermitEyes, but plumbing and gas permits can only be filed by a licensed plumber or gas fitter. For a shed, the application needs a plot plan that shows the shed, the lot lines and the septic lines. Sheds sit in the side or rear yard, at least 10 feet from side and rear lines, no taller than 18 feet above natural grade and no more than one and a half stories inside, with any loft limited to half the main floor. A greenhouse framed in wood or metal with glass is treated as an accessory structure under the same rules, while a plastic-covered hoop house is considered temporary and needs neither a permit nor setbacks. The brochure also asks owners to call Dig Safe at 1-888-344-7233 and find septic lines and buried utilities before setting any shed.

Pool applications need a plot plan and the pool’s specifications, setbacks of 10 feet from lot lines and 10 feet from any structure, and distance from the septic leaching area of 20 feet for an in-ground pool or 10 feet for an above-ground pool. General Bylaw 3-3 then asks for a fence or wall at least 5 feet high around the whole pool, with no gap wider than 4 inches and self-closing, self-latching gates with the latch at least 4 feet up.

Accessory dwelling units fall under section VI.B.1h of the Zoning Bylaw, kept by the Planning Board office (781-293-9035). One ADU per lot in a single-family district is allowed as of right; it may be no larger than half the gross floor area of the main house or 900 square feet, whichever is smaller, and needs one dedicated parking space unless it is close enough to transit to be exempt under the state ADU rules. A detached ADU must meet the same zoning setbacks as a house, a second unit on the same lot needs a special permit, and no ADU may be used as a short-term rental.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit filing, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Commercial permits

Commercial and industrial new construction and renovation is charged $50 plus $15 per $1,000 of construction value, with a $60 minimum. Commercial demolition is $300, commercial tents $100, and each inspection certificate or certificate of occupancy $75. The Building Official may set the construction value instead of the contract amount.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit expediting through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning Board of Appeals: variances and special permits under the Zoning Bylaw; the ZBA takes applications through its own PermitEyes portal.
• Planning Board: site plan and subdivision filings, also through PermitEyes, plus the Town’s stormwater management rules and regulations dated April 27, 2026.
• Conservation Commission: work near wetlands falls under the state Wetlands Protection Act and Hanson’s Wetlands Protection Bylaw (General Bylaw Article 3-13) and its rules; the Commission meets on the first and third Wednesdays.
• Board of Health: septic design and repair under Title 5; locate septic lines before placing a shed or pool.
• Highway Department: road opening, curb cut and trench permits for work in a way.

Hanson building permit fees

Hanson posts its fees as separate web pages for residential, commercial, wire, plumbing and gas work, and the commercial page notes that all rates were approved by the Board of Selectmen. Construction value is the contract amount or a cost the Building Official sets.

Worked example: a $90,000 kitchen and bath renovation is $30 + (90 × $12) = $1,110 for the building permit. The shed and fence brochure still quotes an older shed fee of $20 plus $10 per thousand; the residential fee page is the newer source, so budget on $30 plus $12 per thousand with the $50 minimum.

Wiring, plumbing and gas permits in Hanson

Licensed electricians, plumbers and gas fitters file their own permits in PermitEyes; homeowners may file electrical permits but not plumbing or gas. The plumbing and gas schedules were voted by the Board of Selectmen on June 4, 2019 and took effect July 1, 2019, and those permits stay valid for one year after issue.

A pressure-reducing valve is required on residential plumbing permits for a bathroom group but is not counted as a fixture; on commercial permits it counts as one and is required for new construction or three or more fixtures.

How to apply for a Hanson building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The Building Commissioner reviews each submission, and progress shows on the PermitEyes Homepage. The State Building Code gives the building official 30 days from the filing of an application to issue or deny the permit (780 CMR 105.3.1). Missing starred fields, a plot plan without septic lines, a pool or shed that misses the setbacks, and a pending Conservation Commission or ZBA decision are what usually stall a Hanson file.

Inspections in Hanson

For building inspections, call the Building Commissioner at 339-832-9211 or the office at 781-293-5503. The department’s inspection page sets the window at Monday to Thursday, 10 am to noon, with other times by confirmed request. Decks get three visits: footing, frame and final.

Plumbing and gas inspections are booked with the inspector at 781-706-7804, and a license holder must be on site for every plumbing and gas inspection. The posted hours differ between pages: the request page says Monday to Thursday after 3 pm, the FAQ says Tuesday to Thursday 2 to 5 pm, and a November 2024 notice says Tuesday to Thursday 4 to 6 pm, so confirm the time when you call. Wiring inspections are by appointment with the wire inspector at 781-389-5569. A failed building inspection costs $30 to re-inspect, a wiring re-inspection $50, and plumbing or gas $45 residential or $55 commercial; the certificate of occupancy is $75.

Building code and local bylaws in Hanson

Hanson enforces 780 CMR, 10th edition, with the electrical and plumbing codes. The Town’s local building rules are in its General Bylaws: Article 3-3 on residential pools, Article 3-13 on wetlands protection, and Article 2-17 on streets and highways. FEMA lists Hanson as a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective July 6, 2021.

Article 3-3, Section 2C, sets the procedure for removing an in-ground pool: a demolition permit with a site plan, draining to an approved location, hauling all concrete, liner and rebar to a state-approved facility, backfilling with clean compacted fill after the Building Department or its designee is notified, and an as-built record from a Massachusetts registered professional engineer. Dig Safe must be called 72 hours ahead.

Massachusetts has one State Building Code, 780 CMR, for every city and town; towns cannot rewrite it, though many opt into a stricter energy code. The trades run under their own state codes. Massachusetts rules

Hanson permit search and official resources

Applicants follow their own permits on the PermitEyes Homepage. For permits on another property, call the Building Department at 781-293-5503; the Town Clerk handles public records requests for other files.

• Hanson Building Department
• How to apply for a permit (PermitEyes)
• Hanson PermitEyes login
• Residential permit fees
• Commercial permit fees
• Wire permit fees
• Plumbing permit fees
• Gas permit fees
• Request a building inspection
• Request a plumbing or gas inspection
• Fences, sheds and greenhouses brochure
• Swimming pool permit requirements
• General Bylaw Article 3-3, residential swimming pools
• Hanson General Bylaws
• Hanson Conservation Commission
• FEMA Community Status Book, Massachusetts
• Massachusetts State Building Code (780 CMR)

Hanson building permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Hanson, MA?

The Hanson Building Department, Town Hall second floor, 542 Liberty Street (781-293-5503). It also issues wiring, plumbing and gas permits.

How much is a residential building permit in Hanson?

$30 plus $12 for each $1,000 of construction value, with a $50 minimum. A $200,000 addition, for example, comes to $2,430.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

Not if it is under 200 square feet, but it must sit in the side or rear yard at least 10 feet from those lot lines and stay within lot coverage. Larger sheds need a permit and a plot plan.

Do I need a permit for a fence?

The department’s brochure says no permit is needed for a fence 6 feet tall or less. Fences may go on the property line but must not block sight lines at driveways or roads.

How tall must a pool fence be?

At least 5 feet under General Bylaw 3-3, with gaps of no more than 4 inches and self-closing, self-latching gates.

Can a homeowner apply for their own permits?

Homeowners can file building and electrical permits in PermitEyes. Plumbing and gas permits must be filed by a licensed plumber or gas fitter.

When are building inspections done?

Monday to Thursday, 10 am to noon, booked through the Building Commissioner at 339-832-9211 or the office; other times are possible on confirmed request.

Is the Building Department open on Fridays?

No. Hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 am to 5 pm and Tuesday 8 am to 6 pm.

Simplify Hanson permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Massachusetts. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Hanson permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.