Medway, Massachusetts Building Permit Guide

In Medway, the Building Department at Town Hall, 155 Village Street (508-533-3253), issues building, sheet metal, wiring, plumbing and gas permits, and every application is filed online in the Town’s Citizenserve portal. A residential building permit costs $10 per $1,000 of estimated construction cost with a $50 minimum under the schedule effective December 7, 2020, and the Town enforces the Stretch Energy Code it adopted as Article 25 of its General Bylaws.

What requires a building permit in Medway?

The department’s fee schedule and license chart show the work it permits in this town of about 13,800 residents (Census estimate, 2025). On the residential side that covers new construction, installation, remodeling, renovation and demolition, including roofing, siding, windows and doors, stoves, solar installations, sheds and utility buildings, temporary trailers and tents. Commercial permits cover the same kinds of work plus signs and construction trailers. Pools need a building permit with the Town’s pool addendum, and fences of 7 feet or more and retaining or masonry walls of 4 feet or more are listed as jobs that call for a Construction Supervisor License.

What Medway decides and what the state holds

The building code itself, 780 CMR, comes from the state Board of Building Regulations and Standards and is the same in every Massachusetts town; Medway cannot amend it. The Town sets the permit fees, chose the Stretch Energy Code (Article 25 of the General Bylaws, in force since January 1, 2012), and writes its own Zoning Bylaw, wetlands bylaw (Article 21), stormwater and land disturbance bylaw (Article 26) and demolition delay bylaw (Article 17). New accessory dwelling unit rules took effect on February 2, 2025, and the department posts the ADU section of the Zoning Bylaw with its guides for decks, basement conversions and pools.

Medway building department: who handles permitting

The Building Department issues and inspects all building, sheet metal, electrical, plumbing and gas permits for property in Medway. Jonathan Ackley is the Building Commissioner and also the Zoning Enforcement Agent, so setback and district questions go to the same office. A building inspector, a code compliance and weights and measures officer, an electrical inspector and a gas and plumbing inspector work under him.

Fees collected by the department pay for its overhead and inspection services, and any balance left at year end goes back to the Town’s general fund. Complaints about construction or zoning use the department’s complaint form.

Medway permit types and the approvals that come first

Every application starts in Citizenserve. To get past the first review, the department asks for three things up front: a valid Massachusetts license, a certificate of insurance showing liability and/or workers’ compensation coverage, and payment. The inspector may ask for more once that preliminary review is done, and the department stresses that applying is not the same as holding a permit.

Residential permits

Medway’s license chart lists, job by job, which credential the applicant must hold. Central air and demolition need at least a Construction Supervisor License (CSL). Decks, roofing, siding, windows, door replacements, structural carpentry, insulation, shed construction, solar panels, solid-fuel appliances and new homes need a CSL and Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration. Kitchen cabinets need a CSL only when they are part of a larger project, gutters only when the building envelope is pierced, and exterior painting needs HIC registration once the job costs more than $1,000. Pools need a CSL or HIC depending on the project and design to ANSI/NSPI-4 or 5, and the department also posts a RESCheck link and a list of certified HERS raters for low-rise new construction.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial and multi-family work is charged at the higher commercial rates and each unit needs its own trade permit. The department posts an ADA compliance self-report and a periodic inspections request form for buildings that need recurring certificates of inspection, and the Planning and Economic Development Board’s site plan review applies before a building or occupancy permit for any change to a non-residential, non-agricultural use. Signs are reviewed under the Design Review Committee’s sign process and pay $40 for the first 10 square feet plus $2 for each extra square foot.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning: setbacks for each district are printed on the zoning map; variances, special permits and comprehensive permits go to the Zoning Board of Appeals, which hears cases on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm (508-321-4915). The ZBA accepts only checks payable to the Town of Medway and warns of fake emailed invoices.
• Conservation Commission: the Town’s wetlands bylaw reaches 100 feet from wetlands, ponds, streams and flood-prone land and bars work within 25 feet of a resource area unless the Commission allows it. Isolated vegetated wetlands are protected once they reach 5,000 square feet. The Conservation Agent is at 508-533-3292.
• Stormwater: Article 26 covers land disturbance of 20,000 square feet or more, including smaller lots that are part of one larger plan.
• Board of Health (Title 5): septic designs, percolation testing and private wells go through the Board of Health (Health Director, 508-533-3206), which keeps separate Title V and well pages.
• Floodplain: work in a mapped flood zone uses the department’s own floodplain permit application.
• Historical Commission: demolition of a structure 75 years old or more is held for review under Article 17 (see below).

Medway building permit fees

The building and sheet metal fee schedule has been in effect since December 7, 2020. The value used for the fee is not simply the contract price: the schedule says the estimated value is set from the square-foot construction costs in the latest building valuation data published by the International Code Council.

For example, if the valuation of a house addition comes to $60,000, the building permit is 60 × $10, or $600; the same value on a commercial job would be 60 × $13, or $780. A permit lapses unless work starts within six months of issue, and fees are neither refundable nor transferable once the permit is issued. Starting before the permit triples the cost, which on that $600 addition would mean $1,800.

Trade permits and who may pull them

The electrical inspector (ext. 3) and the gas and plumbing inspector (ext. 1) review their own applications in Citizenserve. The department’s license chart says every electrical permit needs a journeyman electrician, and gas and plumbing permits need a master or journeyman, with a gas fitter’s license or a sheet metal license in some cases. CSL and HIC credentials cover the building permit only; a homeowner working on a one- or two-family home they live in may file for the building permit under the state code’s homeowner exemption.

A new bathroom with four fixtures on the residential plumbing schedule would be $80 plus three additional fixtures at $10, or $110. The department’s turnaround sheet notes that the gas and plumbing inspector must act on a licensee’s application within two working days of receiving it, although acting is not the same as approving.

How to apply for a Medway building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Under 780 CMR 105.3.1, the building official issues or denies a permit within 30 days of filing, and a denial must be in writing with reasons. Medway’s own turnaround sheet repeats that rule and lists the items that must be settled before any building permit issues, starting with zoning and water supply. An application does not get past the first review without the license, the insurance certificate and payment; after that, an open wetlands filing, a pending ZBA decision or a demolition held by the Historical Commission keeps the permit from issuing.

Inspections in Medway

The Building Department schedules every required inspection, and requests go through the same Citizenserve portal used for the permit; results and inspection notes then appear on the permit record for anyone with a portal account. Wiring inspections are charged per visit on the residential schedule ($50 each for fixtures, switches and outlets), so a job that needs a rough and a final pays twice, while a new home’s $150 wiring fee already covers the service, rough and final visits. The department posts guides for decks and porches, basement conversions and pools, and pool permits carry the Town’s own addendum. A failed visit because work is not ready or the site is locked costs $50, after-hours or emergency inspections cost $200, and a new home closes with a $50 certificate of occupancy ($100 for commercial). Buildings that need periodic certificates of inspection use the department’s request form.

Medway building and energy code

Medway enforces the 10th edition of 780 CMR with the Stretch Energy Code; Article 25 of the General Bylaws incorporates it by reference and makes the Building Commissioner its enforcer. Under the demolition delay bylaw, the Commissioner sends any application for a structure 75 years or older to the Historical Commission within seven business days. The Commission makes an initial finding within 45 days of a complete application and, if the structure is significant, opens a hearing within another 45 days. A building found preferably preserved cannot be demolished for 12 months if it is 75 to 149 years old, 18 months if 150 to 199, and 24 months if 200 or older, and a demolition permit expires 18 months after it is issued. The November 9, 2026 Fall Town Meeting warrant includes Article 9, which would amend Section 5.5 of the Zoning Bylaw on nonconforming uses and structures. FEMA lists Medway as a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective July 8, 2025.

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

Medway permit search and official resources

To look up a permit, open Citizenserve, choose “Search for a Permit” and enter the street address without the suffix (no ST, RD or AVE); the result shows the permit’s status. Viewing the reviews, documents and inspection records needs a free portal account, and the department asks real estate agents to register as “Business Manager.” Older files can be requested through the Town’s public records request page.

• Medway Building Department
• Medway Citizenserve permit and inspection portal
• Building and sheet metal fee schedule (December 7, 2020)
• Wiring fee schedule
• Gas and plumbing fee schedule
• Required licenses by project
• Minimal and mandatory required documents
• Permit turnaround times
• Instructions on researching permits
• Medway General Bylaws (Articles 17, 21, 25, 26)
• Zoning Board of Appeals
• Conservation Commission
• Board of Health
• Historical Commission and demolition application
• Fall Town Meeting warrant, November 9, 2026
• FEMA Community Status Book, Massachusetts
• Massachusetts State Building Code (780 CMR)

Medway building permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Medway, MA?

The Building Department at Town Hall, 155 Village Street (508-533-3253). It also issues the wiring, plumbing, gas and sheet metal permits.

Can I apply on paper in Medway?

The department says building, gas, plumbing, wiring and sheet metal applications are applied for online through Citizenserve. Call the office if you need help with the portal.

How much does a building permit cost for a house project?

$10 per $1,000 of estimated construction cost with a $50 minimum; a project valued at $60,000 is $600.

What happens if I start work before the permit?

The permit fee is multiplied by three under every Medway fee schedule.

Which license do I need to pull a roofing or deck permit?

The department’s chart lists a Construction Supervisor License and Home Improvement Contractor registration for roofing, siding, windows and decks.

Does Medway use the Stretch Energy Code?

Yes. Article 25 of the General Bylaws adopts it, effective January 1, 2012, and the Building Commissioner enforces it.

How long can a demolition be delayed?

Up to 12, 18 or 24 months from the Historical Commission’s finding, depending on whether the structure is 75, 150 or 200 years old or more.

How do I find an old permit for a house I am buying?

Search Citizenserve by street address; register for a free account to see the documents and inspection results.

Simplify Medway 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 Medway permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.