Suffolk County is made up of four municipalities, Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop, and each issues its own building permits. By the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimates their populations are Boston (672,973), Revere (60,141), Chelsea (40,130) and Winthrop (18,647).
This guide covers the building departments of Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop.
What requires a building permit in Suffolk County?
The State Building Code draws the same line in every Massachusetts city and town: ordinary repairs need no permit, while work that constructs, alters, repairs, removes or demolishes a building, or changes its use or occupancy, needs one from the local building official.
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
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Get a free quote →Who handles permitting in Suffolk County?
| City or town | Building office | Contact and hours |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | Inspectional Services Department (ISD), 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, 5th Floor | 617-635-5300; Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. |
| Revere | Building Department | 781-286-8197; inspectors in the office Monday thru Friday 8:15 am - 9:30 am and Monday thru Thursday 4-5 pm |
| Chelsea | Inspectional Services Department, 500 Broadway, Room #201 | 617-466-4130; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday to 7:00 p.m., Friday to 12:00 p.m. |
| Winthrop | Building Department / Inspectional Services, Town Hall, 1 Metcalf Square | 617-846-1852; Monday and Wednesday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM |
How each Suffolk County municipality takes permits
Boston
Some permits can be applied for through ISD’s online portal.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Revere
All Building Department permits (building, plumbing, gas, electrical, mechanical, sheet metal, certificates of occupancy, site plan review) are applied for online only through the city’s Citizenserve e-permitting portal. Site Plan Review applications are due by 4PM on the Wednesday before the committee’s meeting, which is every Tuesday at 10 am in the Building Department.
Chelsea
Permits are applied for, paid and tracked in the city’s online permitting system.
Winthrop
The department page links to the town’s online permits (‘Online Permits Here’).
Suffolk County permit costs and fees
Winthrop (2022 building fees, 1 or 2 family dwellings): a $40.00 filing fee plus $16.00 per $1,000 of construction value, with construction value figured at set rates such as $200 per sq ft for new construction and $150 per sq ft for remodeling; work started without permits pays a double fee.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a building permit in Suffolk County
Boston, Chelsea, Revere or Winthrop; each issues its own permits.
Boston’s ISD portal, Revere’s Citizenserve (the only way to file there), Chelsea’s online system, Winthrop’s online permits.
Due by 4PM Wednesday for the Tuesday committee meeting.
Revere and Winthrop limit when construction may run.
Boston uses ISD’s online inspection request.
Inspections and work hours in Suffolk County
Boston inspections are requested through ISD’s online inspection request. In Revere, work under Building Department permits is allowed Monday thru Saturday 8:00AM - 6:00PM, not on Sundays or holidays. Winthrop’s noise by-law bars construction before 7 am and after 7 pm.
Official Suffolk County permitting resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
Rather not deal with the Suffolk County building department?
Get a free quote →- Boston Inspectional Services
- Revere Building Department
- Chelsea Inspectional Services
- Winthrop Building Department
- Winthrop 2022 building permit fees
Frequently asked questions
Does Suffolk County issue building permits?
No. Each of its four municipalities, Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop, issues its own.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Can I file a Revere building permit on paper?
No. All Building Department permits are applied for online only through Citizenserve.
When can construction run in Winthrop?
Not before 7 am or after 7 pm, under the town’s noise by-law.
Simplify Suffolk County permitting with Alliance Permitting
- Confirm which city or town building department has the address and how it takes applications
- Prepare the building application and construction documents, plus the trade and local approvals that go with them
- Track the review, schedule inspections and close out the permit with the city or town
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →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.
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More Massachusetts permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Suffolk County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.