Bolthole Index

Essex County, Massachusetts

Building permits, zoning and septic in the Town of North Andover, Massachusetts

The Town of North Andover, Massachusetts issues building permits for single-family homes, additions and alterations through its Building Department.1 North Andover has its own zoning bylaw, with district-specific lot and setback requirements.2 North Andover’s Health Department reviews septic replacement plans and administers the replacement application process.3

At a glance

Building permits
Town Building Department issues building permits for homes, additions and alterations1
Zoning
Town zoning bylaw applies2
Septic
Health Department reviews septic replacement plans3
R-2 minimum lot
43,560 square feet, subject to additional dimensional rules and exceptions4
Village Residential setbacks
Front 25 feet, side 15 feet, rear 30 feet; projection and corner-lot rules apply5
Accessory dwellings
Allowed in specified residential districts, subject to detailed use regulations6

Who to call

Building permits

North Andover Building Department

Building permits and state building-code and zoning enforcement

978-688-9545

120 Main Street North Andover 01845

Planning & zoning

North Andover Planning Department

Subdivision plans and special-permit applications

978-688-9535

120 Main Street North Andover 01845

Septic permits

North Andover Health Department

State sanitary and environmental-code enforcement

978-688-9540

120 Main Street North Andover 01845

Septic permits

North Andover Health Department — septic installation guide

Septic repair and replacement process

978-688-9540

Building permits

North Andover online building and land-use applications

Online application access and public building-permit searches

Well permits

North Andover Health Department — septic and well forms

Septic construction, soil testing and well application forms

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 12, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of North Andover means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of North Andover, MA?

North Andover’s Building Department issues building permits for single-family dwellings, additions and alterations, along with other construction types.1 The town Building Department enforces the state building code and applicable North Andover zoning provisions.1 Start with the Building Department to describe the house or alteration you intend to build and request the application requirements.1 Treat zoning suitability as a separate part of that conversation: North Andover has a zoning bylaw, and accessory dwelling units are allowed only under the applicable residential-district use regulations.26

Who handles building permits and planning in the Town of North Andover?

Contact the North Andover Building Department at 978-688-9545 for building permits and zoning enforcement.1 Contact the North Andover Planning Department at 978-688-9535 for subdivision plans and special-permit applications.7 North Andover’s online application page links building applications and offers a search of available public permit records through OpenGov; an OpenGov login is required to use the online permitting system.8 Ask Building about the construction application and Planning about any subdivision or special-permit review the proposed project needs.17

Does the Town of North Andover have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

North Andover has a town zoning bylaw; use the parcel’s actual district when assessing a building site.2 In the Residence 2 district, the minimum lot area is 43,560 square feet, subject to contiguous-buildable-area, width, frontage and exception provisions.4 The Village Residential residential column also specifies 43,560 square feet, with additional conditions and footnotes.9 Village Residential minimum setbacks are 25 feet front, 15 feet side and 30 feet rear, subject to projection and corner-lot rules.5 Meeting the stated lot area alone does not resolve the other dimensional requirements.49

How do septic applications work in the Town of North Andover?

North Andover’s Health Department is the local contact for sanitary and environmental-code enforcement.10 For septic replacement, the town guide describes soil testing, with results sent to the Health Department and engineer, followed by an engineer or sanitarian designing the system and its placement.3 After approval, the homeowner can hire an installer to build the approved system.3 North Andover publishes a Soil Test Application and a Septic Disposal System Construction Permit.11 Ask the Health Department which forms and current fees apply to a new home or replacement system before commissioning the work.11

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of North Andover?

We could not confirm North Andover’s private-land RV occupancy, temporary camping or standalone tiny-home occupancy rules; ask the Building Department to evaluate your proposed use.1 North Andover’s allowance for accessory dwelling units applies in specified residential districts and points to detailed use regulations.6 That accessory-dwelling allowance does not establish permission for the RV or standalone tiny home you may have in mind.6 Before budgeting for a small dwelling, discuss its location and intended use with Building, and discuss any special-permit application with Planning.17

What should you check before building in the Town of North Andover?

Use this order to organize the initial office conversations:

  1. Ask Building to identify the applicable zoning requirements and building application for your proposed home.1
  2. Review district-specific lot conditions; the Residence 2 lot-area requirement also carries buildable-area, width, frontage and exception provisions.4
  3. Ask Planning about access that does not cross street frontage, because the bylaw provides for exceptions by Planning Board special permit.12
  4. Ask Health about septic soil testing and any private-well application.11

For land outside the town, consult the Essex County guide for orientation; Massachusetts building-code enforcement is assigned to the local city or town inspector.13

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm North Andover’s rules for living in an RV, temporary camping or occupying a standalone tiny home; ask the Building Department about the proposed use before buying.1
  • North Andover’s lot access generally must cross the street frontage, except for corner lots; an exception requires a Planning Board special permit.12
  • Ask the Health Department which private-well requirements apply to the parcel; North Andover publishes a Well and/or Pump Application and Board of Health well regulations.11

Sources

  1. North Andover Building Department (northandoverma.gov)
  2. Town of North Andover, MA Code of Ordinances (Town of North Andover), quoted and re-checked
  3. North Andover Health Department — septic installation guide (northandoverma.gov)
  4. Table 2: Summary Of Dimensional Requirements (Town of North Andover), quoted and re-checked
  5. Table 2: Summary Of Dimensional Requirements (Town of North Andover), quoted and re-checked
  6. Table 1: Summary of Use Regulations (Town of North Andover), quoted and re-checked
  7. North Andover Planning Department (northandoverma.gov)
  8. North Andover online building and land-use applications (northandoverma.gov)
  9. Table 2: Summary Of Dimensional Requirements (Town of North Andover), quoted and re-checked
  10. North Andover Health Department (northandoverma.gov)
  11. North Andover Health Department — septic and well forms (northandoverma.gov)
  12. Article 7: Dimensional Requirements (Town of North Andover), quoted and re-checked
  13. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 143, Section 3A: Enforcement of state building code (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 12, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of North Andover

Town of North Andover’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside North Andover town.

    • The Town code identifies Chapter 195 as Zoning.
    “Chapter 195 Zoning (§ 195-1.1 – § 195-20.13)”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwelling units in North Andover town residential districts.

    • The use table marks accessory dwelling units as allowed in specified residential districts.
    • The table directs users to the detailed district use regulations in Article 8, Part 14.
    “Accessory dwelling unit Y *** Y*** Y*** Y*** Y*** Y*** N N N N N N N N N N N N N N”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Access to lots inside North Andover town, except corner lots.

    • Access to each lot must be provided across the street frontage.
    • A Planning Board special permit may provide an exception.
    • Residential special-permit criteria include site appropriateness, environmental conditions, neighborhood impacts, hazards, and consistency with the bylaw.
    “Access to each lot, except for corner lots, must be provided across the street frontage. If access to a lot is not across the street frontage as of the date of the adoption of this Subsection B, the lot will not be considered nonconforming as to use or as to an existing structure on that lot. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the issuance of a special permit from the Planning Board.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of North Andover

Town of North Andover does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Residence 2 (R-2) District inside North Andover town.

    • Minimum lot areas are subject to Table 2 and the zoning bylaw's contiguous-buildable-area, lot-width, frontage, and exception provisions.

    minimum lot area: 43560 square feet

    “Lot area, minimum (square feet) 87,120 43,560 25,000 12,500 43,560 43,560 130,680”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Village Residential (VR) District inside North Andover town.

    • Minimum setbacks are subject to Table 2 and the bylaw's projection and corner-lot rules.

    front setback: 25 feet · side setback: 15 feet · rear setback: 30 feet

    “Front setback, minimum (feet) 30 30 30 30(2) 25 30 25”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of North Andover or Essex County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits for land inside North Andover town.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside North Andover town.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside North Andover town.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside North Andover town.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside North Andover town.
14 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of North Andover publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Essex County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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