Bolthole Index

Plymouth County, Massachusetts

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Marshfield, Massachusetts

In the Town of Marshfield, Massachusetts, the town's own Building Department reviews building permit applications against the state building code and the town zoning bylaw1. Marshfield zoning is the town's Chapter 305 bylaw2. Septic permits come from the Marshfield Board of Health, not Plymouth County3.

At a glance

Building permit
Issued by the Marshfield Building Department1
Zoning
Town zoning bylaw, Chapter 3052
Minimum lot, R-1 district
43,560 sq ft with 125 ft of frontage4
Septic
Marshfield Board of Health disposal works permit5
RV or trailer living
Family-use trailers limited to 10 days with selectmen authorization6
Accessory dwelling
One allowed in single-family districts under state law7
Owner-builder
Exempt from home-improvement contractor registration, not from permits8

Who to call

Building permits

Marshfield Building Department

Building permits and inspections, zoning enforcement, and floodplain permits inside Marshfield

(781) 834-5555

870 Moraine Street, Marshfield, MA 02050

Septic permits

Marshfield Board of Health

Septic system permits under Title 5 and local rules, and private wells, inside Marshfield

(781) 834-5558

870 Moraine Street, Marshfield, MA 02050

Zoning

Marshfield Planning Board

Subdivision of land and planning matters inside Marshfield

(781) 834-5554

870 Moraine Street, Marshfield, MA 02050

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Marshfield, MA, and who issues it?

Yes. In Marshfield, building permits come from the town's own Building Department, which reviews every application for compliance with the state building codes and the town zoning bylaws1. Massachusetts applies one state building code to every city and town, enforced by each town's local inspector9. Plymouth County has no building department of its own; permits are obtained from each town10.

The department also checks workers' compensation insurance, home improvement contractor registrations and construction supervisor licenses where they apply1. Owner-builders are exempt from home-improvement contractor registration, but that exemption does not waive building permits or inspections8. We could not confirm Marshfield's fee schedule or application steps; ask the Building Department.

Does Marshfield have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Marshfield zones its own land under Chapter 305 of the town code, with additional overlay districts for wetlands, stormwater and the Brant Rock village2. Plymouth County does not zone11.

District matters. In the R-1 district a lot needs at least 43,560 square feet and 125 feet of frontage4. In R-2 the minimums are 20,000 square feet and 100 feet12. In R-3 they are 10,000 square feet and 80 feet13. Principal buildings in R-1, R-2 and R-3 are capped at 35 feet14. Lots partly inside a wetlands district follow Article XIII instead of these minimums4.

Massachusetts zoning cannot regulate the interior floor area of a single-family home15. Dividing land into new lots goes through the Planning Board under the town's subdivision chapter16.

How do septic permits work in Marshfield?

Inside Marshfield, the Board of Health regulates septic systems under a town chapter that supplements the state Title 5 code3. New or altered systems need a disposal works construction permit from the Board of Health, with documents also supplied to the Department of Public Works5. The system must be installed under the supervision of the designing engineer, and the as-built plan is due to the Board of Health within 30 days of the engineer's final inspection17.

Where a public sewer is available, building a new septic tank or cesspool is generally unlawful, and an occupied building abutting a sewer must connect at the owner's expense1819.

Soils matter too: only about 3% of Plymouth County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system20. We could not confirm Marshfield's private well rules; ask the Board of Health21.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Marshfield?

Not long term on a vacant lot. Marshfield's zoning allows trailers to be parked and occupied for family use for no more than 10 days, and only if the board of selectmen authorizes it, with water and sewage facilities approved by the board of health6. The same table row mentions a single extension, which we could not fully confirm, so ask the Building Department before planning around it6.

A manufactured home may stay up to twelve months only while the owner rebuilds a home destroyed by fire or another natural disaster22. The state tiny-house law applies only to designated seasonal communities, and we found nothing showing Marshfield is one23. We could not confirm any Marshfield tiny-home rule.

A single accessory dwelling unit is allowed by state law in single-family zoning districts, subject to reasonable local regulation7.

Building a home in Marshfield: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your zoning district and lot dimensions with the Building Department, which will meet with you to discuss a project and flood-zone questions1.
  2. Check for wetlands and floodplain overlays; buildings in the Brant Rock village overlay must be elevated above the FEMA base flood elevation24.
  3. If you are dividing land, go to the Planning Board first16.
  4. Apply to the Board of Health for a disposal works construction permit if no sewer serves the lot5.
  5. Apply for the building permit; plans are reviewed against the state code and zoning bylaw1.
  6. Finish with the engineer's final septic inspection and as-built plan17.

What stays with Plymouth County, and what to check before you buy in Marshfield?

Plymouth County does not administer zoning; each town adopts its own11. For land outside Marshfield, see the Plymouth County page.

Before buying, check the zoning district and any wetlands or floodplain overlay, whether public sewer reaches the lot, and soil conditions for septic. Plymouth County's effective property tax rate is 1.2%25. Sewer connection is governed by the town's sewer bylaw19.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Marshfield's building permit fees, application steps or inspection schedule; call the Building Department at (781) 834-55551.
  • The R-1, R-2 and R-3 figures are district-specific; a lot partly in a wetlands district follows different rules4.
  • Owner-builders are exempt from home-improvement contractor registration only, not from building permits8.
  • Trailer use for family occupancy is limited to 10 days with selectmen authorization6.

Sources

  1. Marshfield Building Department (marshfield-ma.gov)
  2. Town of Marshfield, MA code of ordinances table of contents (eCode360) (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 645: Sanitary Sewage Disposal (eCode360) (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  4. Chapter 305 Zoning, Article VI: Dimensional and Density Regulations (eCode360) (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 645: Sanitary Sewage Disposal (eCode360) (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 305 Zoning, Article V: Use Regulations (eCode360) (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  7. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40A, Section 3 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 142A, Section 14 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 143, Section 3A: Enforcement of state building code (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Mass.gov — 780 CMR Massachusetts State Building Code (Administration) (2026 county census)
  11. General Laws c. 40A, § 1A — Definitions, quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 305 Zoning, Article VI: Dimensional and Density Regulations (eCode360) (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  13. Chapter 305 Zoning, Article VI: Dimensional and Density Regulations (eCode360) (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  14. ecode360.com (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  15. General Law - Chapter 40A, Section 3 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Town of Marshfield, MA code of ordinances table of contents (eCode360) (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  17. Chapter 645: Sanitary Sewage Disposal (eCode360) (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  18. Chapter 223: Sewers (eCode360) (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  19. Chapter 223: Sewers (eCode360) (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  20. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Marshfield Board of Health (marshfield-ma.gov)
  22. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40A, Section 3 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 23B, Section 32 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Chapter 305 Zoning, Article XIII: Superimposed Districts (eCode360) (Town of Marshfield), quoted and re-checked
  25. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 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 Marshfield

Town of Marshfield’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Marshfield town limits, under the Town of Marshfield zoning bylaw (Chapter 305, Zoning)

    • Base district dimensional and use rules apply together with the superimposed districts in Article XIII (inland and coastal wetlands, stormwater overlay, Brant Rock village overlay and others).
    “division 3: zoning bylaw chapter 305 zoning (§ 305-1.01 – § 305-15.25)”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts of the Town of Marshfield zoning bylaw (Chapter 305)

    • Use table (§ 305-5.04) and dimensional table (§ 305-6.10) list the base districts; the official zoning map is referenced in the bylaw but was not opened.
    “r-1 any permitted use 43,560 125 150 40 20 40 35 2.5 1 15% 50%”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 district (any permitted use, including one-family detached dwellings) inside Marshfield town

    • Lots partly within the inland or coastal wetlands district: lot area is governed by Article XIII (note 2 to the table).
    • Open space residential development (§ 305-11.04) is a special-permit alternative in R-1 (Article V table row 2).

    minimum lot area: >= 43560 square feet (lots partly in wetlands districts per note 2) · minimum lot frontage (width): >= 125 feet

    “r-1 any permitted use 43,560 125 150 40 20 40 35 2.5 1 15% 50%”
    3 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    District labeled 'a' in the § 305-6.10 table inside Marshfield town; district name not confirmed

    • Minimum open space 30% per row 'a'.

    maximum building area: <= 40 percent of lot · minimum open space area: >= 30 percent of lot

    “a any permitted use 20,000 125 100 40 20 40 35 3 40% 30%”
    3 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Specified — R-1 district lots inside Marshfield town
      “r-1 any permitted use 43,560 125 150 40 20 40 35 2.5 1 15% 50%”
    • Specified — R-2 district lots inside Marshfield town
      “r-2 any permitted use 20,000 100 120 40 15 40 35 2.5 1 25% 40%”
    • Specified — R-3 district lots inside Marshfield town
      “r-3 any permitted use 10,000 80 100 15 15 30 35 2.5 1 40% 30%”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 district principal buildings inside Marshfield town

    • Note 1: in the R-1, R-2 and R-3 districts the height may be increased to three stories if the minimum front yard is increased by 14 feet and the minimum side yard is increased by five feet.
    • § 305-6.07: an accessory building in the R district may not exceed 20 feet in height.

    maximum height: <= 35 feet (may increase to three stories per note 1) · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories (note 1 allows three stories with added yard setbacks)

    “1 in the r-1, r-2 and r-3 districts, the height may be increased to three stories if the minimum front yard is increased by 14 feet and the minimum side yard is increased by five feet.”
    3 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Specified — R-2 district principal buildings inside Marshfield town
      “r-2 any permitted use 20,000 100 120 40 15 40 35 2.5 1 25% 40%”
    • Specified — R-3 district principal buildings inside Marshfield town
      “r-3 any permitted use 10,000 80 100 15 15 30 35 2.5 1 40% 30%”
    • Specified — District labeled 'a' in the § 305-6.10 table inside Marshfield town; district name not confirmed
      “a any permitted use 20,000 125 100 40 20 40 35 3 40% 30%”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    Trailers (any trailer-type body, mobile or immobile) parked and occupied for family use inside Marshfield town, per the Table of Use Regulations row on trailers

    • Permitted for not more than 10 days, and only if the board of selectmen authorizes the use.
    • Requires suitable running water and sanitary sewage facilities as approved by the board of health.
    • The same table row also refers to a single 6-month extension; the full row text before the quoted phrase was not captured, so construction-related trailer rules are not confirmed.

    maximum occupancy period: <= 10 days (use must be authorized by the board of selectmen)

    “trailers to be parked and occupied for family use for a period of not more than 10 days provided that the use is authorized by the board of selectmen”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Trailers parked and occupied for family use on private land inside Marshfield town

    • Not more than 10 days, with board of selectmen authorization and board of health-approved water and sanitary facilities.
    • Other camping rules (campgrounds, tent camping) were not found on the pages opened.

    maximum period: <= 10 days (board of selectmen authorization required)

    “trailers to be parked and occupied for family use for a period of not more than 10 days provided that the use is authorized by the board of selectmen”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    On-site sewage disposal (septic) systems on land inside Marshfield town

    • The Marshfield board of health regulates septic systems under Chapter 645, which adopts the state environmental code (Title 5) with local additions.
    • Permits are issued through the board of health with the department of public works also involved in the application.
    “the board of health of marshfield hereby adopts the following regulations relative to the disposal of sanitary sewage in unsewered areas as supplements to title 5 of the state environmental code”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New or altered on-site septic systems (disposal works) inside Marshfield town

    • A disposal works construction permit is needed from the Marshfield board of health; the applicant must submit the supporting documents to the board and the Department of Public Works.
    • Local variances and percolation/groundwater testing requirements in Chapter 645 also apply.
    “the applicant shall supply this documentation to the board and the department of public works when applying for a disposal works construction permit.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    New or altered on-site septic systems inside Marshfield town

    • The system must be installed under the direct supervision of the designing engineer.
    • An as-built plan is due to the board of health no later than 30 days after the engineer's final inspection.
    • Board agent inspections are also referenced for septic tank and leaching work.

    as-built submission deadline: <= 30 days (after the design engineer's final inspection)

    “"as builts" must be submitted to the board of health office no later than 30 days after the design engineer completes the final inspection of the septic system.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Wastewater disposal on lots that do not have public sanitary sewer available inside Marshfield town

    • Where public sewer is available, new privies, septic tanks, cesspools and similar facilities are unlawful except as Chapter 223 allows.
    • Where no sewer is available, on-site septic systems must meet the Board of Health permit and Title 5 rules in Chapter 645.
    “where use of public sewer is available, it shall be unlawful to construct, reconstruct, or extend any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of wastewater, except as otherwise allowed in this regulation.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Houses and buildings used for human occupancy that abut a street or right-of-way with a public sanitary sewer inside Marshfield town

    • Connection is at the owner's expense and must follow the bylaw, the State Plumbing Code and DPW specifications.
    • The connection deadline after the sewer is ready is in § 223-4c, which was not opened.
    • No distance-from-main threshold was found in the opened text.
    “is required at the owner's expense to connect to the public sewer.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Division of land into lots inside Marshfield town, under the Planning Board subdivision regulations

    • Chapter 405 covers subdivision of land (§ 405-1 to § 405-25); its procedures and standards were not opened.
    “chapter 405 subdivision of land (§ 405-1 &ndash; § 405-25)”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Brant Rock village overlay (BRVO) district only, where building is elected under the floodproofing option; the inland wetlands district also carries flood-protection conditions

    • BRVO buildings must be elevated above the FEMA FIRM base flood elevation.
    • Inland wetlands district special permits must consider flood hazards and past flooding notices.
    • FEMA flood map areas outside these overlays were not reviewed.
    “all of the building shall be elevated above the fema firm base flood elevation (bfe).”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — New dwelling construction inside Marshfield town
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a dwelling inside Marshfield town
  • Building code adopted — Building code enforcement inside Marshfield town
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Marshfield town
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Marshfield town
8 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Marshfield publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Plymouth County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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