New Bedford, MA Accessory Structures: Carport Rules (2026)

New Bedford's Chapter 9 Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance addresses accessory buildings and structures - including carports, whether open-sided or enclosed, attached or detached - in Section 2330. Section 2331 requires that detached private garages (the closest analog the code uses for vehicle accessory structures) sit at least 10 feet from the principal building, unless the structure meets the Massachusetts State Building Code fire-rating standards for attached garages, in which case the 10-foot separation is waived. Side yard setbacks for detached accessory garages match the side-yard requirement of the principal dwelling, and detached garages must sit at least 4 feet from the rear lot line. Section 2332 caps aggregate accessory-building footprint at 40 percent of the required rear yard. Section 2333 imposes an 18-foot height ceiling on any accessory building or structure. Section 2334 sets the front-yard rule: no part of an accessory building may sit within 30 feet of the street line on which the principal structure fronts; if the accessory structure is located within 50 feet of the front street line, no part may be within 12 feet of any side lot line that intersects the street, and beyond 50 feet the principal-dwelling side yard applies. Section 2335 contains a corner-lot exception allowing a garage of up to 24 feet of depth at the rear, provided it remains at least 20 feet from the longer side street line and 12 feet from any intersecting lot line. An attached carport is considered part of the principal structure and must meet the principal-structure setbacks of the underlying district. Building, electrical, and structural permits are administered by the New Bedford Inspectional Services Department under 780 CMR (the Massachusetts State Building Code, currently the Tenth Edition based on the 2021 IBC/IRC). 780 CMR §R105.2 generally exempts one-story detached accessory structures of 200 square feet or less from a building permit, but a typical vehicle-sized carport exceeds that threshold and requires a permit. Lots in or near a New Bedford local historic district may require additional Historical Commission review.