A carport is a roofed structure, so it takes a building permit in every Plymouth County town under 780 CMR. The town, never the county, reviews it, and local zoning setbacks control how close it can sit to the lot line.
Under 780 CMR a carport, attached or freestanding, is a structure that requires a building permit because of its roof and its wind and snow loads. The town building department in Brockton, Plymouth, or a South Shore town issues it; Massachusetts counties have no building authority. Plans show footings, framing, and anchorage to resist wind uplift and the ground snow load. Zoning is the tighter constraint: town bylaws set side and rear setbacks and lot coverage, and an attached carport counts toward the setback from the principal structure. The county plays no part in either code.
Building a carport without the town permit is illegal work under 780 CMR and draws a stop-work order and fines. A carport inside the zoning setback violates the town bylaw and can be ordered removed.
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