Framingham, MA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Framingham, MA, also referred to as storage shed, backyard shed, or accessory building regulations, set size limits, setbacks, and when a building permit is required.
Key Facts
- Max floor area
- 120 square feet, § 435-27E(7)(b)[1]
- Max height
- 12 feet from average natural grade
- Front setback
- Prohibited; not closer than primary structure
- Side lot line distance
- At least half the required side setback
- Structure limit
- Maximum 2 per lot in side setbacks, § 435-27E(7)(d)
Summary
In the City of Framingham, a shed or other limited accessory structure can sit inside the side setback under Zoning Ordinance § 435-27E(7), but only up to 120 square feet of gross floor area and 12 feet in height. It must stay out of the front setback, keep at least half the required side setback from the lot line, and no more than two are allowed in the side setbacks on one lot.
(7) Limited accessory structures. ... (b) Dimensional regulations for limited accessory structures. A limited accessory structure: [1] Shall be no larger than 120 square feet of gross floor area. [2] Shall not be more than 12 feet in height as measured from the average natural grade at a distance of up to three feet from the structure. [3] Shall not be located within the required front setback or any closer to that setback than the primary structure. (c) The accessory structure may be located at a distance from the lot line not less than 1/2 of the required minimum side setback. (d) No more than two limited accessory structures shall be permitted within the required side setbacks on any one lot.
Full Breakdown
Framingham's zoning ordinarily bars buildings from a required setback, but § 435-27E(7) carves out a specific allowance for small accessory buildings like sheds, provided they meet the dimensional caps in § 435-27E(7)(b). The structure cannot exceed 120 square feet of gross floor area, and its height is capped at 12 feet, measured from the average natural grade within three feet of the structure rather than from a single reference point, which prevents a builder from grading around the height limit. The same subsection blocks placement in the required front setback outright, and it also bars locating a limited accessory structure any closer to the front setback line than the home's primary structure, so a shed cannot be pushed forward of the house itself.
Section 435-27E(7)(c) sets the minimum distance from the side lot line at half of whatever side setback the district's Table of Dimensional Regulations requires for that lot, meaning the exact buildable location shifts with the base district setback. Framingham also caps density of this exception: § 435-27E(7)(d) allows no more than two limited accessory structures within the required side setbacks on any single lot, so a homeowner cannot fill the side yard with multiple sheds under this setback allowance even if each one individually meets the size and placement rules.
Violations & Fines
The Building Commissioner enforces the accessory structure standards in Chapter 435, including § 435-27E(7), under § 435-42 of the Framingham City Code. An oversized shed, one placed in the front setback, or a third structure crowded into the side setback is a zoning violation punishable by a fine of up to $300 per offense, with each day of continued violation a separate offense, or a $50 noncriminal citation under MGL c. 40, § 21D.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can a shed be in a Framingham side setback?
Can I put a shed in my front setback in Framingham?
How many sheds can I have in my Framingham side yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Framingham
How Framingham compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Framingham to another location·View the Massachusetts accessory structures overview
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