Suffolk County residents (Boston, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop) may grow cannabis at home under MGL c. 94G, §7: up to 6 plants per adult and 12 plants per household with more than one adult. Plants must be in a locked area not visible from public space. Landlords in all four municipalities may prohibit cultivation in rental units under the standard lease rider permitted by statute.
Home cultivation in Suffolk County is governed primarily by state law — MGL c. 94G, §7 (the adult-use cannabis statute passed via Question 4 in 2016 and amended by Chapter 55 of the Acts of 2017). Adults 21+ may grow up to 6 mature cannabis plants for personal use, capped at 12 plants per residence regardless of adult occupants. Plants must be grown inside a locked area and cannot be visible from any public place, including streets, sidewalks, or neighboring yards, without the aid of binoculars or other devices. Boston does not impose stricter cultivation caps in its zoning code (Boston Zoning Code Article 80), but home grows in multi-family buildings fall under Boston Public Health Commission smoking regulations — combustion of cannabis in common areas of buildings with 2+ units is prohibited. Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop follow state limits with no additional local grow caps. All four municipalities allow landlords to include no-smoking and no-cultivation clauses in leases under MGL c. 94G, §7(a)(5). Possession beyond the 10-ounce home storage limit, or any cultivation for sale without a Cannabis Control Commission license, is a criminal offense under MGL c. 94G, §13.
Over 6 plants per adult or 12 per household: civil penalty up to $100 per MGL c. 94G, §13. Plants visible from public: $300 fine. Cultivation for unlicensed sale: felony under MGL c. 94C. Landlord lease violations: eviction under MGL c. 186.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Chelsea, MA
Construction noise regulated under Chelsea Code Ch. 16 and MassDEP 310 CMR 7.10. Standard hours are Mon–Fri 7 AM–6 PM, Sat 8 AM–5 PM; no construction on Sund...
Chelsea, MA
Barking dogs addressed under Chelsea Code Ch. 4 (Animals) and general nuisance provisions. Excessive barking is a civil nuisance complaint under MGL c. 140. ...
Chelsea, MA
Chelsea enforces noise complaints through Chapter 16 (Miscellaneous Offenses). No single statewide decibel limit applies; the city relies on MassDEP 310 CMR ...
Chelsea, MA
Chelsea is in the flight path of Boston Logan International Airport (about 1 mile west). Aircraft noise is governed by federal FAA regulations and Massport; ...
Chelsea, MA
Chelsea has a citywide residential parking sticker program under Code §13-4.2. The Chelsea Waterfront District requires sticker parking 8 AM–6 PM Mon–Fri. St...
Chelsea, MA
Abandoned vehicles on public ways subject to state law MGL c. 90 §22C (72-hour threshold). Chelsea enforces through its ISD and Police Department. Inoperable...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Suffolk County.
See how Chelsea's home cultivation rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.