Storage of liquefied petroleum gas in Boston is regulated under 527 CMR 1.00 (Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code) and Boston Code Ch. 11-2.1, with BFD permits required for tanks above household quantities.
Boston follows 527 CMR 1.00, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code adopting NFPA 1, plus NFPA 58 for liquefied petroleum gas. Residential occupants may keep small portable cylinders for grilling, but Massachusetts law (MGL Ch. 148 §13) requires a license from the local licensing authority for any propane storage above threshold quantities, with a permit from the Boston Fire Department for new or substantially modified tanks. Apartment buildings and condominiums generally cannot store propane cylinders larger than one pound on balconies or in basements. Commercial users must complete the BFD storage permit, post NFPA placards, and maintain clearances from ignition sources, doors, and means of egress.
Unpermitted storage exceeding household limits triggers BFD orders to cease storage, civil fines under Ch. 11, and potential criminal penalties under MGL Ch. 148 §13 for unlicensed storage of flammables.
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See how Boston's propane storage rules stack up against other locations.
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