A New Era of Permitting in Boston
Permitting touches every aspect of work, life, and play in Boston. Yet, the experience of receiving these approvals can be deeply frustrating and burdensome - we are leveraging new technologies and updating policies to cut red tape and help you with what matters most.
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Still have questions? Contact:
Boston Digital Service
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1 City Hall Square, Room 703
Boston, MA 02201
Mayor's Office
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1 City Hall Square, Suite 500
Boston, MA 02201-2013
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
- No wrong door, only great service. You don’t need to know someone in City Hall to get what you need. Wherever you start with us will point you in the right direction.
- Tell us once. Saving you the frustration of repeating the same information to different parts of city government. Shared information systems will increase City department efficiency and prevent redundant requests.
- Real-time status updates. Know where you are in your permit process, see what’s coming next, and get your questions answered before you have them.
SHARE YOUR INPUT!
Frustrated by permitting? Want to share your experiences? Have ideas to make it better?
Let us know! We’d love to hear your ideas and feedback on the changes we make.
PROGRESS WE'VE ALREADY MADE
- No in-person visit needed. A supported online payment for more permitting applications and renewals, resulting in a 75% increase in businesses choosing to pay online versus in-person transactions over the last 5 years.
- Fire safety guidelines that prioritize simplicity and safety. Clear and user-friendly guidelines for material safety, with clarified flame certification and testing requirements – making it easier to open and operate a business while upholding fire safety.
- Fast and simple inspection requests. Instead of asking residents to call by phone, introduced a new option to request Inspectional Services Department (ISD) building permit inspections online, ensuring applicants can quickly request an inspection and keep their project on-track.
- Removing unnecessary Zoning Board of Appeal steps for many Groundwater Conservation Overlay District projects, saving projects months in the process. This proposed change is currently open for public comment for adoption this fall.
- Easier than ever to renovate space Downtown to meet your business’s needs. Making it easier for building owners to upgrade and rehabilitate their buildings; for example, making it easier for downtown offices to renovate existing buildings, or institutions to make green energy upgrades to aging facilities.
- Removing Certificate of Inspection annual renewals and inspection requirement for certain establishments with a capacity of less than 50 and no alcohol service saving time and money for 2000 businesses. Additional details will be shared with license holders as part of their 2026 renewal.
- A new development review process. With the first substantial amendment to Article 80 of the Zoning Code in 30 years, the City is improving development review to make it more predictable and ensure a consistent experience for developers and community members. Keep up with our progress on the Article 80 Modernization webpage.
Cutting Red Tape in Boston's Permitting Process
Credit: Boston Digital Service
COMING NEXT
Our work to transform the permit experience continues into the future. We’ll be working on improving your permit experience for:
- Building and improving your home
- Building and improving residential and commercial buildings
- Starting and growing your business
- Hosting an event or a gathering
- Living and working in your neighborhood
Come back to this page to see our progress, what’s coming next, and how you can stay involved.
PERMITTING RESOURCES
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Still have questions? Contact:
Boston Digital Service
-
1 City Hall Square, Room 703
Boston, MA 02201
Mayor's Office
-
1 City Hall Square, Suite 500
Boston, MA 02201-2013
