Permits in Boston, MA

We file solar, battery, heat pump and generator permits with Boston's Inspectional Services Department, answer the plan reviewer's comments, and book the inspections.

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Who issues permits

Office: City of Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD)
How filings are submitted: ISD Online Portal · Not every permit type can be filed online.
Inspections: Inspections are requested by phone or through the portal's Inspections tab, and an inspector calls back within 48 hours. Most jobs need a rough and a final.

What residential jobs need in Boston

Solar

Rooftop solar needs a building permit and an electrical permit.
One- and two-family homes with systems under 20 kWh use the Short Form. Larger systems, or buildings with three or more units, use the Long Form.
The Short Form package includes a structural engineer's report, a roof sketch, the installer's HIC registration, and a homeowner waiver and site safety affidavit.
Only a contractor holding a Massachusetts trade license can pull the electrical permit.

Battery storage

Batteries must be UL 9540 listed and cannot go in living or sleeping areas; basements, garages and outdoor locations are allowed.
Units need three feet of separation, and the residential limit is generally 20 kWh per unit.
Expect engineer-stamped location plans and hardwired smoke detection.

Standby generators

Gas permits are filed by the licensed contractor, not the homeowner, with a copy of the license, a liability certificate and the state workers' comp affidavit. Fees are paid up front.

For any trade not listed here, we confirm the requirements with the department during jurisdiction research, before we file.

Where filings stall

A missing homeowner waiver or site safety affidavit on a Short Form solar filing.
Battery locations that put a unit in a finished living space.
Electrical permits filed under a license that does not match the contractor of record.

Massachusetts rules that apply

Building work on one- and two-family homes has to be supervised by a Construction Supervisor License (CSL) holder or a registered design professional, and most work on existing owner-occupied homes also needs a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration. Massachusetts does not recognize out-of-state contractor licenses.
The state's one- and two-family building permit application asks for the CSL number, the HIC registration number and a workers' compensation affidavit. A permit is not issued without the affidavit.
State guidance says installing a mini-split on a one- or two-family home triggers a building permit. A CSL is not needed for a basic install, but it is if building elements are cut or notched.
Sheet metal work needs a licensed sheet metal worker and a permit from the local building department before work starts.

Sources

Checked October 2026 against the city's and state's own pages. Requirements change, so we confirm them again on every project.

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You shouldn't have to become an expert in every city's permit process just to keep crews working.

$150 to file. $100 to run your inspections through final. City comments never billed, however many rounds.

Questions? Email us at permits@getpromatic.com

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