Building Permits in Massachusetts

How much does a building permit cost in Massachusetts?

Most building permits in the United States cost between $150 and $2,000, with a national median around $1,300. Permit fees are usually set as a percentage of the declared project value — commonly 0.5% to 2% — or on a per-$1,000-of-valuation schedule, so a larger Massachusetts project pays a proportionally larger permit fee.

Across the 61,723 Massachusetts permits we currently track, the average declared project value is about $151,000. At a typical 0.5%–2% permit-fee schedule, that implies roughly $750–$3,000 in permit fees for an average Massachusetts project — though your city's fee schedule and project scope set the exact figure.

Massachusetts Building Permit Activity

Across 10 Massachusetts cities we tracked 2,339 new building permits in the last 30 days, representing $158M in declared construction value. That's up 39.6% from the prior 30 days.

Fastest-growing Massachusetts markets this month

• Somerville — 129 permits, up 10.3% vs the prior month
• Worcester — 375 permits, up 1.6% vs the prior month
• Brookline — 711 permits, up -0.1% vs the prior month
• Malden — 249 permits, up -22.2% vs the prior month
• Cambridge — 30 permits, up -78.1% vs the prior month

Biggest project in Massachusetts this month

$44.2M certificate of occupancy permit in Boston at 117a Lake St.

Massachusetts Construction Market

We're tracking 61,723 active building permits across 10 Massachusetts cities, led by Cambridge with 28293 tracked permits.

PermitGrab pulls this data daily, directly from Massachusetts municipal permit offices — so you see new residential renovations, commercial buildouts, and major developments as they're filed, before your competition finds them.

Browse the cities above to explore specific markets, or sign up for Pro to get daily email alerts and full contact information for permit holders.

Frequently Asked Questions About Massachusetts Building Permits