Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-05
14 of Massachusetts's 14 counties — 100% — let an owner build their own home without a licensed contractor. That is the 44th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Franklin County (67/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 2952 counties nationwide → Massachusetts: no zoning → Full Massachusetts profile →
14 of 14 Massachusetts counties · sorted by Index score
Homeowners may apply for a building permit on their own primary residence under the homeowner exemption in 780 CMR (110.R5), exempting them from the construction supervisor lice…
Mass.gov - Massachusetts law about home improvement (homeowner exemption) ↗Under 780 CMR, a homeowner who owns and resides (or intends to reside) in a one- or two-family dwelling is exempt from the construction supervisor licensing provisions and may a…
780 CMR Massachusetts Building Code - Administration ↗Under 780 CMR 110.R5 a homeowner may pull a building permit for a one- or two-family dwelling they own/reside in and act as their own construction supervisor, exempt from licens…
780 CMR 110.R5 Registration and Licensing (homeowner exemption) ↗A homeowner of an owner-occupied one- or two-family dwelling may obtain a building permit without a construction supervisor's license under the 780 CMR homeowner license exempti…
Mass.gov - When is a Construction Supervisor License Required (homeowner exemption) ↗Under the statewide Massachusetts State Building Code (780 CMR homeowner provision), an owner-occupant of a one- or two-family dwelling may perform work without a construction s…
Massachusetts 780 CMR Homeowner Construction Supervisor License Exemption Affidavit ↗Massachusetts 780 CMR exempts a homeowner performing work on their own one- or two-family dwelling from the Construction Supervisor License requirement (they must still obtain a…
Mass.gov - When is a Construction Supervisor License required? ↗Under 780 CMR, owner-occupants performing work on their own 1- and 2-family dwelling are exempt from the construction-supervisor licensing provisions, though a building permit i…
City of Worcester - Inspectional Services ↗Under 780 CMR, an owner-occupant of a one- or two-family dwelling may obtain the building permit and act as their own contractor without a construction supervisor license.
Mass.gov — 780 CMR State Building Code (Administration) ↗Massachusetts exempts a homeowner from the construction supervisor licensing provisions of 780 CMR 110.R5 for work on their own one- or two-family dwelling (they must supervise …
780 CMR 110.R5 - Registration and Licensing (Homeowner Exemption) ↗Massachusetts 780 CMR exempts a homeowner performing work on their own one- or two-family dwelling from the Construction Supervisor License requirement (a building permit is sti…
Mass.gov - When is a Construction Supervisor License required? ↗Under 780 CMR a homeowner of a one- or two-family dwelling may secure their own building permit and is exempt from the construction-supervisor licensing provisions (statewide, a…
Mass.gov - 780 CMR Massachusetts State Building Code ↗Under 780 CMR (Ch. 110.R5) a homeowner of a one- or two-family dwelling is exempt from the construction supervisor license requirement and may pull and supervise their own permi…
City of Cambridge Homeowner's Affidavit (CSL Exemption) ↗Statewide rule. Persons building their own home or personally doing renovations, regarding registration under Massachusetts home-improvement-contractor law, Chapter 142A. This i…
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 142A, Section 14 ↗Under 780 CMR a homeowner of a one- or two-family dwelling may pull their own building permit and is exempt from the construction-supervisor licensing provisions; Boston ISD pub…
City of Boston ISD - Homeowner Construction License Exemption ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Massachusetts state page for all 14 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these Massachusetts counties? The kit we'd start with:
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General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
