Bolthole Index

Franklin County, Massachusetts

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Erving, Massachusetts

The Town of Erving, Massachusetts, in Franklin County, has its own zoning bylaw with four districts1. Building permits for residential work are handled through the Franklin County Cooperative Inspection Program2. Septic permits come from the local board of health, not the zoning board3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; handled through the Franklin County Cooperative Inspection Program2
Zoning
Town zoning bylaw (Article 230) with Central Village, Village Residential, Rural Residential and French King districts1
Septic
Permit from the local board of health under the state septic code3
RV living
Limited to 90 days per year and two mobile units per parcel, with no utilities attached4
Mobile homes
Not allowed as a year-round residence in any district5
Accessory dwelling
Detached unit by special permit from the planning board6
Minimum lot (VR and RR)
65,340 square feet with 175 feet of frontage78
Owner-builder
Registration exemption for building your own home; not a permit exemption9

Who to call

Building permits

Franklin County Cooperative Inspection Program (Erving Building Inspector)

Building, plumbing, gas and electrical permits for Erving, including pools, decks, sheds, carports and renovations

413-774-3167 ext. 109

12 Olive Street, Greenfield, MA 01301

Zoning

Erving Planning Department (Town Planner)

Community development and support for the town's planning and zoning boards; the Planning Board issues accessory dwelling special permits

413-422-2800

12 E Main Street, Erving, MA 01344

Septic permits

Erving Health Department (Board of Health)

Local board of health permits, including septic system and private well questions

413-422-2800

12 East Main Street, Erving, MA 01344

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Erving means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Erving, Massachusetts have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, mobile homes and lot size?

Yes. The Town of Erving adopts and enforces its own zoning bylaw, Article 230, with Central Village, Village Residential, Rural Residential and French King districts plus floodplain and groundwater protection overlays1. The town publishes its official zoning map and the bylaw names it10.

In the Village Residential and Rural Residential districts, a lot needs at least 65,340 square feet and 175 feet of frontage78. Both districts require at least 20 feet for front, side and rear yards1112, and cap lot coverage at 50%13 and building height at 45 feet14.

RVs, camp trailers and motor homes may be occupied as a temporary dwelling for a maximum of 90 days per year, with a limit of two mobile units per parcel and no electrical, gas or septic service attached4. A mobile home or mobile home park is not permitted in any Erving district for year-round residence5. The one exception is a mobile home placed for up to 24 months on the site of a residence destroyed by fire, with permits from the building inspector and the board of health15.

We could not confirm whether the bylaw addresses tiny homes or sets a minimum dwelling size; ask the Town Planner.

Do you need a building permit in Erving, and who issues it?

Yes. Erving requires building permits for residential work, administered through the Franklin County Cooperative Inspection Program, which also covers plumbing, gas and electrical permits216. The program's page lists pools, decks, sheds, carports and interior and exterior renovations among the work it covers16. Erving is a member of the program16.

The Massachusetts State Building Code is the code for buildings in every Massachusetts town, enforced by the local inspector17. A person building their own home is exempt from home-improvement-contractor registration, but that is not an exemption from building permits or inspections9.

We could not confirm Erving's permit fees, inspection schedule or certificate-of-occupancy rules; ask the building inspector's office before you budget.

How do septic permits work in Erving?

Septic permits for a house with up to four dwelling units are issued by the town board of health, not by the county or the zoning board3. The Erving Health Department is the office to ask18. State Title 5 sets the minimum standards, and the local board administers permits19.

An application includes deep observation holes, percolation test results and a plan that meets the state sanitary code and local health regulations. If the board does not decide within 45 days, the permit is deemed granted3.

Soil matters here: only about 1.4% of soils in Franklin County rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system20. We could not confirm Erving's own septic, well or sewer-connection rules; the Board of Health can tell you whether a lot is on town sewer.

Can you build a second dwelling or live in an RV on your land in Erving?

An RV can serve as a temporary dwelling for a maximum of 90 days per year in Erving, with no permanent structure or utility service attached4. Living in an RV while you build a house is therefore not a long-term option. In flood zones, RVs must be elevated and anchored, stay on site fewer than 180 consecutive days, or be fully licensed and highway ready4.

A detached accessory dwelling unit needs a special permit from the planning board, must be a complete unit with its own entry, kitchen and bathroom, and may not exceed 900 square feet6. Massachusetts law also protects a single accessory dwelling unit in a single-family zoning district, though towns may apply reasonable setback, height and site-plan rules21.

Building a home in Erving: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the district on the town's official zoning map and check lot size and frontage against Article 23010.
  2. If you are dividing land, submit a plan to the planning board first; Erving also has local subdivision regulations2223.
  3. Contact the Erving Health Department about septic design, soil testing and well questions318.
  4. Apply for building, plumbing, gas and electrical permits through the Franklin County Cooperative Inspection Program216.
  5. Ask the Town Planner about special permits, such as an accessory dwelling624.

What stays with Franklin County and the state, and what to check before you buy in Erving

Franklin County has no county government that sets rules for Erving; zoning is adopted by each town25. For land outside Erving, see the Franklin County page.

Check whether the lot lies in the floodplain overlay, where extra rules apply1. Franklin County's effective property tax rate is 1.5%26, and the typical home is valued at about $379,65627. About 86.6% of the county is wooded28, so expect clearing and access costs on raw land.

Watch-outs

  • Erving's zoning bylaw bars mobile homes as year-round residences in every district5.
  • RV occupancy is capped at 90 days per year, so an RV is not a place to live while building4.
  • Erving has floodplain and groundwater protection overlay districts1; we could not confirm their permit requirements, Erving’s fees or driveway permit rules, so ask the building inspector’s office and the Town Planner before you buy.
  • The permit rules in the Erving bylaw date from the version adopted in May 2023, so ask the Town Planner whether later amendments apply1.

Sources

  1. Town of Erving Zoning Bylaws (dated May 18, 2023), Article 230 (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Erving, Building Inspector page (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  3. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 111, Section 31E, quoted and re-checked
  4. Town of Erving Zoning Bylaws (dated May 18, 2023), Article 230 (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Erving Zoning Bylaws (dated May 18, 2023), Article 230 (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Erving Zoning Bylaws (dated May 18, 2023), Article 230 (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Erving Zoning Bylaws (dated May 18, 2023), Article 230 (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Erving Zoning Bylaws (dated May 18, 2023), Article 230 (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  9. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 142A, Section 14 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Erving Zoning Bylaws (dated May 18, 2023), Article 230 (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Erving Zoning Bylaws (dated May 18, 2023), Article 230 (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of Erving Zoning Bylaws (dated May 18, 2023), Article 230 (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  13. Town of Erving Zoning Bylaws (dated May 18, 2023), Article 230 (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  14. Town of Erving Zoning Bylaws (dated May 18, 2023), Article 230 (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  15. Town of Erving Zoning Bylaws (dated May 18, 2023), Article 230 (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  16. Franklin County Cooperative Inspection Program (Erving Building Inspector) (erving-ma.gov)
  17. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 143, Section 3A: Enforcement of state building code (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Erving Health Department (Board of Health) (erving-ma.gov)
  19. MassDEP - 310 CMR 15.000 Septic Systems (Title 5) (2026 county census)
  20. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40A, Section 3 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Massachusetts General Laws c. 41, § 81O (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Town of Erving, MA code of ordinances (eCode360) table of contents (Town of Erving), quoted and re-checked
  24. Erving Planning Department (Town Planner) (erving-ma.gov)
  25. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40A, Section 1A, quoted and re-checked
  26. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  28. Wooded share of land: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Erving

Town of Erving’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Erving town's limits, under the Town of Erving's own zoning bylaw (Article 230)

    • Districts are Central Village (CV), Village Residential (VR), Rural Residential (RR) and French King (FK), plus floodplain (FPOD) and groundwater protection (GPOD) overlays.
    • Use, dimensional and special-permit rules are in Article 230 (sections 230-3.0 through 230-9.0).
    “the town of erving is hereby divided into the following types of districts: central village (cv) village residential (vr) rural residential (rr) french king district (fk)”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning district boundaries inside Erving town

    • The map itself was not opened; the bylaw text names it.
    “the boundaries of the said districts are depicted on the map entitled "official zoning map, erving, massachusetts" dated march 8, 2023, as may be amended.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Lots in the Rural Residential (RR) district inside Erving town

    • Not more than one dwelling may be built on a lot except as provided in section 8.1 (adu).

    minimum lot area: >= 65340 sq ft · minimum lot frontage: >= 175 ft

    “§230-4.2 table of dimensional requirements. district central village village residential rural residential french king min. lot area (sf) min. lot frontage (ft) front yard (ft) side yard (ft) rear yard (ft) max. height (ft) max. lot coverage (%) 21,780 125 20 15 20 45 70 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 21,780 125 20 10 20 45 70”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Lots in the Village Residential (VR) district inside Erving town
      “§230-4.2 table of dimensional requirements. district central village village residential rural residential french king min. lot area (sf) min. lot frontage (ft) front yard (ft) side yard (ft) rear yard (ft) max. height (ft) max. lot coverage (%) 21,780 125 20 15 20 45 70 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 21,780 125 20 10 20 45 70”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Structures on lots in the Rural Residential (RR) district inside Erving town

    • Accessory structures are governed by §230-4.3; accessory dwelling units must meet these setbacks unless a special permit is issued.

    front yard: >= 20 ft · side yard: >= 20 ft · rear yard: >= 20 ft

    “§230-4.2 table of dimensional requirements. district central village village residential rural residential french king min. lot area (sf) min. lot frontage (ft) front yard (ft) side yard (ft) rear yard (ft) max. height (ft) max. lot coverage (%) 21,780 125 20 15 20 45 70 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 21,780 125 20 10 20 45 70”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Structures on lots in the Village Residential (VR) district inside Erving town
      “§230-4.2 table of dimensional requirements. district central village village residential rural residential french king min. lot area (sf) min. lot frontage (ft) front yard (ft) side yard (ft) rear yard (ft) max. height (ft) max. lot coverage (%) 21,780 125 20 15 20 45 70 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 21,780 125 20 10 20 45 70”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Lots in the Rural Residential (RR) district inside Erving town

    maximum lot coverage: <= 50 %

    “§230-4.2 table of dimensional requirements. district central village village residential rural residential french king min. lot area (sf) min. lot frontage (ft) front yard (ft) side yard (ft) rear yard (ft) max. height (ft) max. lot coverage (%) 21,780 125 20 15 20 45 70 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 21,780 125 20 10 20 45 70”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Lots in the Village Residential (VR) district inside Erving town
      “§230-4.2 table of dimensional requirements. district central village village residential rural residential french king min. lot area (sf) min. lot frontage (ft) front yard (ft) side yard (ft) rear yard (ft) max. height (ft) max. lot coverage (%) 21,780 125 20 15 20 45 70 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 21,780 125 20 10 20 45 70”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in the Rural Residential (RR) district inside Erving town

    maximum height: <= 45 ft

    “§230-4.2 table of dimensional requirements. district central village village residential rural residential french king min. lot area (sf) min. lot frontage (ft) front yard (ft) side yard (ft) rear yard (ft) max. height (ft) max. lot coverage (%) 21,780 125 20 15 20 45 70 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 21,780 125 20 10 20 45 70”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Buildings in the Village Residential (VR) district inside Erving town
      “§230-4.2 table of dimensional requirements. district central village village residential rural residential french king min. lot area (sf) min. lot frontage (ft) front yard (ft) side yard (ft) rear yard (ft) max. height (ft) max. lot coverage (%) 21,780 125 20 15 20 45 70 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 65,340 175 20 20 20 45 50 21,780 125 20 10 20 45 70”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational vehicles, camp trailers and motor homes used as a temporary dwelling on private land inside Erving town

    • The definition limits occupancy to 90 days per year and two mobile units per parcel.
    • No permanent structure or service (electrical, gas or septic) may be attached to the unit.
    • In FEMA A1-30, AH and AE zones, recreational vehicles must be elevated and anchored, be on site less than 180 consecutive days, or be fully licensed and highway ready (§9.1.12).

    maximum occupancy: <= 90 days per year · maximum mobile units: <= 2 units per parcel

    “such trailers may be occupied for a maximum of 90 days per year and shall be maintained so as to remain mobile. no permanent structure or service, including but not limited to electrical, gas or septic, may be attached to it. there is a limit of two mobile units per parcel.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    A mobile home placed on the site of a residence destroyed by fire or other natural holocaust, inside Erving town

    • Requires a permit from the building inspector and a permit from the board of health.
    • Subject to the state sanitary code.

    maximum occupancy period while residence is rebuilt: <= 24 months

    “§230-7.3 temporary mobile home. the owner or occupier of a residence which has been destroyed by fire or other natural holocaust can apply for a permit from the building inspector and a permit from the board of health to place a mobile home on the site of such residence and may reside in such mobile home for a period not to exceed 24 months while the residence is being rebuilt.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Prohibited — Mobile homes (as defined in the zoning bylaw definitions) used for year-round residence in any Erving zoning district
      “use a. residential uses rr vr cv fk 1. single unit dwelling y y y y 2. two-unit dwelling y y y y 3. multi-unit dwelling n pb pb pb 4. temporary mobile home (see section 7.3) y y y y 5. mobile home or mobile home park n n n n”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory dwelling units in a detached building on a lot inside Erving town

    • Requires a special permit from the planning board (SPGA).
    • Must be a complete dwelling unit with a separate entry, kitchen and bathroom.
    • Must be in an existing accessory structure or a new accessory structure on the same lot; must meet district front, side and rear setbacks unless a special permit is issued.
    • Needs one off-street parking space in addition to the single-unit dwelling's spaces.
    • Requires any Board of Health approvals, including Title 5 compliance for septic where applicable.

    gross floor area: <= 900 sq ft

    “the planning board (spga) may issue a special permit for the installation and use of an adu in a detached building, subject to following conditions:”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Division of land into new lots inside Erving town

    • The subdivision regulations text (eCode360 chapter 350) was not opened; the rules that apply are not stated here.
    “chapter 350 subdivision regulations (§ 350-1 &ndash; § 350-11)”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Erving

Town of Erving does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Building permitRequired

    Building, plumbing, gas and electrical work inside Erving town, including residential work, administered through the Franklin County Cooperative Inspection Program

    • The page states the program covers permits for commercial, industrial and residential purposes and for plumbing, gas and electrical work, including pools, decks, sheds, carports and renovations.
    • The page does not state the per-project trigger or exemptions; confirm with the program before construction.
    “the program emcompasses all aspects of building including permits for commercial, industrial and residential purposes as well as plumbing, gas and electrical permits.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Erving or Franklin County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Erving town
  • Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Erving town
  • Inspections — Building inspections for work inside Erving town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new dwelling inside Erving town
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area for a dwelling inside Erving town
11 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Erving publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Franklin County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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