Bolthole Index

Norfolk County, Massachusetts

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

The Town of Sharon, Massachusetts adopts and administers its own zoning bylaw1. Building permits come from the town's building inspector under the state building code, since Norfolk County has no county building authority2. Septic permits for every lot in Sharon go through the Board of Health, with the Department of Public Works Engineering Division acting as its agent3.

At a glance

Zoning
Town of Sharon zoning bylaw (Chapter 275), with Rural, Suburban, Single Residence, General Residence, Business and other districts14
Building permit
Required; issued by the town's building inspector, not Norfolk County25
Septic
Permit required; Board of Health, with the DPW Engineering Division as agent63
Minimum lot, SRA district
40,000 sq ft, 150 ft wide, 100 ft of frontage7
Minimum lot, Rural 1 district
60,000 sq ft, 175 ft wide8
Minimum home size
Zoning cannot set one for a single-family home9
Accessory dwelling
One allowed in single-family districts under state law10

Who to call

Septic permits

Town of Sharon Department of Public Works, Engineering Division (agent to the Board of Health)

Septic design plans, construction permits, inspections and certificates of compliance in Sharon (phone is the Town Hall main line)

(781) 784-1500

90 South Main Street, Sharon, MA 02067

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Sharon, Massachusetts have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Sharon adopts and administers its own zoning bylaw, Chapter 275, so zoning questions go to the town, not Norfolk County1. The bylaw divides Sharon into districts including Rural 1, Rural 2, Suburban 1 and 2, Single Residence A and B, General Residence, Business, Light Industrial and Professional districts4.

Dimensions depend on the district. In Single Residence A (SRA), the town's main single-family district, a lot needs at least 40,000 square feet, 150 feet of width, 100 feet of frontage and a 30-foot front setback711. SRA lots in the groundwater protection district need 60,000 square feet, and lots in the surface water protection district need 80,0007. In Rural 1, the minimum is 60,000 square feet with 175 feet of width and a 50-foot front setback812.

Sharon's side and rear setbacks, height, lot coverage, RV rules and tiny-home rules were not confirmed; ask the town's building and zoning staff.

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

Building permits in Sharon come from the town, not the county. Norfolk County has no county building authority; municipal building inspectors issue permits under the Massachusetts State Building Code2. State law makes that code apply to every building and structure within each city or town, enforced by the local inspector5.

Building yourself does not remove the permit. The state exemption for people building their own home covers home-improvement contractor registration only, not building permits or inspections13.

We could not confirm Sharon's building inspector contact details, inspection steps or certificate-of-occupancy process. Call Town Hall and ask for the building inspector before you plan any construction.

How do septic permits work in Sharon?

Sharon requires a septic permit for on-site systems, and the Board of Health controls it. The Department of Public Works Engineering Division serves as the Board of Health's agent on all septic issues3. State Title 5 is the baseline, and Sharon's Board of Health regulations (Chapter 300, Article 7) can be stricter3.

The published steps run: Title 5 inspection, soil evaluation, observation holes and percolation testing, design plan, construction permit, construction inspection, as-built plan and certificate of compliance14. Percolation tests and deep hole witness must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance14. A construction permit is needed when a proposed change requires a building or occupancy permit6.

Existing systems are inspected when the property is divided or when ownership of 2 or more properties is combined15. The printed fee for a licensed system inspector is $150 per 3 hours, though the current fee schedule is a separate town PDF16.

USDA rates none of Norfolk County's soils "not limited" for a conventional drain field, so expect a thorough site evaluation and possibly an engineered system17.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Sharon?

We could not confirm whether Sharon's zoning bylaw allows living in an RV, camping on private land, or placing a tiny home. Ask the town's zoning staff before you buy or park anything.

Two state rules help frame the answer. Massachusetts only permits tiny-house bylaws in designated seasonal communities, which are specified municipalities in Dukes, Nantucket, Barnstable and Berkshire counties plus any others designated, and Norfolk County is not named18. State law also lets an owner whose home was destroyed by fire or another natural holocaust live in a manufactured home on the site for up to 12 months while rebuilding19.

State parks and forests are the only places the state statute authorizes camping; it does not cover private land20.

Can you add an accessory dwelling or divide a lot in Sharon?

Massachusetts says no zoning bylaw may prohibit one accessory dwelling unit in a single-family district, though towns may apply reasonable setbacks and site-plan review10. The unit may not exceed the lesser of half the main home's floor area or 900 square feet10. Sharon's own accessory-unit rules were not confirmed.

Dividing land is regulated. Sharon's code includes a Chapter 340 subdivision regulation21, and state law requires a plan to go to the town planning board for approval before any subdivision22. Dividing a property also triggers a septic inspection15.

Building a home in Sharon: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and its lot size, frontage and setbacks in Chapter 2754.
  2. Start the septic process with the Engineering Division: Title 5 inspection, soil evaluation and percolation testing, then a design plan14.
  3. Get the septic construction permit through a licensed contractor6.
  4. Apply to the town building inspector for a building permit under the state building code5.
  5. If digging a private well, ask the town whether it requires a local site permit; state law lets towns require one23.
  6. Finish with the septic as-built plan and certificate of compliance14.

What to check before you buy land in Sharon

Check the district and any groundwater or surface water protection overlay, since those raise minimum lot sizes7. Confirm septic feasibility, because conventional drain-field soils are rare in Norfolk County17.

Ask whether a sewer is available: where a town has a public sewer, abutting parcels must connect as the sewer authority directs24. Whether Sharon requires connection was not confirmed.

Norfolk County's typical home value is about $785,822, and its median property tax bill is about $7,081 a year at an effective rate of 1.1%252627. For land outside Sharon, see the Norfolk County page.

Watch-outs

  • Norfolk County has no building authority2, and Sharon's own building inspector contact, inspection process and certificate-of-occupancy rules were not confirmed; call Town Hall before you rely on any timeline.
  • The town's septic fee schedule is a separate PDF, so the printed $150 inspector fee may not be current16.
  • Overlay districts such as flood plain and water resource protection can change what you may build; the bylaw sets them out in Section 91.
  • Sharon's RV, tiny-home and short-term-rental rules were not confirmed, and state law lets only designated seasonal communities adopt tiny-house bylaws18; ask the town's zoning staff.

Sources

  1. Chapter 275 Zoning, § 2.0 Districts (eCode360) (Town of Sharon), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Quincy - Building Department (Inspectional Services) (2026 county census)
  3. Septic System Information (Town of Sharon) (Town of Sharon), quoted and re-checked
  4. Chapter 275 Zoning, § 2.0 Districts (eCode360) (Town of Sharon), quoted and re-checked
  5. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 143, Section 3A: Enforcement of state building code (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. Septic system permit flowchart and contractor list (Town of Sharon DPW) (Town of Sharon), quoted and re-checked
  7. Zoning 275 Attachment 2, Table 2: Table of Dimensional Regulations (Town of Sharon) (Town of Sharon), quoted and re-checked
  8. Zoning 275 Attachment 2, Table 2: Table of Dimensional Regulations (Town of Sharon) (Town of Sharon), quoted and re-checked
  9. General Law - Chapter 40A, Section 3 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40A, Section 3 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Zoning 275 Attachment 2, Table 2: Table of Dimensional Regulations (Town of Sharon) (Town of Sharon), quoted and re-checked
  12. Zoning 275 Attachment 2, Table 2: Table of Dimensional Regulations (Town of Sharon) (Town of Sharon), quoted and re-checked
  13. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 142A, Section 14 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Septic System Information (Town of Sharon) (Town of Sharon), quoted and re-checked
  15. Septic system permit flowchart and contractor list (Town of Sharon DPW) (Town of Sharon), quoted and re-checked
  16. Septic system permit flowchart and contractor list (Town of Sharon DPW) (Town of Sharon), quoted and re-checked
  17. 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
  18. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 23B, Section 32 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. General Law - Part I, Title VII, Chapter 40A, Section 3 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 132A, Section 2D (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Town of Sharon, MA code of ordinances table of contents (eCode360) (Town of Sharon), quoted and re-checked
  22. Massachusetts General Laws c. 41, § 81O (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 21G, Section 20 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 83, Section 5 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  26. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 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 Sharon

Town of Sharon’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Sharon town's limits; Sharon town adopts and administers its own zoning bylaw (Chapter 275 Zoning)

    • The Town of Sharon zoning bylaw is codified as Chapter 275 Zoning on eCode360; § 2.2 refers to a zoning map dated May 7, 2007 and amended May 2, 2022.
    • Overlay and special districts (flood plain, water resource protection, MBTA multi-family, smart growth, recreation and residential, planned development) are set forth in § 9.0 of the bylaw and were not opened for this record.
    “for the purposes of this bylaw, the town of sharon is hereby divided into classes of districts to be known as:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Sharon town's limits; district classes of the Sharon zoning bylaw

    • Districts listed in § 2.1 include Rural 1 (R1), Rural 2 (R2), Suburban 1 (SUB 1), Suburban 2 (SUB 2), Single Residence A (SRA), Single Residence B (SRB), General Residence (GR), Housing Authority (HA), Business A-D, Light Industrial (LI), Professional A and B.
    • The zoning map is incorporated by § 2.2 and is an attachment to the chapter; the map itself was not opened.
    “single residence a sra single residence b srb general residence gr”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single Residence District A (SRA), the main single-family residential district, inside Sharon town

    • note: lots located within groundwater protection district have a minimum lot size of 60,000 sf.
    • note: lots located within surface water protection district have a minimum lot size of 80,000 sf.
    • note: lot width is measured as set forth in section 4.1.3.
    • Table 2 amended 5-1-2023 ATM by Art. 10; 11-30-2023 STM by Art. 5.

    minimum lot area: >= 40000 sq ft (60,000 sq ft in groundwater protection district; 80,000 sq ft in surface water protection district) · minimum lot width: >= 150 ft · minimum frontage: >= 100 ft

    “single residence district a 40,000 150’ 100’ 30’”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single Residence District A (SRA) front setback inside Sharon town

    • Only the front setback is recorded here; rear and side setbacks in the PDF table could not be aligned reliably and are left to followups.
    • note: see § 4.1.3.4 for shape factor when calculating lot area.

    front setback from sideline: >= 30 ft (rear and side setbacks not recorded)

    “single residence district a 40,000 150’ 100’ 30’”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    On-site septic (subsurface sanitary disposal) for land inside Sharon town

    • State Title 5 (310 CMR 15.000) is the state baseline; the town page refers to local superseding regulations to 310 CMR 15 in the Town's Board of Health regulations.
    • The Engineering Division of the Department of Public Works acts as agent to the Board of Health on septic matters.
    • Local rules: Town of Sharon codification, Division 2 Regulations, Chapter 300 Board of Health Regulations, Article 7.
    “the engineering division of the department of public works serves as agents to the board of the health on all septic related issues.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    On-site septic system construction or change in Sharon town, including changes that require a building or occupancy permit

    • Design plan and construction permit steps are listed in the town's septic permit flowchart (design plan, construction permit, construction inspection, as-built plan, certificate of compliance).
    • Quoted line describes when a construction permit is required; the wider permit scope was not separately verified.
    “construction permit by licensed contractor when there is a proposed change to the facility which requires a building or occupancy permit.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Existing and new on-site septic systems in Sharon town when a triggering event occurs

    • Inspection triggers listed in the flowchart include: approved within 2 years before a sale; when the property is divided, or ownership of 2 or more properties is combined; every 3 years for shared systems; when MassDEP or the local board of health orders an inspection.
    • Construction inspections are done at specific intervals during the construction process (Health agent for the Board of Health).
    “when the property is divided, or ownership of 2 or more properties is combined.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Division of land inside Sharon town under the Town's subdivision regulations

    • Chapter 340 Subdivision Regulations is listed in the Town code table of contents; its requirements (§ 340-1.1 to § 340-5.7) were not opened.
    • Board of Health septic inspection is also triggered by property division (see septic inspection claim).
    “chapter 340 subdivision regulations (§ 340-1.1 – § 340-5.7)”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Septic permit and inspection fees charged by the Town of Sharon for on-site systems

    • Fee schedule for engineering and septic is linked from the Septic System Information page as 'schedule of fees for engineering & septic (pdf)'; that PDF was not opened, so the flowchart figures below may not be the current schedule.
    • Flowchart fee lines as printed: town fee $25.00 review fee; town fee $150.00 per 3 hr. for licensed system inspector; town fee $50.00 (sas 2,000 gpd) for soil evaluation; town fee $100.00 (sas 2,000 gpd) for design professional plan.

    licensed system inspector fee: 150 USD (per 3 hr.)

    “hire a licensed system inspector town fee: $150.00 per 3 hr.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Septic permit process in Sharon town, administered by the DPW Engineering Division for the Board of Health

    • Steps published: Title 5 inspection, soil evaluation, observation holes and percolation testing, design plan, construction permit, construction inspection, as-built plan, certificate of compliance.
    • Scheduling: inspections must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance; percolation and deep hole witness at least 48 hours in advance.
    • Building-side permit steps (building and occupancy permits) were not published on an official page reached.

    scheduling notice for percolation test or deep hole witness: >= 48 hours (inspections require 24 hours' notice)

    “percolation tests and deep hole witness must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homeowners building in Sharon town
  • Building code adopted — Building code applicable to construction inside Sharon town
  • Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Sharon town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Sharon town
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Sharon town
13 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

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 Sharon publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Norfolk County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Norfolk County: county rules, score and offices