Bolthole Index

Plymouth County, Massachusetts

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

A building permit is required in the Town of Abington, Massachusetts, and the town's own Building Department issues it, not Plymouth County12. Abington adopts and administers its own zoning bylaw3. Septic permits are handled by the town Board of Health under the state's Title 5 rules4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the Abington Building Department12
Zoning
Town zoning bylaw (Chapter 175), enforced locally3
Septic
Town Board of Health under state Title 5 rules45
Owner-builder
An owner-occupant of a one- or two-family home appears able to pull their own permit6
Accessory apartment
State law protects one accessory unit in a single-family district; the town bylaw describes a special permit78
RV living
Not confirmed; ask the Building Department2
Wells
State driller certification; the town may require a site permit9

Who to call

Building permits

Abington Building Department

Building, electrical, gas and plumbing permits and inspections in the Town of Abington, and enforcement of the state building code and town by-laws

(781) 982-2105

500 Gliniewicz Way, Abington, MA 02351

Online permits →

Septic permits

Abington Board of Health

Local health office for Abington; the board's hours and contact details are listed on the town site, and septic questions start here

(781) 982-2119

500 Gliniewicz Way, Room 109, Abington, MA 02351

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 Abington means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Abington, MA have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Abington administers its own Zoning Bylaw, found in Chapter 175 of the town code, and no new building may go up or be enlarged except in line with its rules on lot coverage, lot area, lot width, yards and height3. Plymouth County does not zone; in Massachusetts, cities and towns adopt zoning10.

Dimensional rules differ by district, and we could not confirm the single-family district numbers. The one set we verified is for the Multifamily Overlay District, which allows multifamily development on lots of at least 30,000 square feet with front and side setbacks of 10 feet and a rear setback of 20 feet1112. Those figures do not apply to an ordinary house lot. For your parcel's district, lot size, frontage and setbacks, ask the Building Department2; the town's zoning map is linked from its code page.

Massachusetts zoning cannot regulate the interior area of a single-family home, so a town minimum house size does not apply13.

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

Yes. A building permit is required in Abington, and the town's Building Department issues it1. The department issues building, electrical, gas and plumbing permits and enforces the state building code along with the Abington By-Laws2. Massachusetts applies one state building code in every city and town, enforced by the local inspector14.

An owner-occupant of a one- or two-family home appears to be allowed to pull the permit and act as their own contractor without a construction supervisor license6. The state's owner-builder rule only exempts you from home-improvement-contractor registration, not from permits or inspections15. Fee schedules, inspection steps and the certificate of occupancy process were not confirmed for this guide, so ask the Building Department at (781) 982-21052.

The department lists an online permitting portal on its page2.

How do septic permits work inside Abington?

Septic permits in Massachusetts are administered by local boards of health under the state's Title 5 rules, so for Abington the town Board of Health is the office to call4. State law lets a local board of health issue permits for individual sewage disposal systems serving residential buildings of up to four dwelling units, and a board can adopt rules stricter than the state minimum16. If the board does not decide a completed application within 45 days, the permit is deemed granted16.

We could not confirm Abington's own septic permit steps, fees or inspection rules, so contact the Board of Health at (781) 982-2119 before you buy5.

Sewer matters too. In a subdivision, sewer lines must be installed and lots connected to public sewer unless the sewer department decides otherwise; where sewer is not required, the Abington Board of Health must approve private on-lot systems17. Plymouth County soils rate poorly for conventional drain fields, with only 2.6% rated not limited, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system18.

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or accessory apartment in Abington?

We could not confirm whether Abington allows living in an RV, or camping on private land; the town's use table did not answer it. Ask the Building Department before you park anything on a lot2. Statewide camping rules cover public state parks, not your own land19.

Massachusetts's tiny-house statute applies only in towns designated as seasonal communities, and we found no sign that Abington is one, so confirm with the town before planning a tiny home20. A manufactured home may stand on a lot for no more than 12 months while a home destroyed by fire or natural disaster is rebuilt21.

An accessory apartment is the clearer path. State law bars towns from prohibiting a single accessory dwelling unit in a single-family district, capped at the lesser of half the main home's floor area or 900 square feet7. Abington's bylaw describes a zoning board special permit for one accessory apartment8, so ask the Building Department how the town applies the state rule.

Building a home in Abington: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your lot's zoning district, setbacks and lot coverage with the Building Department, since Abington sets them in its own bylaw32.
  2. Call the Board of Health at (781) 982-2119 about septic design and approval, or sewer connection, before you finalize plans5.
  3. If you are dividing land, expect planning board review; Massachusetts requires a subdivision plan to be approved by the city or town planning board first22.
  4. Apply for the building permit through the town's online permitting portal or the Building Department2.
  5. If you plan a private well, hire a certified driller; the town may also require a local site permit, and a completion report goes to the state within 30 days9.
  6. Schedule inspections with the Building Department, which enforces the state building code14.

What stays with Plymouth County, and what to check before you buy in Abington?

Plymouth County does not issue building permits, set zoning or issue septic permits; those are town functions, so the county's page is not the office to call for an Abington lot1. The county's rules for unincorporated land do not apply; Massachusetts has none, and the Plymouth County page covers county-level context.

Before you buy, confirm floodplain rules with the Building Department, since we could not confirm Abington's floodplain district or driveway requirements2. Plymouth County's effective property tax rate is 1.2%, with a median bill of $6,345 a year, and the typical home value is about $661,633232425. Abington's own tax rate was not confirmed; ask the Assessor.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Abington's building permit fees, inspection steps or certificate of occupancy process, so ask the Building Department before you budget2.
  • We could not confirm the Board of Health's septic permit steps or whether Abington requires a local well site permit; call (781) 982-21195.
  • The zoning table of uses was not available to us, so RV, camping and short-term rental answers are unconfirmed; ask the Building Department2.
  • Wetlands and floodplain rules still apply on top of local zoning, even for farm uses that state law protects26.

Sources

  1. Mass.gov — 780 CMR Massachusetts State Building Code (Administration) (2026 county census)
  2. Abington Building Department (abingtonma.gov)
  3. Article VI: Dimensional and Density Regulations, Chapter 175 Zoning, Town of Abington, MA (Town of Abington), quoted and re-checked
  4. Mass.gov — 310 CMR 15.000 Septic Systems (Title 5) (2026 county census)
  5. Abington Board of Health (abingtonma.gov)
  6. Mass.gov — 780 CMR State Building Code (Administration) (2026 county census)
  7. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40A, Section 3 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article VII: Special Provisions, Chapter 175 Zoning, Town of Abington, MA (Town of Abington), quoted and re-checked
  9. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 21G, Section 20 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. General Laws c. 40A, § 1A — Definitions, quoted and re-checked
  11. ecode360.com (Town of Abington), quoted and re-checked
  12. ecode360.com (Town of Abington), quoted and re-checked
  13. General Law - Chapter 40A, Section 3 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 143, Section 3A: Enforcement of state building code (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 142A, Section 14 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 111, Section 31E, quoted and re-checked
  17. Chapter 200 Subdivision Rules and Regulations, Required Improvements, Town of Abington, MA (Town of Abington), quoted and re-checked
  18. 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
  19. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 132A, Section 2D (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 23B, Section 32 (Massachusetts statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. General Law - Part I, Title VII, 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. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  26. General Law - Part I, Title VII, Chapter 40A, Section 3, quoted and re-checked

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 Abington

Town of Abington’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Abington town limits. Abington town administers its own Zoning Bylaw (Chapter 175 Zoning of the Town of Abington code).

    • Dimensional and use rules differ by zoning district; see the district-specific claims for the limits that were verified.
    • Chapter 175 is listed on the eCode360 table of contents as 'chapter 175 zoning (§ 175-1 – § 175-82)' and the code is stated to include legislation through 04-01-2024; later amendments may not be reflected.
    “no principal building or structure shall be built nor shall any existing building or structure be enlarged except in conformance with the regulations of the abington zoning bylaw as to lot coverage, lot area per dwelling unit, lot width, front, side and rear yards, and maximum height of structures”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Apartment units within an apartment building in Abington town (§ 175-28). Does not answer single-family dwelling minimum size.

    • Applies to apartment units only; single-family minimum floor area was not located.

    minimum interior floor area, primary apartment unit in an apartment building: >= 600 square feet (none stated) · minimum interior floor area, each additional apartment unit in an apartment building: >= 400 square feet (none stated)

    “the primary apartment unit within an apartment building shall have a minimum interior floor area of 600 square feet; each additional apartment unit shall have a minimum interior floor area of 400 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Multifamily overlay district (MFOD, § 175-40a) only, for multifamily development. Not the single-family residence districts.

    • Applies only to multifamily development in the MFOD.

    minimum lot area: >= 30000 square feet (multifamily overlay district only)

    “development in the mfod shall comply with the following density and dimensional regulations. minimum lot area (square feet) 30,000 maximum lot coverage (% lot) 50% maximum height stories (maximum) 3 feet (maximum) 35 minimum frontage (feet) 35 minimum setbacks (feet) front 10 side 10 rear 20 maximum units per acre 18”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Multifamily overlay district (MFOD, § 175-40a) only, for multifamily development. Not the single-family residence districts.

    • Applies only to multifamily development in the MFOD.

    front setback: 10 feet (multifamily overlay district only) · side setback: 10 feet (multifamily overlay district only) · rear setback: 20 feet (multifamily overlay district only)

    “development in the mfod shall comply with the following density and dimensional regulations. minimum lot area (square feet) 30,000 maximum lot coverage (% lot) 50% maximum height stories (maximum) 3 feet (maximum) 35 minimum frontage (feet) 35 minimum setbacks (feet) front 10 side 10 rear 20 maximum units per acre 18”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Multifamily overlay district (MFOD, § 175-40a) only, for multifamily development. Not the single-family residence districts.

    • Applies only to multifamily development in the MFOD.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 50 percent of lot (multifamily overlay district only)

    “development in the mfod shall comply with the following density and dimensional regulations. minimum lot area (square feet) 30,000 maximum lot coverage (% lot) 50% maximum height stories (maximum) 3 feet (maximum) 35 minimum frontage (feet) 35 minimum setbacks (feet) front 10 side 10 rear 20 maximum units per acre 18”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Multifamily overlay district (MFOD, § 175-40a) only, for multifamily development. Not the single-family residence districts.

    • Applies only to multifamily development in the MFOD.

    maximum height: <= 3 stories (multifamily overlay district only) · maximum height: <= 35 feet (multifamily overlay district only)

    “development in the mfod shall comply with the following density and dimensional regulations. minimum lot area (square feet) 30,000 maximum lot coverage (% lot) 50% maximum height stories (maximum) 3 feet (maximum) 35 minimum frontage (feet) 35 minimum setbacks (feet) front 10 side 10 rear 20 maximum units per acre 18”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    One accessory apartment inside a single-family residence in a residence district in Abington town, by special permit from the zoning board of appeals

    • Owner(s) must occupy at least one of the dwelling units on the premises; only a family member of the homeowner or spouse may occupy the other unit.
    • Not more than two persons may occupy the accessory apartment.
    • At least three off-street parking spaces must be provided or created on the property.
    • The accessory apartment must comply with current safety, health and construction requirements before occupancy and at every change in ownership.
    • No more than one accessory apartment, for a total of two dwelling units per lot.
    • The special permit becomes void on sale to a non-family member or on vacancy by the owner-occupant and family.
    • Owner must record a declaration of covenants at the Plymouth County registry of deeds and file an annual notarized in-law affidavit with the building inspector.
    • Subsection i. is 'accessory apartments in residence districts' in the Article VII special provisions, in the section preceding § 175-33.

    maximum floor size of accessory apartment: <= 900 square feet (or 50% of the floor area of the principal dwelling, whichever is lesser)

    “one accessory apartment per single-family residence may be allowed by special permit from the zoning board of appeals in accordance with the specific standards set forth below for such accessory apartment uses.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Private on-lot sewage systems in Abington town where public sewerage is not provided, as required under the Chapter 200 subdivision rules.

    • Applies to subdivision applicants who must provide private on-lot systems instead of public sewer.
    • State Title 5 rules (310 CMR 15.00) are referenced in the Chapter 175 watershed text but the state rule was not separately verified in this run.
    • Septic permit and inspection rules were not located and are unknown.
    “the design and construction of private on-lot sewerage systems shall conform with and be subject to the approval of the abington board of health.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Lots created by subdivision in Abington town under Chapter 200 Subdivision Rules and Regulations. This does not establish a rule for a new house on an existing lot that is not part of a subdivision.

    • Developers are directed to contact the sewer department early in the approval process to insure the availability of sewer capacity to service the proposed subdivision.
    • Unless otherwise determined by the sewer department, sewer lines must be installed and lots connected to the public sewerage system.
    • If public sewerage connections are not required, the applicant installs private on-lot systems that must be approved by the Abington Board of Health.
    • Chapter 128 Sewers, § 128-1: no sump pump, foundation drain, roof downspout or other surface runoff or groundwater source may be connected to the sanitary sewer.
    “unless otherwise determined by the sewer department sewer lines shall be installed and lots connected to the public sewerage system.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Division of land into lots for subdivision in Abington town, under Chapter 200 Subdivision Rules and Regulations

    • Subdivision plans must meet the Chapter 200 required-improvements standards, including sewer availability review with the Sewer Department.
    “note: developers are directed to contact the sewer department early in the approval process to insure the availability of sewer capacity to service the proposed subdivision.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — General building permit requirement for a new home in Abington town
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a home in Abington town
  • Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction in Abington town
  • Inspections — Building inspections for a new home in Abington town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new home in Abington town
15 more unanswered
  • Zoning districts
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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

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