Massachusetts General Law References The following statutes are set out here for ease of reference to users of the Massachusetts State Building Code (780 CMR). These Massachusetts General Laws are not incorporated as part of the Building Code itself though they may be referenced therein. Though this summary is not exhaustive, it encompasses the most frequently referenced statutes relative to the construction, maintenance, and renovation of structures governed by the Building Code. The statutes are grouped in the following categories:
Acceptance of building plans, architects, and engineers
Fire safety, sprinklering, and electrical wiring
Zoning, and Building & use group specific laws
In order to access the full text of these and other statutes click on the following
linkLink to MA General Lawsand enter chapter and section.
Listed below are the Chapters and Sections with brief descriptions.
The development, enforcement, and interpretation of the State Building Code
Chapter 143: Section 1. Definitions
Chapter 143: Section 3. Inspector of buildings or building commissioner; local inspectors; employment and designation; qualifications; city or town without local inspectors
Chapter 143: Section 3A. Enforcement of state building code
Chapter 143: Section 3X. Building permits for ten or more residential units; notice to local postmaster
Chapter 143: Section 3Z. Part time inspector of buildings, building commissioner, local inspector, or alternate inspector; other employment
Chapter 143: Section 50. Hindering commissioner, chief of inspection or inspectors or local inspectors from entering building or enclosure
Chapter 143: Section 3R. Apartment houses; exterior doors and locks
Chapter 143: Section 3W. Conformance of plans and specifications for erection or alteration of public buildings to rules and regulations of board to facilitate use by the physically handicapped as requirement for issuance of certificate of approval
Chapter 143: Section 3X. Building permits for ten or more residential units; notice to local postmaster
Chapter 143: Section 3Z. Part time inspector of buildings, building commissioner, local inspector, or alternate inspector; other employment
Chapter 143: Section 32. Fire escapes for schoolhouses
Chapter 143: Section 50. Hindering commissioner, chief of inspection or inspectors or local inspectors from entering building or enclosure
Chapter 143: Section 51. Liability for violation of statutes; criminal prosecution; notice to firm or corporation
Chapter 143: Section 54A. Acceptance or approval of construction plans or specifications; seal of architect or professional engineer
Chapter 143: Section 61. Notice to assessors of building permits
Chapter 152: Section 25C. Failure to provide for payment of compensation; stop work orders; penalties; liens; actions brought by losing bidders
Chapter 40: Section 54. Availability of water supply; disposal of debris
Chapter 40: Section 54A. State consent to issuance of permits to purchaser required; damages in absence thereof
Unsafe structures and demolition orders
Chapter 143: Section 6. Local inspector; duties
Chapter 143: Section 7. Removal or making structure safe; putting up fence
Chapter 143: Section 8. Failure to remove or make structure safe; survey board; survey; report
Chapter 143: Section 9. Dangerous or abandoned structures removed or made safe by local inspector; costs; penalty; use of structure
Chapter 143: Section 10. Remedy of person ordered to remove a dangerous structure or make it safe
Chapter 139: Section 2. Appeal to superior court; trial by jury; costs
Chapter 143: Section 12. Restraint of construction, repair, or use of a structure; order for removal
Chapter 143: Section 13. Inspection by inspector of department of public safety
Chapter 143: Section 14. Dangerous structures removed or rendered safe
Acceptance of building plans, architects, and engineers
Chapter 143: Section 54A. Acceptance or approval of construction plans or specifications; s Chapter 112: Section 60L. Services in practice of architecture; plans and specifications; registered professional engineer; employees; landscape architects; partnership or corporation; non-resident architects
Chapter 112: Section 81R. Construction
Fire safety, sprinklering, and electrical wiring
Chapter 148: Section 10A. Heads of fire departments; permits; inspections; records; fees; list of fire department heads
Chapter 148: Section 26A. Automatic sprinklers in high rise buildings; enforcement; appeals
Chapter 148: Section 26A1/2. Automatic sprinklers in older high rise buildings; enforcement; installation schedule
Chapter 148: Section 26B. Automatic fire warning and smoke detection systems in certain buildings; enforcement; appeals
Chapter 148: Section 26E. Residential buildings or structures; installation of smoke detectors
Chapter 148: Section 26F1/2. Carbon monoxide alarms required in certain residential structures; regulation; inspections; enforcement
Chapter 148: Section 26G. Nonresidential buildings or additions; automatic suppressant or sprinkler systems
Chapter 148: Section 26G1/2. Nightclubs, dance halls, discotheques, bars; adequate system of automatic sprinklers
Chapter 148: Section 26H. Lodging or boarding houses; automatic sprinkler systems
Chapter 148: Section 26I. Multiple dwelling units; new construction; automatic sprinkler systems
Chapter 148: Section 27A. Shutting off, disconnection, obstruction, removal or destruction, of fire protection devices; permit; report; violation of statute; enforcement
Chapter 143: Section 3L. Regulations relative to electrical wiring and fixtures; notice of electrical installation
Chapter 143: Section 3P. Appeal to board of electricians’ appeals; judicial review
Zoning, and Building & use group specific laws
Chapter 40A: Section 3. Subjects which zoning may not regulate; exemptions; public hearings; temporary manufactured home residences
Chapter 40A: Section 7. Enforcement of zoning regulations; violations; penalties; jurisdiction of superior court
Chapter 143: Section 3R. Apartment houses; exterior doors and locks
Chapter 143: Section 32. Fire escapes for schoolhouses