Boston vs. Quincy Demolition Permits

Boston, in Suffolk County, and Quincy, in Norfolk County, run different demolition-permit regimes. Boston puts a Landmarks Commission review — Article 85 (Boston Landmarks Commission) — ahead of the demolition permit; Quincy’s Inspectional Services checklist is built around utility sign-offs and site conditions. This page puts the two side by side, with every rule linked to the city that publishes it. Other cities and towns in Suffolk and Norfolk County have their own requirements; the authority for each is that municipality’s building department.

Side by side

Boston: the Article 85 path

• Before demolishing a building in Boston you must submit an Article 85 application. — Boston Landmarks Commission
• Scope: all buildings in Downtown or Harborpark, and all other buildings at least 50 years of age. — Boston Landmarks Commission
• Article 85 was added to the Boston Zoning Code in 1995. — Boston Landmarks Commission
• Since May 23, 2022 applications are accepted only through the Boston Landmarks Commission online portal — no paper, no email. The signature page must be notarized. — Boston Landmarks Commission
• The 10-day staff review does not begin until the application is complete. — Boston Landmarks Commission
• Landmarks Commission staff have ten days from a complete application to determine whether a demolition permit may issue or a public hearing is required. — Boston Landmarks Commission
• A “Not Significant” determination letter must be presented when applying for the demolition permit at Inspectional Services. No further Article 85 process is required. — Boston Landmarks Commission
• If the structure is found significant, the Commission must schedule a public hearing within forty days of receiving a complete application. — Boston Landmarks Commission
• If demolition delay is invoked, the Commissioner of Inspectional Services is instructed not to issue a demolition permit until ninety days have elapsed following the close of the public hearing. — Boston Landmarks Commission

Boston: the Inspectional Services document set

Also required for the demolition permit: shut-off notices from underground and overhead utilities (gas, electrical, telephone, cable); a closed Boston Water and Sewer Commission general service agreement; MassDEP approval for hazardous materials; and a Dig Safe reference number. — Boston Inspectional Services

Quincy: the demolition checklist

This checklist governs a building permit to perform demolition activities. — City of Quincy Inspectional Services

• A natural gas utility letter stating when service was terminated at the street; an electric utility letter stating the same. — City of Quincy Inspectional Services
• Quincy Water Billing Office approval that the water meter was removed by City personnel; Quincy Sewer/Drain Department approval that service was terminated at the street. — City of Quincy Inspectional Services
• A Dig Safe letter or number; a street opening / trench permit from the Engineering Department. Street work may only be performed by approved contractors. — City of Quincy Inspectional Services
• A hydrant meter for dust control, or an invoice for a water truck. — City of Quincy Inspectional Services
• Rodent bait boxes are required every 40 feet of site perimeter and must be inspected bi-weekly. — City of Quincy Inspectional Services
• Quincy permits are applied for online through the city’s ViewPoint permitting system. — City of Quincy Inspectional Services

Questions to ask, and whom to ask

• Boston: is the building in Downtown or Harborpark, or at least 50 years of age — and so within Article 85? — ask the Boston Landmarks Commission (Boston Landmarks Commission)
• Boston: is the Article 85 application complete, so that the ten-day staff review has started? — ask the Boston Landmarks Commission (Boston Landmarks Commission)
• Boston: are the utility shut-off notices, the closed Boston Water and Sewer Commission agreement, the MassDEP hazardous-materials approval, and the Dig Safe reference number in hand? — ask Inspectional Services (Boston Inspectional Services)
• Quincy: does this scope require a building permit to perform demolition activities, and which checklist items apply? — ask Inspectional Services, Building Department (City of Quincy Inspectional Services)
• Quincy: have the gas and electric utility letters, the Water Billing Office and Sewer/Drain approvals, and the Dig Safe letter or number been obtained? — ask Inspectional Services, Building Department (City of Quincy Inspectional Services)

Any scope of work that requires a state license is performed by licensed specialists that D. Clancy & Sons coordinates as part of the project.

Sources

1. Boston Landmarks Commission — Article 85 Demolition Delay
2. Boston Inspectional Services — How to get a demolition permit
3. City of Quincy Inspectional Services — Demolition Checklist (2024)
4. City of Quincy Inspectional Services — Building Department

More guides

• All demolition regulation guides
• Massachusetts Asbestos & Demolition Notifications
• Massachusetts Construction Debris Disposal Bans