Building Department
Mission and Responsibilities
The mission of the Brewster Building Department is to protect the citizens and visitors of the town in their connections and uses with structures and land throughout the community.
The Brewster Building Department functions to encourage and maintain public health and life safety through the administration and enforcement of the Massachusetts State Building Code 780 CMR, as well as the MA Electrical, Plumbing and Gas Codes.
In addition, the Building Department is responsible for enforcement of the Zoning Bylaws of the Town of Brewster, which are intended to regulate land use, protect Brewster's inland and coastal waterways, wetlands and watersheds, and to preserve its unique resources as a coastal New England town.
The Department also administers and enforces the regulations of the Old King's Highway Regional Historic District Commission, in conjunction with Brewster's local Old King's Highway Historical District Committee.
E-Permitting
The Building Department utilizes an online permitting program called Open Gov.
This is a web-based permitting system that allows contractors and homeowners to create an account, apply for permits, upload required documents, and pay permit fees all in a few easy steps. The system also sends out regular email notifications to applicants for each step in the process, including approvals.
Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to use Open Gov.
Click here to begin an online application in Open Gov.
Inspections
Please be advised that we DO NOT accept inspection requests via the Open Gov online permitting system.
The permit holder is responsible for arranging/requesting all required inspections as applicable before proceeding with additional work. Failure to do so may result in re-inspection fees, having to expose concealed work, or issuance of a Stop Work Order. For guidelines, see the link provided below.
BUILDING PERMIT INSPECTIONS:
Building Permit Inspections must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance by emailing the Building Department at building@brewster-ma.gov , or by calling (508) 896-3701 x1125. Building Inspections are performed Monday through Friday.
Building Inspection Scheduling Guidelines
UTILITY PERMIT INSPECTIONS:
Electrical, Gas and Plumbing Permit Inspections must be requested in writing on Inspection Request Forms. Links to these forms are provided below. Completed Inspection Request Forms should either be emailed to the Building Department at building@brewster-ma.gov or brought to the Building Department. The forms can be submitted at any time throughout the week. Please DO NOT email these requests to the Inspectors directly.
Electrical:
The Electrical Inspector is part-time and receives the Inspection Request Forms during his office hours which are Mondays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. He is available to speak with during that time.
Electrical Inspections are conducted Monday through Friday. If you need to know when an inspection is to take place, you may call and speak to the Inspector directly during his office hours.
Gas and Plumbing:
The Gas and Plumbing Inspector is part-time and receives the Inspection Request Forms during his office hours which are Wednesdays and Fridays, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. He is available to speak with during that time.
Gas and Plumbing Inspections are conducted on Wednesdays and Fridays only. If you need to know when an inspection is to take place, you may call and speak to the Inspector directly during his office hours.
Electrical Inspection Request Form
Plumbing and Gas Inspection Request Form
Requests for Information
You may submit a Request for Information to obtain records of permits associated with a specific property. Requests can be submitted by email, phone or in person at the Building Department. These requests are processed on Fridays when Town Hall is closed to the public.
Any records found will be available for viewing at the Building Department counter no earlier than the following Monday morning. Please note that files may not be removed from Town Hall, however you are welcome to take photos of the documents or request copies for a fee.
Some Building Permit Records are available on our online application portal, Open Gov. Instructions on how to access those are provided in the following link:
Instructions for viewing Permit Records in Open Gov
The Building Department does not review or interpret the files for you. Additionally, please keep in mind that some work may have been completed without permits or prior to permit record keeping and therefore may not be reflected in our records.
Disclaimer: The Building and Planning Offices strive to provide excellent customer service, assistance and accurate information to the Brewster community. As part of its service to the community, staff is available to discuss and provide general guidance and information about zoning and other land use regulations, permitting and bylaws to the public. These staff consultations are unofficial and advisory only. Staff cannot act as a consultant, advisor or advocate for any particular matter; cannot assist in developing detailed designs or in crafting proposals; and will respond to and consider only the facts presented. Outside a formal application process, staff cannot provide specific analyses, interpretations, or official determinations. It is recommended that property owners, applicants and others interested retain and consult with qualified professional advisors to assist with due diligence and to obtain regulatory opinions.