Building Permit — Boston (ISD)
Boston restaurant build-outs require an ISD building permit; a change of occupancy needs a long-form permit.
What it is. The building permit for construction, alteration, or tenant improvement of the space.
Who issues it. City of Boston — Inspectional Services Department (ISD), Building Division (City layer).
When you need it. Before construction/alteration. Using a building for something other than its current legal occupancy may require a long-form permit to change the occupancy.
How to apply. Submit through the ISD online permitting portal; schedule and pass inspections.
Fees. Per the ISD fee schedule — see source (⟢ VERIFY).
What SpoonSeal tracks. The document(s) you upload for this requirement, with automatic renewal/expiration tracking (Current, Due Soon, Expired). Where the city publishes health-inspection results (e.g., NYC and Chicago), SpoonSeal syncs them automatically; elsewhere they can be added manually.
References
- City of Boston, Permitting and licensing in Boston — https://www.boston.gov/departments/inspectional-services/permitting-and-licensing-boston — Official source last checked: 2026-07-02
Stay ahead of this requirement
SpoonSeal stores your documents, tracks expirations, and reminds you before anything lapses — so you are always inspection-ready.
Get started free →This guide is informational and not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with the official agency linked above.