Boston zoning map
Boston Zoning Viewer: look up the zoning of any address
Type a Boston address and see its zoning district, subdistrict, overlay districts and lot dimensions on a parcel-level map. Then sketch on the real lot to scale or test a massing in 3D. Free during the beta.
How to look up a Boston address’s zoning
- Open the Map tab and type the street address. Search matches the way Boston records addresses, so “647 E 7th” finds “647 E Seventh St”.
- Pick the result. The map flies to the parcel and opens its card with the zoning district, subdistrict and overlays.
- Read the lot dimensions on the parcel edges. They are the recorded values from City of Boston Assessing, not a survey.
- Click Add to canvas to sketch on the real lot to scale, or check a massing in 3D against the zoning.
- Confirm anything you rely on in the Boston Zoning Code and the city’s official Zoning Maps.
Boston zoning, explained
Boston’s zoning comes from the Boston Zoning Code. Under Article 3, the city is divided into zoning districts, many of them neighborhood districts with their own article in the Code. Each district is split into subdistricts, and the subdistrict is what decides which uses are allowed and the dimensional rules such as height, lot size and yards, set out in that article’s tables.
Overlay districts sit on top of the base subdistrict and add special rules, for example for planned development areas, groundwater conservation, flood resilience or institutional master plans. The base rules keep applying unless they conflict with the overlay. The Planning Department says its zoning data includes 24 overlay districts.
Use tables mark each use as A (allowed), C (conditional, needs a permit from the Zoning Board of Appeal) or F (forbidden without a variance), as Boston Inspectional Services explains. Larger projects also go through Article 80 development review, which is a review process rather than a zoning district.
Zoning keeps changing. The city’s Squares + Streets districts, for example, are being mapped onto neighborhood centers after local planning. The district boundaries are published as open data on Analyze Boston. Browse Stratum’s guide to Boston zoning districts.
Stratum and the city’s Zoning Viewer
The City of Boston Planning Department publishes the official Zoning Viewer. It is free, authoritative, and the right place to confirm a district. Stratum is built for the next step: working out what fits on the lot.
| City Zoning Viewer | Stratum | |
|---|---|---|
| Who makes it | City of Boston Planning Department (formerly the BPDA) | Stratum, an independent company |
| Cost | Free, public | Free during the beta (through Dec 31, 2026); the basic map stays free |
| Address and parcel lookup | Yes, by address or parcel ID | Yes, by address, with Boston street-name matching |
| District, subdistrict, overlays | Yes, plus the zoning article and links to tables | Yes, on the parcel card |
| Lot dimensions | Shown as map annotation | Shown on parcel edges (recorded Assessing values) |
| Sketch to scale, 3D zoning check | Not a design tool | Canvas sketching and 3D massing on the real lot |
| Legal standing | Signed Zoning Maps remain the official documents | Not an official source; for early design |
More detail in Stratum vs. the Boston Zoning Viewer.
Questions
How do I find the zoning for a Boston address?
Search the address in a zoning map such as the city’s Zoning Viewer or the Stratum Map tab. The result shows the zoning district, subdistrict and any overlay districts. Then read the matching article and tables in the Boston Zoning Code for allowed uses and dimensional rules.
What is the official Boston Zoning Viewer?
It is a free interactive map published by the City of Boston Planning Department at maps.bostonplans.org/zoningviewer. The Planning Department says its data is updated monthly, and that the signed Zoning Maps remain the official zoning documents if there is any discrepancy.
What is the difference between a zoning district, a subdistrict and an overlay?
Article 3 of the Boston Zoning Code divides the city into zoning districts, and districts are split into subdistricts with their own use and dimensional rules. Overlay districts sit on top of the base subdistrict and add special rules; the base rules still apply where they don’t conflict with the overlay.
What do A, C and F mean in Boston’s zoning use tables?
According to Boston Inspectional Services, A means the use is allowed, C means it is conditional and needs a conditional use permit from the Zoning Board of Appeal, and F means it is forbidden without a variance from the ZBA.
Is Stratum the city’s Zoning Viewer?
No. Stratum is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the City of Boston. Many people use the city viewer to confirm a district and Stratum to work out what fits on the lot.
Is the Stratum zoning map free?
Yes. Stratum is free during its public beta through December 31, 2026, and the basic Map tab stays free after the beta. 3D zoning and analysis tools become part of Pro after the beta.
Check your lot free
Stratum is free during the public beta through December 31, 2026. Sign up, search an address, and see its zoning in seconds.
Stratum is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official product of the City of Boston or the Boston Planning Department. “Zoning Viewer” refers to the city’s tool. Zoning information in Stratum is for early design and is not a legal determination; confirm it with the Boston Zoning Code and the city. Lot dimensions are recorded values from City of Boston Assessing; not a survey.