Mass. Gen. Laws » Part I Title VII Chapter 40
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 40, § 22F (2026)

License fees; service charges; acceptance of section

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 22F. Any municipal board or officer empowered to issue a license, permit, certificate, or to render a service or perform work for a person or class of persons, may, from time to time, fix reasonable fees for all such licenses, permits, or certificates issued pursuant to statutes or regulations wherein the entire proceeds of the fee remain with such issuing city or town, and may fix reasonable charges to be paid for any services rendered or work performed by the city or town or any department thereof, for any person or class of persons; provided, however, that in the case of a board or officer appointed by an elected board, the fixing of such fee shall be subject to the review and approval of such elected board.

A fee or charge imposed pursuant to this section shall supersede fees or charges already in effect, or any limitations on amounts placed thereon for the same service, work, license, permit or certificate; provided, however, that this section shall not supersede the provisions of sections 31 to 77, inclusive, of chapter 6A, chapter 80, chapter 83, chapter 138, sections 121 to 131N, inclusive, of chapter 140 or section 10A of chapter 148. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any certificate, service or work required by chapters fifty to fifty-six, inclusive, or by chapter sixty-six. The fee or charge being collected immediately prior to acceptance of this section for any license, permit, certificate service or work will be utilized until a new fee or charge is fixed under this section.

The provisions of this section may be accepted in a city by a vote of the city council, with the approval of the mayor if so required by law, and in a town by vote of the town meeting, or by vote of the town council in towns with no town meeting.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases, 2000–2014 · leading case: Silva v. City of Attleboro, 908 N.E.2d 722 (Mass. 2009).
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Silva v. City of Attleboro, 908 N.E.2d 722 (Mass. 2009). · cites it 5× “114, § 45, and are authorized, pursuant to G. L. c. 40, § 22F, to defray these expenses by charging a reasonable fee.”
Nextel Commc'ns of the Mid-Atl., Inc. v. Town of Randolph, 193 F. Supp. 2d 311 (D. Mass. 2002). · cites it 2× “It seeks to vindicate its own legal interests under a statute, Mass.Gen. Laws ch. 40, § 22F, that seeks to protect fee-payers from the imposition of excessive or inappropriate fees.”
Silva v. City of Fall River, 798 N.E.2d 297 (Mass. App. Ct. 2003). · cites it 2× “See G. L. c. 40, § 22F, which, when accepted by a city or town, allows municipal boards and officers to fix reasonable fees for licenses, permits, certificates, services, or other work performed.”
Easthampton Sav. Bank v. City of Springfield, 21 N.E.3d 922 (Mass. 2014). “We assume, without deciding, that the city does have this authority pursuant to G. L. c. 40, § 22F, and that the city has duly adopted this provision.”
Greater Franklin Developers Ass'n v. Town of Franklin, 730 N.E.2d 900 (Mass. App. Ct. 2000). “See G. L. c. 40, § 22F (“Any municipal board or officer empowered to issue a license, permit, certificate, or to render a service or perform work for a person or class of persons, may, from time to time, fix reasonable fees for all such licenses, permits, or certificates .”
Denver Street LLC v. Town of Saugus, 939 N.E.2d 1187 (Mass. App. Ct. 2011). · cites it 2× “500, 502 (2000), citing G. L. c. 40, § 22F. The plaintiffs claim that I/I reduction contributions constitute an illegal tax because they were not authorized by the Legislature; the town argues that the charges are a permissible fee under G.”
Knott v. Town of Northbridge, 2005 Mass. App. Div. 135 (Mass. Dist. Ct., App. Div. 2005). “However, his complaint specifically seeks recovery of the alleged “unlawful portion” of the building permit fees charged by the Town in what Knott claims was a violation of G.L.c. 40, §22F. That statute provides, in pertinent part: [A]ny municipal board or officer empowered to…”
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