Mass. Gen. Laws » Part I Title XIV Chapter 91
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 91, § 15 (2026)

Revocation and expiration of authority or license; exception; mortgageable interest

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 15. Every authority or license granted since eighteen hundred and sixty-eight or hereafter granted by the commonwealth to any person to build a structure or do other work in, over and under the Connecticut River or the nontidal part of the Merrimack River or in, over or under the waters of any great pond or at any outlet thereof below high water mark, or upon ground over which the tide ebbs and flows, or to fill up or to enclose the same, whether such ground is above or below low water mark, or within or beyond one hundred rods from high water mark, or whether private property or property of the commonwealth, shall be subject to the following conditions, whether expressed in the act, resolve or license granting the same or not. Said authority or license shall be revocable at the discretion of the general court, or by the department for noncompliance with the terms and conditions set forth therein. The license shall expire as to all work authorized or licensed not completed within five years from the date of such authorization or license or such other period of time specified therein; provided, however, that for good cause shown the department may extend, without public hearing or notice, the construction period of the authorization or license for one or more one-year periods. Revocation by the general court of licenses issued after January first, nineteen hundred and eighty-four shall be treated as a taking of real property requiring payment of just compensation in accordance with the provisions of chapter seventy-nine for valuable structures, fillings, enclosures, uses or other improvements built, made or continued in compliance with said authorization or license. Except as provided herein, the grant of a license pursuant to this chapter shall not convey a property right, nor authorize any injury to property or invasion of rights of others. A license issued pursuant to this chapter is hereby made a mortgageable interest lawful for investment by any banking association, trust company, savings bank, cooperative bank, investment company, insurance company, executor, trustee, or other fiduciary, and any other person who is now or may hereafter be authorized to invest in any mortgage or other obligation of a similar nature.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1972–2023 · leading case: Mahajan v. Dep't of Env't Prot., 464 Mass. 604 (Mass. 2013).
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Mahajan v. Dep't of Env't Prot., 464 Mass. 604 (Mass. 2013). · cites it 2× “” G. L. c. 91, § 15. Furthermore, G. L. c. 91, § 15, provides: “A license issued pursuant to this chapter is hereby made a mortgageable interest lawful for investment by any banking association, *621 trust company, savings bank, cooperative bank, investment company, insurance…”
Arno v. Commonwealth, 931 N.E.2d 1 (Mass. 2010). · cites it 2× “G. L. c. 91, § 15, inserted by St. 1869, c.”
Com. Wharf East Condo. Assoc. v. Boston Boat Basin, LLC, 106 N.E.3d 1114 (Mass. App. Ct. 2018). “" See G. L. c. 91, § 15. The license also states: "Nothing in this license shall be so construed as to impair the legal rights of any person.”
Vince Kubic & Another v. David Audette., 102 Mass. App. Ct. 228 (Mass. App. Ct. 2023). “See G. L. c. 91, § 15 ("the grant of a license pursuant to this chapter shall not convey a property right, nor authorize any injury to property or invasion of rights of others"); Mahajan v.”
Newburyport Redevelopment Auth. v. Commonwealth, 401 N.E.2d 118 (Mass. App. Ct. 1980). “(In the absence of that authorization G. L. c. 91, § 15, would have prohibited the issuance of irrevocable licenses.”
Attorney Gen. v. Baldwin, 279 N.E.2d 710 (Mass. 1972). · cites it 2× “” This filling procedure, the judge found, was not in accordance with the requirements of the license and, therefore, constituted “a public nuisance within the meaning of” G.”
Boston & Maine Corp. v. Commonwealth, 4 Mass. L. Rptr. 76 (Mass. Super. Ct. 1995). “3 G.L.c. 91, §15, as appearing in St. 1927, c.”
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