About Our Work at Inspectional Services

The Inspector of Buildings oversees all building permit and inspection activities, zoning reviews and the Board of Appeal hearings and decisions as well as the Board of Examiner’s licenses.   This division employs 22 building inspectors, 10 electrical inspectors, and 8 plumbing inspectors, all of which are responsible for inspecting all construction or renovation work to ensure that proper safety standards are followed. 

The Housing Inspection Division is charged with enforcing the State Sanitary Code and the City Ordinances, all of which regulate the quality of Boston’s public and private housing stock.

The Division of Health Inspections regulates food establishments such as: retail food stores, restaurants, caterers, commissaries, day care facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, mobile and Haymarket vendors as well as recreational camps for children, swimming pools, baths and funeral homes.  All licensed establishments are inspected at least once per year. Establishments found to be at higher risk will receive multiple inspections throughout the year. At present the ISD employs 18 health certified inspectors. 

The Weights & Measures Division enforces Massachusetts General Law (MGL) relating to the inspection of commercial weighing and measuring devices. The devices inspected for accuracy include: taxi meters, gasoline dispensers, home heating oil truck meters, and scales of all types. The Division also enforces various MGLs relating to insufficient weight or measure, scanner price accuracy, unit pricing, item pricing, motor fuel quality and pricing, delivery of home heating oil, method of sale and firewood deliveries.

During the months of November and December, the Weights and Measures Division conduct random “spot checks” of home heating oil delivery trucks throughout the city.  These spot checks are to ensure oil companies are delivering fuel from meters that are properly sealed and the correct amount of fuel is being delivered

Environmental Sanitation inspectors are required to monitor and treat rodent activity on city property and inspect and monitor all permitted construction sites in the city of Boston for rodent activity. The Environmental Sanitation Division employs 15 licensed pesticide inspectors who work to educate the public and rapidly respond to rodent and trash complaints.

The Auto Shop Division also falls within the Environmental Sanitation Division.  The Auto Shop division is responsible for inspecting auto body shops, auto repair shops, and automotive sales establishments.

The Investigation and Enforcement Team is made up of representatives from:

• our Legal, Building, Housing divisions
• the Boston Fire Department
• the Boston Public Health Commission, and
• members of Constituent Services.

Our team coordinates, and in some cases leads, the department’s response to the following complaint types:

• Illegal dwellings
• Problem properties
• Hoarding
• Illegal parties

I&E