Wetlands Permitting

Obtaining a Wetlands Permit

The Dracut Conservation Commission is responsible for upholding the MA Wetlands Protection Act and Dracut’s Wetland Bylaw and Regulations.

Any activity proposed within 100 feet of wetland resource areas (wetlands, ponds, or intermittent streams) or 200 feet from perennial (year-round) streams must be reviewed by the Conservation Commission. The Protecting Dracut’s Wetlands Flyer (PDF) provides an overview. 

For more details, please review Dracut’s Wetland Bylaw and Regulations.

If you are planning a project that involves grading, filling, cutting, or building near a wetland resource area or have questions about which permit you should apply for, please contact the Conservation Agent. 

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Wetlands Permitting Forms

Which Wetlands Permit should I apply for?

One of three wetland permit applications may be required, depending on the nature and scale of the proposed project and its potential impact on the nearby wetland resource.

  • Administrative Approval-  Certain minor activities (such as removing a hazardous tree) may be eligible for Administrative Approval by Conservation staff. Please contact the Conservation Agent if you think your project may be exempt or so minor as to not require a full permit.
  • Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA) - This Application is for minor projects affecting a small portion of the Buffer Zones that will have no impact on the Wetland Resource Area. It is the simplest and least expensive permit application procedure, one most homeowners can fill out on their own. An RDA results in a Determination of Applicability. 
  • Notice of Intent (NOI) - This Application is for projects involving significant work in the buffer zone or any work in a Wetland Resource Area. An NOI is a more detailed permit application that requires professionally engineered plans and results in a permit called an Order of Conditions (OOC). NOIs may be filed using the eDEP Online Filing.  Please be aware that an electronic and paper copy of the DEP NOI form must be submitted to the Conservation Commission Department. The Dracut Wetland Regulations contain more detail on the permit application deadlines and what needs to be submitted.
  • Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation (ANRAD) - This Application is meant to confirm the locations of the Wetland Resource Areas on an area of land. An ANRAD approval results in an Order of Resource Area Delineation (ORAD). An ORAD does not approve any alteration to the property. ANRADs are typically submitted prior to a Notice of Intent application to confirm the Wetland Resource Area boundaries on a large parcel or multiple parcels of land.

Instructions for Filing a Permit

There are many steps to filing a permit for Conservation, to help make it easier to follow and make sure you do not miss anything, an instruction sheet is available which goes over the various steps for each type of permit. Be sure to read through the instructions and ask any questions you may have to the Agent.

Abutter Notification

Applicants filing a Notice of Intent or ANRAD must notify all abutters (any landowner within 100 feet of the property line) by certified mail or Certificate of Mailing. Request a Certified Abutters List.

  • At the time of filing a wetland permit, the Applicant must send each abutter a Notification to Abutters form. Please include the exact date & time of the hearing which will be given to you at the time of submission. 

Filing Fees

NOI and ANRAD Applications must contain a DEP Fee Transmittal Form.

The Town of Dracut has local filing fees beginning February 1, 2026. Fees differ by permit type or action, the complete list of permit filings and their fees are available online or a copy can be viewed in person at the Dracut Conservation Office at 62 Arlington Street. Local filing fees must be provided with an application for it to be considered administratively complete with the Town. Local filing fees must be paid by check separately from the DEP State fees local portion.

Advertising Fees

After filing a NOI, RDA, or ANRAD application, Conservation staff will order a legal advertisement to be published in the Lowell Sun in order to notify the public of the hearing. The legal ad fee is $150 to be paid by check made out to the Town of Dracut with the NOI, RDA, or ANRAD application. 

Recording Information

An Order of Conditions must be recorded at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds in Lowell, or for registered land in the Land Court, no earlier than 10 business days after the issuance of the Order of Conditions by the Conservation Commission. The Registry fee for recording or registering shall be paid by the owner or applicant. The Registry of Deeds can be contacted at 978-322-9000 for instructions on how to record a document.

Proof of recording this original Order of Conditions must be brought back to the Conservation Commission before the applicant may commence work on the site.

Closing Out a Permit

NOI's must be "closed out" with a Certificate of Compliance to remove the cloud on the title. Upon completion of your NOI project, you must submit to the Conservation Agent:

  • WPA Form 8A - Request for Certificate of Compliance
  • A signed and stamped as-built plan
  • Letter from the engineer stating that the project was completed in substantial compliance with the approved plans and conditions and describing any deviation from the approved plans

Other Wetland Related Laws and Policies