Fees, valuation & enforcement
Permit fees are a project input. Enforcement exposure is a project risk. Use the official schedule where available, then confirm valuation, trade permits, plan review, and inspection charges with the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
Official fee pathway
The final charge may depend on declared construction value, occupancy classification, square footage, plan review, state surcharges, trade permits, technology fees, and inspection activity. Do not use a neighboring city’s fee table as a substitute for this jurisdiction.
Fee desk contact
240-777-0311 (DPS/MC 311); 240-777-6370 (permit status/application support)
Ask the counter to confirm current charges before submitting a project with multiple trades or a change of use.
Financial exposure
Plan for building, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire, energy, zoning, septic, right-of-way, or other reviews that the project scope triggers. The lowest initial permit fee is not always the lowest project cost.
Enforcement exposure
When work begins without authorization, the agency may halt the site, require corrective plans, impose additional fees, withhold inspection release, or require concealed work to be exposed for review.
Closeout exposure
A missing final inspection or certificate can complicate occupancy, refinancing, sale, insurance, and utility connection. Preserve the approved plans and signed inspection record through closeout.
Professional field note
Even when a cosmetic or minor project does not require a building permit, zoning, floodplain, shoreline, historic, utility, fire, or right-of-way controls may still apply. Confirm the full jurisdictional picture before work starts.
Source trail
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 240-777-0311 (DPS/MC 311); 240-777-6370 (permit status/application support).
Eligible residential fast-track applications may be issued in a few hours; other adequately prepared applications, such as regular deck reviews, may take up to 17 days. Actual timing varies by application type, corrections, and outside approvals.
Use the DPS online inspection request portal after plan reviews are complete and the permit is issued; enter the permit's Contact ID and select a date within the next seven business days. For next-day commercial inspection problems before noon call 240-777-0311. Framing/close-in inspections require associated electrical rough-in and mechanical close-in inspections; final building inspection requires associated electrical and mechanical finals. No inspection can be scheduled for inactive, stop-work, unpaid, denied, or otherwise unresolved applications.
Current Montgomery County adoptions include the 2021 International Building, Residential, Existing Building, Energy Conservation, Green Construction, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, and Swimming Pool and Spa Codes with county amendments; 2021 NFPA 1 Fire Code and NFPA 101 Life Safety Code with local fire-safety amendments; NFPA 70/National Electrical Code as adopted by Maryland and Montgomery County; Maryland Accessibility Code; and the 2025 Maryland State Fire Prevention Code. The county lists the 2026 NEC as pending rather than adopted. The county says permits are usually not required for bathroom caulking; cabinets; driveway work on private property; same-location/same-height replacement of a fence originally installed with a permit; floor coverings; gutters/downspouts; patios; prefabricated pools less than 18 inches deep; private walkways; retaining walls not over 48 inches measured from footing bottom to top unless supporting a surcharge; retractable awnings/canopies; roof covering only; siding; in-kind storm windows; swings/playground equipment/playhouses/treehouses; wall repair/painting; windows/doors without changing opening or net clear opening; and window screens. Permits are still required for most structural/accessory work, including all sheds and decks, and municipal/HOA rules may also apply.
Why permit costs vary
Building departments commonly calculate charges from valuation, occupancy, floor area, project type, plan review effort, trade scope, state surcharges, and inspection activity. A remodel that appears small on paper may still trigger structural, energy, fire, or utility review. Ask the permit counter which disciplines apply before you finalize the construction budget.
The same discipline applies to enforcement. Correcting unpermitted work after finishes are installed can require demolition, revised plans, additional inspections, and schedule disruption. Authorization is usually the less expensive project-management decision.