Harford County building department

Harford County’s Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP) runs the Permit Center on the first floor of the county office building at 220 South Main Street in Bel Air. Building Services handles building permits, plan review and structural inspections, while separate Electrical Services and Plumbing Services divisions issue trade permits and license tradespeople. The county also reviews plans and inspects for the three incorporated municipalities, but those towns issue their own building permits.

When a county building permit is required

The county requires a permit to construct or alter a structure, demolish or move one, place a structure, change a use, or install or alter equipment regulated by the Harford County Code. The fee schedule shows how accessory structures at a one- or two-family dwelling are handled: those 200 sq ft and under carry a $20 permit with no certificate of occupancy or inspection, while larger ones are charged by square footage.

Applying

Online filing through the ePermit Center (Tyler EnerGov self-service) is strongly encouraged; you need a registered user account to apply, track reviews and request inspections. Paper applications use the combined Building Permit/Zoning Certificate Application at the Permit Center.

What the county asks for depends on the project:

• Decks: an aerial framing plan with all details and footer specifications. The county publishes Deck Construction Guidelines and Stairway, Handrail and Guardrail Guidelines.
• Additions and renovations: footprint, floor plans, structural details, and a site plan showing setbacks.
• New homes: footing/foundation plans, floor plans, a cross-section, exterior elevations and a site plan. Residential energy compliance uses the county’s 2021 IECC Residential Compliance Path Application and mechanical ventilation testing certification form.
• Commercial work: one scaled survey or site plan, one full set of construction plans plus two extra floor-plan copies, sealed by a Maryland-registered design professional, a deed copy if ownership changed within the last two months, and special inspection information under DILP Memorandum 00378-2024.

MHIC-licensed contractors applying for projects under 600 sq ft answer review questions at the counter; drawings are recommended. A building permit lapses if work does not start within 12 months of issuance or stops for six months, and the county counts work as diligently pursued only if an inspection happens within six months of the previous one.

Codes in force

Council Bill 24-005, effective May 29, 2024, adopted the 2021 IBC, IRC, IMC, IECC and International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, plus the 2023 National Electrical Code, with Harford County amendments. The bill is posted in the county legislation library, and the county also links its code set on ICC’s digital codes site.

Fees

The DILP fee schedule (effective January 1, 2025; revised January 1, 2026) sets building fees mostly by area:

Item	Fee
Residential new construction, additions, alterations	$0.15/sq ft + $100 non-refundable application fee
Residential flat-fee items (pellet/wood stove, sump pump, foundation repair)	$160
Re-roofing, 1- and 2-family dwelling	$0.15/sq ft + $100 application fee
Fence	$20 plus $0.10 per foot over 250 ft
Swimming pool, above ground / in ground (residential)	$160 / $200 + $0.10 per linear ft of fence
Demolition, residential / commercial	$175 / $275
Commercial new construction, additions, alterations	$0.15/sq ft + $200 application fee
Reinspection or unnecessary trip	$50
Working without a permit (first occurrence)	$500

The same schedule lists a $10,000 impact fee per single-family home or townhouse under Bill 24-033 and a $50 Maryland Home Builder Guaranty Fund fee.

Inspections

Request building inspections in the ePermit Center or by calling Building Services at (410) 638-3366 with your permit number. Requests in before 3 p.m. go on the next business day’s list; later requests are scheduled for the second business day. The office cannot book a time slot, but you can call between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m. on inspection day for an approximate arrival window.

Standard stages are footing (with a stone construction entrance at least 10 by 25 feet and silt fence in place), foundation before backfill, slab/drain tile, framing after all trade rough-ins, insulation, ceiling, and final. The approved plans and permit must stay on site, and the address must be posted on the structure; unmarked sites can fail inspection. A Certificate of Occupancy issues only after every agency signs off, and the lot must be stabilized first.

Trade permits and licenses

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work each need a separate permit pulled by a county-registered master. Homeowners can get a one-time permit for their own home after passing a homeowner’s test (plumbing, electrical, and mechanical with a primary-residence affidavit), but homeowners cannot get gas permits.

Division	Phone
Electrical Services	(410) 638-3363
Plumbing, fuel gas and mechanical	(410) 638-3215
Health Department well and septic	(410) 877-2300
DPW water and sewer	(410) 612-1612
DPW stormwater management	(410) 638-3127
State Fire Marshal	(410) 836-4844

Aberdeen, Bel Air and Havre de Grace

Each incorporated municipality issues its own building permits and keeps those records; the county keeps only their plumbing, electrical and HVAC permit records. Trade permits in all three towns still come from the county.

• Bel Air: apply to the Town Building Permit Clerk at the DPW facility, 705 E. Churchville Road, (410) 638-4550. The town sends plans to DILP for code review.
• Aberdeen: apply at City Hall, 60 N. Parke Street, (410) 272-1600 ext. 221. The city checks zoning, DILP reviews plans and inspects building and trade work, and city DPW inspects sediment control, water/sewer connections, sidewalks and curbs.
• Havre de Grace: apply through the Department of Planning, 711 Pennington Avenue, (410) 939-1800, or the city’s MGO Connect portal. Applications that go to Harford County can take up to 30 days to review, and DILP performs some inspections for the city.