Howard County building department

Howard County’s Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP) reviews plans, issues building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire protection, grading and sign permits, and inspects the work for the entire county. Howard has no incorporated towns or cities, so Ellicott City, Columbia, Elkridge and every other community in the county go through DILP. Permits are handled at the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive in Ellicott City; field inspectors work out of 7125 Riverwood Drive, Suite D2, in Columbia.

Applying online: Citizen’s Access and ProjectDox

Residential and commercial building permits are submitted electronically. Howard uses two systems that work together:

• Citizen’s Access Portal (Accela, reachable at myhoward.info) holds the application, required forms, plot plan and payment.
• ProjectDox holds construction drawings for new homes, additions, and accessory structures over 400 square feet. After DILP accepts the application as a “pending plan submittal,” the Plan Review Division creates a ProjectDox project and emails an upload invitation to the primary contact. If the work needs a design professional, list that person as the primary contact, because review comments go to them.

Homeowners can register a Citizen’s Access account themselves. Owners acting as their own general contractor at their primary residence do not need the online registration form. Owners only see certain permit types; if the type you need is missing, a licensed professional has to apply. If you hire a contractor, upload a contractor letter signed by the owner along with a copy of the contractor’s license. Licensed professionals must first send in the Online Registration Form so their account is linked to their license.

Submittal details that trip people up:

• Type the description of work in all capital letters, using the format in the county’s sample handout (for example, SFD/ CONSTRUCT 12 X 16 OPEN DECK WITH STEPS).
• Every permit needs a plot plan drawn to scale with dimensions to property lines, plus well and septic locations where they apply. Include an HOA or condo approval letter if your community requires one.
• Drawings in ProjectDox must be to scale, meet the adopted IECC, and leave a 3-inch by 3-inch blank block in the lower right corner for the county stamp. Sealed drawings need a third-party verifiable digital signature.
• After approval, print one full-size copy of the stamped plans. That copy is the field set for inspections.

Decks, sheds, fences and other small projects

DILP’s published rules for accessory work:

• Decks: a permit is required for every deck except one under 25 square feet. Footings must be at least 18 inches in diameter (or 16 by 16 inches) and at least 30 inches deep. Since September 1, 2022, decks and screened porches of any size need construction plans or the county’s basic deck plan dimensions and specifications sheet.
• Deck boards: replacing only the boards, without touching the framing underneath, counts as ordinary repair and needs no permit. Replacing handrails or guardrails does need a permit, even with the same product.
• Sheds, gazebos, pavilions, barns: a permit is required over 200 square feet. Over 400 square feet, a frost footing at least 30 inches below grade is required and the plans go through ProjectDox.
• Fences: a permit is required for fences over 7 feet high and for fences around a swimming pool.
• Retaining walls: no permit up to 3 feet high. Taller walls need a permit and engineer calculations, unless the wall is built under an approved site development plan.
• Water heaters: replacing a gas or electric water heater needs a plumbing permit pulled by a master plumber, plus an inspection.

Fees

The FY2027 Building Permit Fee Schedule (Council Resolution 83-2026, effective July 1, 2026) adds a 10% technology fee to every permit. Filing fees cannot be refunded.

Item	Fee
New single-family construction	$0.25 per new gross sq ft + $100 filing fee
Residential addition	$0.25 per new gross sq ft + $50 filing fee
Alteration, 200 sq ft or less / over 200 sq ft	$50 / $100 + $25 filing fee
Deck, shed (200-400 sq ft), fence over 7 ft, retaining wall over 3 ft	$50 per structure
Private pool, above-ground / in-ground (includes fence and grading)	$100 / $250
Reinspection after 2 / 3 / 4+ failures of the same inspection	$100 / $125 / $175
Work started without a permit	$100

New homes may also owe excise tax, the public school facility surcharge, and the moderate-income housing fee-in-lieu, each on its own FY2027 schedule. Builders registered with the Maryland Home Builder program pay a $50 guaranty fund fee on new home permits. Paying online through the Citizen’s Access Portal adds a convenience fee charged by Paymentus, the county’s card processor.

Adopted codes

Howard County’s 2024 code package took effect September 7, 2025. Council Bill 24-2025 adopted the 2024 IBC, IRC, IECC, IMC and International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, each with county amendments. Council Bill 25-2025 adopted the 2024 Property Maintenance Code. Council Bill 26-2025 adopted the 2024 International Plumbing Code and NFPA 54-2024 for fuel gas. Electrical work follows the 2023 National Electrical Code with local amendments, effective June 3, 2024.

Scheduling inspections

You can schedule inspections on the Citizen’s Access Portal, by calling the automated line at (410) 313-3800, or by texting “Schedule” to (888) 297-9841. Requests can be made for the next day or up to seven working days ahead. By phone, enter the 8-digit permit number without the letter prefix. By text, use the full number, for example S B25001234 205 06/07. On the morning of the inspection, call (410) 313-1823 between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. to get a 2-hour arrival window.

Common residential building codes: 207 footings, 208 foundation walls/dampproof, 209 frame, 211 insulation, 200 ceiling close-in, 205 final building. Electrical rough wire is 305 and final electric is 304. Plumbing rough-in is 720 and final plumbing is 705.

Other offices in the review chain

Office	What it reviews	Phone
DPZ Zoning Administration	Setbacks, zoning and subdivision rules	(410) 313-2350
Health Department	Well and septic approval, required for every property on private well and septic	(410) 313-6300
DPW Construction Inspection	Sediment and erosion control for new construction disturbing over 5,000 sq ft or 100 cubic yards	(410) 313-1855
DPW Bureau of Utilities	Public water and sewer connections	(410) 313-4958
DILP Plan Review	Building code compliance and fees	(410) 313-2436

The permits counter closes at 5:00 p.m., and the county asks walk-ins to arrive by 4:00 p.m.