Montgomery County building department

The Department of Permitting Services (DPS) handles building, electrical, mechanical, fire-protection, zoning and land-development permits for most of Montgomery County from its office at 2425 Reedie Drive in Wheaton, open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Plumbing and gas work is a separate matter: it goes through WSSC Water, not DPS. A few incorporated cities also run their own permit programs.

Who permits what

Work or location	Agency	How to reach it
Building, electrical, mechanical, zoning, fences, decks, sheds (unincorporated county and most towns)	Montgomery County DPS	(240) 777-0311
Plumbing, gas fitting, water/sewer service lines	WSSC Water Permit Services	(301) 206-4003
All building and trade permits inside Rockville	City of Rockville Inspection Services Division	(240) 314-8240
Trees, stormwater, city right-of-way in Takoma Park	City of Takoma Park, plus the county permit	Municipality Letter request
Exterior changes to designated historic sites	Historic Preservation Commission (HAWP), filed through DPS	Apply Online

Rockville

Rockville issues its own building and trade permits through MGO Connect at City Hall, 111 Maryland Avenue. A DPS permit does not cover a Rockville address.

Takoma Park

In Takoma Park the county still issues the building permit. Before you apply to DPS for any project that needs a county permit, including fences, decks and driveways, you first need a free Municipality Letter from the City. The letter is not a permit. It points you to the City’s own permits for tree protection, stormwater management and work in the City right-of-way.

WSSC plumbing and gas

WSSC covers plumbing and fuel gas in both Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. Applications go only through WSSC ePermitting, and WSSC no longer accepts paper applications. Only WSSC-registered master plumbers or gasfitters (or their designated proxies) can apply for plumbing and gas permits and schedule those inspections. Homeowners may do only the limited work allowed by Section 106.9 of the WSSC Plumbing and Fuel Gas Code. WSSC Permit Services is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Wednesday, when it closes at noon.

Residential permit thresholds

• Decks: every deck on footings needs a building permit, at any height. For single-span, single-level decks with no roof, screened porch or hot tub, you can use the county’s standard Residential Deck Details in place of drawn plans. Inspections are footing, framing and final.
• Fences: any new fence needs a permit. You don’t need one to replace a permitted fence with the same type, location and height. Height is capped at 6’6”. On corner lots in residential zones, fences are limited to 3 feet above curb level within 15 feet of the intersection. You submit a plat or site plan showing the fence. If the fence sits on a private property line, you also need a letter from the neighbor. Processing typically takes three days.
• Sheds: any shed you install, move or build needs a permit and a zoning review. Single-story sheds of 200 sq ft or less skip structural review and need only a site plan and a final inspection, which checks location and anchorage. Larger sheds need scaled construction drawings (at least 1/4” = 1’).
• Repairs: a restore/repair permit covers major repairs after fire, storm, flood or earthquake damage, structural cutting, egress changes and utility work. It does not cover complete or substantial replacement.
• Historic sites: a Historic Area Work Permit (no fee) is needed for additions and for removing or replacing windows, doors, porches, steps or shutters. Interior work and routine maintenance are exempt. The HPC schedules a hearing within 45 days, and you still need a building permit for any construction.

Fast Track and review times

Fast Track covers single-level decks, sheds and other non-habitable detached structures under 200 sq ft, interior alterations that don’t touch load-bearing walls, and basement alterations without kitchens. These permits are generally issued in one to two days. Additions, screened porches, two-level decks and basement kitchens go through standard review. DPS puts standard review at about four weeks, and up to 17 days for a well-prepared deck or shed application.

Applying and uploading plans

1. Create an account and file through Apply & ePay. You pay a non-refundable filing fee by card or check.
2. Upload drawings through ePlans, which runs on Avolve Cloud. Upload every drawing and document within 5 business days of applying, or you can lose the filing fee and the application is withdrawn.
3. File names are limited to 20 characters. Each starts with a discipline letter (A, S, C, DM, EC, E, Z) followed by a three-digit sheet number, for example “A002-2nd Level FL”. Each sheet is uploaded as its own file in the Drawings folder, and reports go in the Documents folder. Every sheet needs a “page X of Y” number.
4. Upload corrections to the original folder under the exact original file name. Use the Revisions folder only for changes after the permit is issued.

ePlans questions go to [email protected].

Residential fees (FY2027)

From the DPS residential schedule effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027:

Item	Fee
Filing fee, add/alter/repair	50% of permit fee or $329.59, whichever is greater
Filing fee, new construction	50% of permit fee or $870.61, whichever is greater
New one/two-family detached, up to 5,000 sq ft	$0.88305 per sq ft
Deck, 500 sq ft or less	$223.87
Fence	$89.54
Accessory building, 200 sq ft or less	$136.80
Solar panels	$261.18
Re-inspection	$120.64
Permit extension	15% of total permit fee

DPS treats the schedule as an estimate only and calculates the final fee when it issues the permit.

Codes in force

Residential work follows the 2021 IRC and IEBC, 2021 IECC, 2021 IMC and IFGC, 2021 ISPSC and NFPA 13D (2013), with county amendments adopted under Executive Regulation 13-24. The electrical page cites the 2017 NEC, adopted by Executive Regulation 23-19 and effective October 22, 2019. The residential codes page lists NEC 2026 as pending adoption. Local amendments live in County Code Chapter 8 (buildings), Chapter 17 (electrical) and Chapter 51 (pools).

Inspections and licensing

Book inspections online at least 24 hours ahead. The Find My Inspector tool shows the inspector assigned to an address, except for fire code compliance inspectors. Breaking a certified site plan can lead to notices, citations or stop-work orders, and DPS can hold later permits or final use-and-occupancy approvals.

Licensing runs through the state and WSSC:

• The State of Maryland issues all electrical licenses and handles HVACR licensing.
• Homeowners can still get a homeowner electrical permit for their own property.
• Home improvement contracts with homeowners require an MHIC license, (410) 230-6231.
• Check a plumber’s WSSC license at (301) 206-8588.