Anne Arundel County, MD Accessory Structures: ADU Impact Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 17-11-203(c)(1)(viii)
- Exempt use
- Accessory dwelling units
- Condition
- Not built with new principal home
- Administered by
- Office of Planning and Zoning
Summary
Anne Arundel County exempts accessory dwelling units from development impact fees, but only if the ADU isn't built alongside a new principal single-family house.
(c) Exemptions. (1) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, the following shall be exempt from impact fees: ... (viii) accessory dwelling units, provided that the accessory dwelling unit is not constructed during the new construction of a principal single-family detached dwelling.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-93: County Code is current through May, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under County Code § 17-11-203(c)(1)(viii), accessory dwelling units are exempt from the county's development impact fee, which otherwise applies to new residential construction based on square footage. The exemption is lost if the ADU is constructed during the same project as new construction of the principal single-family detached dwelling. This applies countywide, including unincorporated communities like Glen Burnie and Severna Park, but not Annapolis or Highland Beach.
Violations & Fines
An ADU built at the same time as a new principal house does not qualify for the exemption and owes the standard residential impact fee, assessed by finished square footage under § 17-11-204 before permits are released.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an ADU in Glen Burnie owe a county impact fee?
Is this exemption automatic?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anne Arundel County
Compare Anne Arundel County to another location·View the Maryland accessory structures overview
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