Baltimore permits ADUs under the TransForm Baltimore Zoning Code (Article 32, adopted 2017). Detached and attached ADUs are allowed in R-1 through R-8 districts subject to dimensional standards. Permits route through the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Building, Fire, and Related Codes Administration. Maryland HB 538 (2024) sets a statewide ADU framework that limits some restrictive local rules.
Baltimore City Code Article 32 (Zoning) Title 7 governs accessory dwelling units. After the 2017 TransForm Baltimore zoning rewrite, ADUs are permitted by right in most R-zones as either an interior conversion, attached addition, or detached structure. Dimensional standards: ADUs may not exceed 700 sq ft or 35 percent of the principal dwelling, whichever is less; max height 25 feet; setbacks follow the underlying district. The ADU must share a lot with an existing single-family dwelling. Permits required: zoning use permit, building permit, and trade permits for any electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work. Filing is through DHCD's ePermits portal (formerly CityWorks). Plan review takes 20-45 business days; complete applications avoid revision cycles. Maryland HB 538 (2024) preempts certain restrictive local rules and requires localities to permit at least one ADU per single-family lot, though Baltimore's existing framework already largely complies. CHAP review applies in designated historic districts (Federal Hill, Fells Point, Mount Vernon).
Unpermitted ADU construction violates Article 32 Title 13 (Enforcement). Penalties include stop-work orders, civil citations of $500 per violation per day under Section 13-303, and possible structure removal orders. DHCD can place liens on the property. Article 33 (Building Code) violations may also apply. Operating an unregistered ADU as a separate rental triggers separate violations under Article 13 (Housing).
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