Howard County, MD Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Inspections, Licenses and Permits
- Default rule
- Permit required unless listed in Sec. 105.2
- Shed exemption
- Under 200 sq ft, 10-ft eave height
- Fence exemption
- 7 ft or less, no pool enclosure
- Retaining wall exemption
- 3 ft or less from lowest grade
- Owner-builder
- Allowed only for primary residence
- First violation
- Class C offense; repeat is Class B
Summary
Howard County requires a permit under its adopted 2024 International Building Code before starting most construction, from new buildings to additions and site work. The Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits issues permits and enforces exemptions set out in County Code Section 3.101(b)(26), covering sheds, decks, fences, retaining walls and simple interior work.
(26)Subsection 105.2 Work exempt from permit. In the second sentence after "following", insert "however, exemptions do not apply to structures located in the floodplain"... (vii)Add the following as item 14 at the end of this Subsection:14.The following work on existing single-family dwellings:...c.The following additional structures:1.One story non-conditioned detached accessory structures less than 200 square feet in area including, but not limited to, storage sheds, kiosks, gazebos, arbors, or playhouses;...4Installation of fences unless the fence is over 7 feet high or encloses a swimming pool; or5Installation of mailboxes.d.Site work:1.Paving driveways;2.Installation of patios, sidewalks, or landscaping;3.Installation of retaining walls that are 3 feet or less in height measured from the lowest adjacent grade to the top of the wall; or4.Installation of flagpoles or flagpole bases.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 91 | Zoning: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
100, the county has adopted the 2024 International Building Code, International Residential Code, International Mechanical Code and International Energy Conservation Code, administered as the Howard County Building Code. 2's specific list, and the exemptions expressly do not apply to structures located in the floodplain. Examples the county carved out include detached accessory structures under 200 square feet with a roof eave no higher than 10 feet, platforms not more than 3 feet above grade, freestanding decks under 25 square feet and less than 30 inches high, greenhouses for personal use, tents or canopies of 120 square feet or less, fences that are 7 feet or less and do not enclose a swimming pool, mailboxes, driveways, patios, sidewalks, landscaping, retaining walls 3 feet or less measured from the lowest adjacent grade, and flagpoles.
Interior work such as painting, cabinet installation, insulation and alarm system installation is likewise exempt. 8 lets homeowners of one- and two-family dwellings act as their own general contractor only if the home is their primary residence; rental or non-primary properties require a Maryland Home Improvement Contractor or Home Builder license. 1.
Violations & Fines
Building without a required permit is enforced under Section 114: alternatively to any other remedy, the Building Official can pursue civil penalties under Title 24 of the County Code, and a first violation of the Building Code subtitle is a Class C offense while a subsequent violation is a Class B offense, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. The Building Official may also withhold future inspections or permits under Section 114.5 until violations are corrected and fees are paid, and can issue a stop-work order under Section 115.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a storage shed in Howard County?
Can I pull my own building permit as the homeowner?
What happens if I build without a Howard County permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Howard County
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