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Anne Arundel County, MD Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Adopted code
2020 NFPA 70 (NEC)
Permit required
before electrical work begins
Enforcing agency
Dept. of Inspections and Permits
No-permit penalty
Class C offense, $500 first
Code-violation penalty
Class D offense, $125 first

Summary

Anne Arundel County adopts the 2020 National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) as its Electrical Code and requires a permit from the Department of Inspections and Permits before any electrical installation, alteration, or repair begins.

City-specific rules exist: Annapolis has its own electrical permits rules that differ from Anne Arundel County's county-level regulations. If you live in Annapolis, check the city-specific page instead.

Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the use, tenant, or occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by the Construction Code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the Code Official and obtain the required permit. 105.1.1 Annual permit. In lieu of an individual permit for each alteration to an already approved electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing installation, the Code Official is authorized to issue an annual permit upon application therefor to any person, firm, or corporation regularly employing one or more qualified trade persons in the building, structure, or on the premises owned or operated by the applicant for the permit. 105.1.2 Annual permit records. The person to whom an annual permit is issued shall keep a detailed record of alterations made under such annual permit. The Code Official shall have access to such records at all times or such records shall be filed with the Code Official as designated.

View official code

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 § 15-2-202, Anne Arundel County adopts the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), 2020 Edition, as its Electrical Code, with local amendments set out in the Construction Code Supplement. Section 105.1 of that Supplement, Chapter 1 of the Construction Code, which the Supplement expressly makes Article 80 of the adopted NEC, requires any owner or authorized agent who intends to erect, install, alter, remove, convert, or replace any electrical system to first apply to the Code Official (the Director of Inspections and Permits) and obtain a permit. Only narrow work is exempt: lamp replacement, reinstalling attachment plugs, same-capacity overcurrent-device repair, and similar minor items. This same rule and code apply throughout unincorporated communities like Glen Burnie and Severna Park, since neither has its own government.

Violations & Fines

Performing electrical work without the required permit is a Class C civil offense ($500 first violation, $1,000 after); violating the Electrical Code itself is a separate Class D civil offense ($125/$500/$1,000).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit for a minor electrical repair in Anne Arundel County?
Only narrow exceptions skip a permit: lamp replacement, reinstalling attachment plugs, or same-capacity overcurrent-device repair. New wiring, circuit changes, or system replacement require a permit from Inspections and Permits.
Does this apply in Glen Burnie or Severna Park?
Yes. Those communities are unincorporated with no government of their own, so the County Code's adopted NEC and permit rule are their only electrical code.
What happens if I do electrical work without a permit?
It's a Class C civil offense, $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for later ones, separate from any Class D penalty for violating the Electrical Code itself.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Anne Arundel County

All Anne Arundel County rules

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