Annapolis, MD Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)
Key Facts
- Commercial trigger
- 7,500+ sq ft (LEED certified)
- Public buildings
- Any size (LEED silver)
- Homes
- 3,250+ sq ft or 5+ unit subdivisions
- Enforcement
- No final CO until verified
- Variances
- None allowed (§ 17.14.060)
Summary
New construction and major modifications to commercial buildings over 7,500 square feet, all public buildings, and single-family homes over 3,250 square feet must meet LEED certified-level (or equivalent) design standards under Annapolis City Code Chapter 17.14.
Any new construction of or major modification to a commercial or mixed use building of greater than seven thousand five hundred square feet of gross floor area must achieve: 1. A certified-level rating in the appropriate LEED rating system, as certified by the Green Building Council; or 2. A certified-level rating in the appropriate LEED rating system as verified by the Director or a qualified person approved by the Director; or 3. Energy and environmental design standards that the Director identifies as equivalent...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2025 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Annapolis requires green building compliance for four project types: commercial or mixed-use buildings over 7,500 square feet (certified-level LEED), any public building regardless of size (silver-level LEED), subdivisions of five or more homes, and any single-family home over 3,250 square feet (certified-level LEED, or NGBS bronze for homes). Site Design Review applicants must submit a LEED scorecard to the Department of Planning and Zoning; the Director can verify an equivalent design standard in place of formal LEED certification. There are no variances under § 17.14.060, and appeals of a Director decision go to the Building Board of Appeals under § 17.14.070.
Violations & Fines
No criminal fine: enforcement is permit-based: the Department withholds the final certificate of use and occupancy until LEED or equivalent compliance is documented under § 17.14.050(B)(2).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every new home in Annapolis need LEED certification?
Can a project get a variance from the LEED standard?
What happens if a project doesn't meet the standard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Annapolis
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