Howard County, MD Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)

Howard County's amendment to IBC Section 110.3, adopted at County Code Section 3.101(b)(35), directs that after a permit issues, the Building Official "shall conduct inspections from time to time during and upon completion of the work for which the permit has been issued," keeping records of inspections and violations, and may draw on any of the inspection stages listed in Subsections 110.3.1 through 110.3.12. Rather than requiring a separate permit and inspection for every alteration, Section 105.1.1 lets the Building Official issue a master permit to an applicant who regularly employs a qualified tradesperson on premises it owns or operates; the holder must keep detailed alteration records under Section 105.1.2 for the Building Official to inspect or access at any time, and Section 105.1.2.1 requires a Building Code Compliance Assurance Manual describing the applicant's inspection and Code-compliance procedures.

A reinspection fee applies under Section 109.5.1 whenever work was not ready at the scheduled time, the inspector could not access the site, a violation had to be re-checked more than once, or the inspector finds flagrant non-compliance such as cut trusses, missing load-bearing studs or omitted fire stopping. Before a certificate of use and occupancy issues where grading has occurred, Section 111.1 requires a registered land surveyor's certification that site grading and drainage match the approved site development or erosion and sediment control plan; fine grading may be deferred to the next growing season if the owner posts adequate surety.

A permit decision, other than a notice of violation, may be appealed to a hearing examiner of the Howard County Board of Appeals under Section 113.1, which reviews claims that the Code was misapplied, does not apply, or that an equally good form of construction is proposed.