Howard County, MD Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

305(a) states that, except for narrow exceptions, plumbing, gasfitting, or on-site utility work shall not be undertaken without a permit issued by the authority having jurisdiction. A permit for plumbing or gasfitting work can only be issued to a licensed master plumber or gasfitter, and a permit for on-site utility work goes only to a licensed master plumber or a holder of a Howard County on-site utility contractor license; a homeowner cannot pull the permit themselves except for the specific repair exceptions in subsection (a)(4), covering repair or replacement of a faucet, ballcock, exposed fixture trap, or shutoff valve, or clearing a stoppage that doesn't require replacing a fixture or any part of the drainage or water system.

A standard plumbing permit application expires six months after filing unless the work has been diligently pursued or a permit issued, and the authority having jurisdiction can grant up to a one-year extension for reasonable cause; once issued, a permit becomes invalid if work doesn't start within 180 days or is abandoned for more than 180 days after starting, though an express plumbing permit expires one year from issuance. 00 administrative fee is deducted from any refund. A plumbing permit cannot be transferred to another plumber; instead, it must be terminated and a new permit issued for the remaining work.