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Washington County, MD Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)

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

Key Facts

RU district cap
40 ft principal, 25 ft accessory (§ 9.4)
RS district cap
35 ft principal, 20 ft accessory (§ 8.4)
Exempt features
Chimneys, spires, flagpoles, rooftop equipment (§ 23.4)
Height bonus
Up to 45 ft / 3 stories with wider side yards
Slope bonus
1 extra story downhill if slope exceeds 7%

Summary

Washington County, Maryland caps residential building height at forty feet for the principal structure and twenty-five feet for accessory buildings in the "RU" Residential, Urban District, the ordinance's core Height Regulations standard. Homes in the "RS" Residential, Suburban District face a lower thirty-five foot cap, with a twenty foot limit on accessory structures.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Washington County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Section 9.4 Height Regulations: No principal permitted structure shall exceed forty (40) feet in height and no accessory structure shall exceed twenty-five (25) feet, except as provided in Section 23.4.

View official code

Full Breakdown

4: thirty-five feet for the principal structure and twenty feet for an accessory building. 4 supplies the exceptions referenced in both sections. It exempts belfries, steeples, spires, chimneys, smoke stacks, flagpoles, fire towers, cupolas, domes, monuments, roof-mounted stairway housings, and rooftop mechanical equipment such as tanks, ventilating fans, and air conditioning units from the height cap outright, though a penthouse or roof structure still cannot exceed twenty-five percent of the roof area. 4(c) grants one extra story on the downhill side of a lot where the average finished slope exceeds seven percent grade, without raising the district's overall height limit.

A homeowner on a steep or sloped lot in the "RU" district can therefore build higher than forty feet only by using one of these two named trade-offs, not by right.

Violations & Fines

Building beyond the district height cap without qualifying for a Section 23.4 exception is a Zoning Ordinance violation. The Zoning Administrator can order the illegal construction removed or altered under Section 24.2(d), and a property owner who does not comply faces a misdemeanor under Section 26.1, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 per day, or a civil citation under Section 26.2.1 capped at $500.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall can I build my house in Washington County, Maryland?
Forty feet for the principal structure and twenty-five feet for an accessory building, under Section 9.4. That is the "RU" Residential, Urban District limit; the "RS" Residential, Suburban District next door caps homes at thirty-five feet and accessory buildings at twenty feet under Section 8.4, so the answer depends on which residential district your lot sits in.
Do chimneys and rooftop equipment count toward the height limit?
No, and Section 23.4 lists specific exemptions instead: belfries, steeples, spires, chimneys, smoke stacks, flagpoles, cupolas, domes, monuments, and rooftop mechanical equipment like tanks and air conditioning units are excluded from the height limit. A roof structure or penthouse among these still cannot cover more than twenty-five percent of the roof area.
Can I ever build taller than the district height limit?
Yes, under Section 23.4(b): a residential building can rise to three stories and up to forty-five feet if each side yard is widened by half a foot for every extra foot of height above the normal maximum. On a sloped lot with an average grade over seven percent, Section 23.4(c) also allows one additional story on the downhill side.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Washington County

Parking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsSetback RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome RestrictionsLot Coverage LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesLight RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome Restrictions

All Washington County rules

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