Building Safety in Gaithersburg, MD (2026)
4 verified building safety rules for Gaithersburg, Maryland, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Gaithersburg's code does not set a citywide carbon monoxide alarm mandate for all homes, but it does require one for licensed short-term rentals: working CO alarms in every bedroom and on every level, tied to the Chapter 11 fire safety code.
Gaithersburg CO Alarm Rule for Short-Term Rentals
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 18AA-3.1(3)
(3)Ensure that all dwelling units have approved working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in every bedroom and on every level of the home as required by chapter 11.
Building Permits
Gaithersburg requires a separate building permit for every legal address and every separate building at that address before construction begins. City Code § 5-3 amends the 2021 International Building Code's permit section to remove several standard exemptions, and the Planning and Code Administration's Permits and Inspections Division reviews and issues every permit.
Gaithersburg Building Permit Requirements
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 5-3 (amending IBC Subsections 105.1-105.2)
(20)Subsection 105.1. Required. Add the following: A separate permit is required for each legal address. A separate permit is required for each separate building at a legal address.(21)Subsection 105.2. Work exempt from permit. Delete the following itemized provisions of the subsection: Building: 1., 2., 4., 6., 7. - partial, only for - cabinets and countertops that do not interfere with egress...
Electrical Permits
Gaithersburg requires a city permit and a licensed master electrician for all electrical work inside city limits under City Code Chapter 7. The city has adopted the 2020 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code with local amendments, and enforces it through the city manager or a designee rather than Montgomery County.
Gaithersburg Electrical Permit and NEC Rules
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code §§ 7-1, 7-8
The National Electrical Code, NFPA 70, 2020 Edition is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference and shall be the governing standard for all electrical work performed in the corporate limits of the city. When provisions of this article conflict with the provisions of the National Electrical Code, 2020 Edition, then the provisions of this article shall govern. ... Before any person sha...
Plumbing Permits
Gaithersburg adopts the 2021 International Plumbing Code as its plumbing code under City Code § 5-14, but § 5-15(1) hands almost all of the actual regulation to the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. WSSC's own Plumbing and Gasfitting regulations and inspections govern site and building plumbing work; the City's adopted IPC applies only to whatever WSSC's rules do not already cover.
Gaithersburg Plumbing Code Adoption Rules
Some RestrictionsGaithersburg City Code § 5-14, § 5-15(1) (2021 International Plumbing Code, as modified)
Sec. 5-15. - Modifications to the International Plumbing Code (2021). The International Plumbing Code 2021, adopted by section 5-14, is hereby modified by the city as follows: (1)General. Any plumbing systems work relating to site/buildings/structures whether existing or new, shall be administered by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC). All code requirements, amendment(s) and mod...
Looking for Montgomery County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Gaithersburg city rules.
Building Safety in Montgomery County →