To build, renovate, demolish, or change the use of a structure in Baltimore, you generally need a permit from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) before work begins. Baltimore City building permit requirements run on the 2024 Edition of the Building, Fire, and Related Codes (BFR Codes), which took effect on May 22, 2024 under Ordinance 24-341 and apply to every application filed on or after that date.1City of Baltimore Law Library. Building, Fire, and Related Codes 2024 Edition The 2024 Edition adopts the 2021 International Building Code for commercial and larger structures and the 2021 International Residential Code for detached one- and two-family homes and townhouses up to three stories, then layers Baltimore-specific amendments on top.2City of Baltimore Law Library. Baltimore City Code Building Codes – 2-101 City Adoption A generic copy of the IBC is not enough; the local amendments control wherever the two conflict.
When You Need a Permit
The permit threshold is broader than many homeowners expect. Structural changes, electrical rewiring, plumbing rerouting, new HVAC installations, and many exterior repairs all trigger permit requirements. If you aren’t sure, assume you need one.
The city does exempt certain minor and routine work on one- and two-family homes:3City of Baltimore. Work Exempt from Permit
- Interior cosmetic work: painting, wallpapering, tiling, carpeting, installing cabinets and countertops
- Minor drywall and plaster patching (not full replacement)
- Roof shingle replacement and re-tarring
- Detached accessory structures under 120 square feet, like tool sheds and playhouses
- Portable appliances, including plug-in heaters, portable ventilation and cooling units, and portable cooking equipment
- Low-voltage electrical work under 25 volts supplying no more than 50 watts, and replacing lamp fixtures in existing outlets
One catch worth highlighting: an exemption from the permit requirement is not an exemption from the code itself. Exempt work still has to meet BFR Code standards. Installing exempt cabinetry in a way that blocks a required egress window is still a violation.
What to Prepare Before You Apply
Incomplete submissions are the most common reason permits stall. Plan reviewers won’t start their analysis until your package is complete, so gather everything before you open the portal.
At a minimum, you’ll need:
- The property’s tax account number from the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation
- A written project scope and a construction cost estimate, which the city uses to calculate fees
- Architectural plans and site drawings showing property boundaries, existing structures, proposed changes, and compliance with zoning setbacks and height limits
- Verification that your contractor is licensed through the Maryland Home Improvement Commission, which Maryland law requires for home improvement work4Maryland Department of Labor. Maryland Home Improvement Commission
Structural modifications, complex electrical work, and significant plumbing changes typically need plans sealed by a licensed engineer or architect. Properties in a historic district carry an extra step before the building permit can advance; that process is described below.
Submitting Through E-Permits
Baltimore processes all permits online through the E-Permits system, powered by Accela.5Baltimore City. Building Permits You create an account, upload documents, and submit the application. The system routes your plans to the relevant city departments and lets you track comments and required revisions.
Fees must be paid before the permit is issued. Online payment by check is free; credit cards carry a small processing fee. You can also pay in person at the DHCD One-Stop Shop Permit Center, 417 E. Fayette Street, Room 100, which is open to walk-ins Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The center is closed to in-person service on Wednesdays.6Baltimore City. Permits, Inspections, Registrations, and Licensing Once payment clears, you receive the permit by email.
Review time depends on project complexity. Simple repairs can clear in a few days. A gut renovation or new construction project may run several weeks, especially if reviewers return comments that require revised drawings. Turning those markups around quickly is the single biggest factor you control.
Inspections You’ll Have to Pass
A building permit does more than authorize work. It sets a schedule of mandatory inspections at key milestones: foundation pour, framing before walls close in, rough electrical and plumbing, and the final walkthrough before the space can be occupied. The exact sequence depends on scope.
All inspections are scheduled through E-Permits. You log in, open the inspection scheduling tab, and pick the inspection type and date. Scheduling, cancellation, rescheduling, and status checks are all available around the clock.7Baltimore City. Inspection Scheduling
Failing an intermediate inspection stalls the project until you correct the deficiency and the inspector returns. In some cases that means tearing out completed work to expose the problem. Skipping an inspection is worse: the city treats unpermitted or uninspected work as a code violation, and that follows the property into every future sale.
Use and Occupancy Permits
A building permit covers construction. A Use and Occupancy (U&O) permit is what lets people actually occupy or use the finished space. Baltimore requires a U&O permit for new construction, changes in building use, ownership transfers, tenant changes, and removal of vacant building notices.8Baltimore City. Permit Information – Use and Occupancy This catches many buyers off guard. If you purchase a home or commercial building in Baltimore, you generally need a U&O permit as part of the transfer, and the property has to pass inspection first.
Historic District Approval
If your property sits in a designated historic district, the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP) must sign off before any work that affects the building’s visible character can proceed. File a building permit application before CHAP review is done and the permit is placed on hold until CHAP issues an Authorization to Proceed.9City of Baltimore. Baltimore City Historic Preservation Rules and Regulations
Minor projects that don’t significantly change appearance or remove undamaged historic material are handled by CHAP staff under delegated authority, which is faster. Major projects, including substantial alterations, demolitions, additions, and new construction, go to a public hearing before the full Commission. For those, you must submit at least 25 calendar days before the hearing, and a sign describing the proposed work must be posted on the property between 10 and 20 days before the hearing. Exterior work gets the most scrutiny: windows, siding, roofing materials, porches, and facade changes. Interior work that doesn’t touch the exterior or structural elements typically falls outside CHAP’s review, though building permit requirements still apply.
Lead Paint and Asbestos
Baltimore’s housing stock is old, and pre-1978 buildings bring federal and state obligations that run alongside your city permit.
Any renovation, repair, or painting project that disturbs lead-based paint in a home or child care facility built before 1978 must be performed by a lead-safe certified contractor under federal law. The rule covers contractors, property managers, and anyone who buys and renovates homes for resale. Homeowners working on their own primary residence are generally exempt from the federal certification requirement, though the health risks remain.10US EPA. Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program
Maryland adds its own layer for rentals. All rental properties built before 1978 must meet the state risk reduction standard, which requires a lead inspection by an MDE-accredited inspector at every change in occupancy, with no deteriorating interior or exterior paint before a new tenant moves in. If a child or pregnant person in the unit shows an elevated blood lead level, the owner has 30 days from notification to meet a stricter modified risk reduction standard, and all abatement must be done by MDE-accredited contractors.11Maryland Department of the Environment. Facts About Maryland’s Lead Law
Federal EPA rules also require an asbestos survey by a certified consultant before any renovation or demolition, regardless of the building’s age. If the survey identifies regulated asbestos-containing material above 260 linear feet, 160 square feet, or 35 cubic feet, the owner must notify the appropriate air quality authority at least 10 days before work begins. Violations carry federal penalties ranging from $500 to $50,000 per violation per day.
Rental Registration and Licensing
If you own a non-owner-occupied property in Baltimore, you must register it annually by January 1, whether or not it’s rented, occupied, or generating income. A newly acquired property must be registered within 10 days of the transfer.12Baltimore City. Property Registration and Rental Licensing
Renting the property out adds more. To get a rental license, you need:
- A passing third-party inspection report from a Maryland-licensed home inspector registered with Baltimore City DHCD, or a passing Section 8 inspection report
- Current lead certification information for each unit
- All registration fees paid
- No open code violations on the property
Inspection reports for one- and two-family rentals must be submitted within 30 days of the inspection. For multifamily buildings with three or more units, the deadline is 90 days. Initial rental licenses are valid for two years; renewals run three years. Letting registration or the license lapse while continuing to rent is itself a code violation and can block future permits.
What Happens If You Skip the Permit
DHCD’s Code Enforcement division handles violations of housing, zoning, and building regulations, and the tools escalate quickly.13Baltimore City. Property Maintenance and Code Enforcement
If construction is proceeding in violation of the code or an issued permit, the Building Official can post a written stop work order on the property. Once posted, all cited work must stop immediately.14City of Baltimore Law Library. Baltimore City Code Building Codes – Section 115 Stop-Work Order The order freezes the project until the violation is corrected and the city lifts it. Contractors who keep working after a stop work order is posted face additional penalties.
Violating any provision of the BFR Codes is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 per offense. If the violation isn’t corrected within 14 days of a violation notice, each additional day counts as a separate offense, so exposure compounds fast. The Building Official can waive the 14-day cure period in emergencies.15City of Baltimore Law Library. Baltimore City Code Building Codes – Section 114 Violations
The fines are rarely the worst part. An open violation on the property record can prevent a clean title transfer, block new permit applications, and disqualify the property from rental licensing. Unpermitted work tends to surface during a buyer’s title search or inspection, usually at the worst possible moment in a transaction.