Baltimore City building permits are issued by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) under the 2024 Edition of the Building, Fire, and Related Codes (BFR Codes), which took effect on May 22, 2024 and applies to every permit application filed on or after that date.1City of Baltimore Law Library. Building, Fire, and Related Codes 2024 Edition Applications go through the city’s online E-Permits portal, and most construction, alteration, demolition, and repair work requires a permit before any physical work begins.
When a Permit Is Required
The threshold is broader than many owners expect. Structural changes, electrical rewiring, plumbing rerouting, new HVAC installations, and some exterior repairs all trigger permit requirements. If you’re unsure, assume you need one.
For one- and two-family homes, the city exempts certain minor and routine work:2City 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 tool sheds, playhouses, and similar accessory buildings under 120 square feet
- Portable heaters, 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
Being exempt from the permit is not the same as being exempt from the code. Exempt work still has to meet BFR Code construction 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 cause of delay. Plan reviewers do not begin their analysis until the package is complete, so gather everything before opening the portal.
At a minimum, expect to provide:
- The property’s tax account number from the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation
- A written scope of work and an estimated construction cost, which drives your permit fee
- Architectural plans and site drawings showing property boundaries, existing structures, proposed changes, and compliance with zoning setbacks and height limits
- Contractor license information; Maryland home improvement contractors must be licensed through the Maryland Home Improvement Commission, and the application ties to those credentials3Maryland Department of Labor. Maryland Home Improvement Commission
Projects involving structural modifications, complex electrical work, or significant plumbing changes generally need plans stamped by a licensed engineer or architect. If your property sits in a designated historic district, a separate CHAP approval has to be in hand before the building permit can move forward.
Submitting and Paying Through E-Permits
All permits are processed online through Baltimore’s E-Permits system, which runs on the Accela platform.4Baltimore City. Building Permits You create an account, upload documents, submit digitally, and track reviewer comments and revision requests inside the portal.
Fees must be paid before the permit is released. Online payment by check is free; credit card payments carry a small processing fee. In-person payment is available at the DHCD One-Stop Shop Permit Center at 417 E. Fayette Street, Room 100, open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., closed Wednesdays.5Baltimore City. Permits, Inspections, Registrations, and Licensing Once payment clears, the permit is emailed to you.
Review time depends on complexity. Simple repairs may clear in a few days. A gut renovation or new-construction package can take several weeks, especially when reviewers return comments that require revised drawings. Turning revisions around quickly is the single biggest factor you control.
Inspections During Construction
The permit authorizes you to start work and sets a schedule of mandatory inspections at key milestones. Typical checkpoints include the foundation pour, framing before walls are closed in, rough electrical and plumbing, and a final walkthrough before the space can be occupied. The exact sequence depends on the project.
Inspections are scheduled through the E-Permits portal, which is available around the clock. You select the inspection type and preferred date, and you can cancel, reschedule, or check status through the same interface.6Baltimore City. Inspection Scheduling
A failed intermediate inspection stalls the project until the deficiency is corrected and the inspector returns. Sometimes that means tearing out completed work to expose the problem. Skipping a required inspection is worse: the city treats unpermitted or uninspected work as a code violation, which can trigger enforcement and complicate any future sale.
Use and Occupancy Permits
A building permit gets you through construction. A separate Use and Occupancy (U&O) permit is what allows the finished space to be occupied or used. Baltimore requires a U&O permit for new construction, changes in building use, ownership transfers, tenant changes, and the removal of vacant building notices.7Baltimore City. Permit Information – Use and Occupancy Buyers are often caught out by this. Purchasing a home or commercial building in the city generally requires a U&O permit as part of the transfer, and the property must pass inspection before it’s issued.
Historic District Review Through CHAP
If your property sits within one of Baltimore’s designated historic districts, exterior work needs approval from the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation before the building permit can proceed. Filing the permit application first doesn’t help; it will be held until CHAP issues an Authorization to Proceed.8City of Baltimore. Baltimore City Historic Preservation Rules and Regulations
Review runs on two tracks. 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, the application and supporting materials are due at least 25 calendar days before the hearing, and a sign describing the work must be posted on the property between 10 and 20 days before the hearing.
CHAP looks at whether proposed work aligns with the Baltimore City Historic Preservation Design Guidelines. In practice, window replacements, siding, roofing materials, new porches, and facade changes draw the most scrutiny. Interior work that doesn’t affect the exterior or structural elements usually falls outside CHAP review, though the building permit rules still apply.
Lead Paint and Asbestos Rules
Baltimore’s housing stock is old, and older buildings bring rules that sit on top of the local permit process.
Lead Paint
Federal law requires that any renovation, repair, or painting project disturbing lead-based paint in a home or child care facility built before 1978 be performed by a lead-safe certified contractor. This applies to 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.9US EPA. Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program
Maryland adds its own layer for rentals. All pre-1978 rental properties must meet the state’s risk reduction standard, which requires an MDE-accredited lead inspection at every change in occupancy, and the property must be free of deteriorating paint on interior and exterior surfaces before a new tenant moves in. If a child or pregnant person in the unit is found to have an elevated blood lead level, the owner must meet a stricter modified risk reduction standard within 30 days of notification, and abatement work must be done by MDE-accredited contractors.10Maryland Department of the Environment. Facts About Maryland’s Lead Law
Asbestos
Federal EPA rules require an asbestos survey by a certified consultant before 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. Federal penalties for violations range from $500 to $50,000 per violation per day. These requirements apply whether or not the local building department asks about them.
Rental Property 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. New acquisitions must be registered within 10 days of transfer.11Baltimore City. Property Registration and Rental Licensing
Renting the property out adds requirements. To obtain a rental license, you must:
- Submit a passing third-party inspection report from a Maryland-licensed home inspector registered with Baltimore City DHCD, or a passing Section 8 inspection report
- Provide current lead certification information for each unit
- Pay all registration fees
- Have 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 last two years; renewals last three. Letting a registration or license lapse while continuing to rent is a code violation that can block future permits and complicate a sale.
What Happens If You Skip the Permit
Baltimore’s DHCD Code Enforcement division has several tools when a violation surfaces, and they escalate quickly.12Baltimore City. Property Maintenance and Code Enforcement
If work is proceeding in violation of the code or an issued permit, the Building Official can issue a written stop work order, which must be posted on the property. All cited work must then cease immediately, and the project stays frozen until the violation is corrected and the order is lifted.13City of Baltimore Law Library. Baltimore City Code Building Codes – Section 115 Stop-Work Order Contractors who keep working after a stop work order is posted face additional penalties.
Violating any provision of the BFR Codes is a misdemeanor. Each offense carries a fine of up to $500. If the violation isn’t corrected within 14 days of receiving a violation notice, each day it continues counts as a separate offense, and the daily exposure adds up. The Building Official can waive the 14-day cure period in emergencies and pursue enforcement immediately.14City of Baltimore Law Library. Baltimore City Code Building Codes – Section 114 Violations
The fines are only part of the exposure. An active violation on the property record can block a clean title transfer, prevent new permit applications, and disqualify the property from rental licensing. Unpermitted work on a property you plan to sell tends to surface during the buyer’s title search or inspection, usually at the worst possible moment.