Howard County, MD Basement Remodeling & Finishing Permits

Here's a simple guide to all of the possible permits you may need on your next basement remodeling or refinishing project in Howard County, Maryland! The list includes links to residential forms and current (2022) prices of building, electrical, and plumbing permits in Howard County.

Howard County MD Building Permits

The fee for a building permit in Howard County, MD is $0.18 per square foot for a residential single-family home, and $0.22 per square foot for multi-family buildings (a 10% technology fee is also included on all permits).

Foundation Permit

• Requires prior approval, payment of all applicable fees associated with the building permit and payment of water/sewer utility fees: $200 (plus filing fee)

Alterations & Repairs to Attached and Detached Single Family Dwellings

• Filing Fee (non-refundable): $25
• Single/small room or area (200 square feet or less): $50
• More than single floor or area (over 200 square feet): $100

The full fee schedule form, which covers everything from private swimming pool permits to temporary structure permits (satellite dish, arbor, trellis, detached kiosk, etc.), is here.

If you're still unsure about the process and what you'll need to do, check out the the Residential Building Permit Checklist to make sure all of your bases are covered.

Electrical Permits

The application fee for a residential electrical permit in Howard County, MD is $50 (a 10% technology fee is also included on all permits). The permit itself starts at $150 and goes up depending a variety of different factors:

Residential Flat Rate Schedule (for new construction)

• 1 or 2 family dwelling (0-200-amp service): $150
• 1 or 2 family dwelling (over 200-400-amp service): $200
• 1 or 2 family dwelling (over 400-600-amp service): $300
• 1 or 2 family dwelling (over 600-amp service): $500
• Multi-family dwelling
  • (including service and comon area wiring): $100 each unit

Residential Alteration & Additions

• Flat fee of $50
• Multi-Family Flat Fee of $50 per apt unit.

There a lot more fees on the schedule form, but don't typically apply for most people (it depends on the depth and complexity of your project).

Plumbing & Gas Permits

The cost of a plumbing and gas permit in Howard County depends on a few different factors, but the application itself is a flat $50 (plus the 10% tech fee on all permits). Here are the additional fees for residential plumbing projects.

Fixtures

• 1st fixture: $25
• Each additional fixture: $5
• Exceptions:
  • Sump pump: $25 each
  • Laundry tray pump: $25 each
  • Sewer Ejector: $25 each
  • Swimming pool pump: $25 each
  • Hot water heater: $25 each
  • Hot water boiler: $25 each

The fee for commercial plumbing fixtures starts at $50, but each additional fixture is still only an extra $5. However, similar to the residential list above, there are exceptions that cost $50 each instead of $25. Check the fee schedule form for more details.

Heating-Ventilation-Air Conditioning (HVAC) Permits

An HVAC permit application in Howard County costs $50 (additional 10% tech fee as well). The permit itself depends on the type of building. For a multi-family or multi-occupancy residential dwelling, per dwelling unit (apts. or condos) and per room (hotel/motel) costs $80. If you only need a permit for a single family attached or single family detached dwelling, the cost per heating/cooling zone is $40.

The HVAC fee schedule is much less convoluted than the rest, but here's a link to the permit fee form if you want to check it out.