Baltimore, MD
Baltimore building permit fees
A Baltimore building permit is priced on the volume of the structure for new construction:
$10 per 1,000 cubic feet or fraction for a 1- or 2-family dwelling and $20 per 1,000 cubic feet or fraction of adjusted volume for every other building, with minimums of $150 and $250 for new work. Alterations and repairs are priced per square foot of affected area — $0.30 in a dwelling (minimum $50) and $0.35 otherwise (minimum $150). A nonrefundable application fee is due before the application is processed.
How this fee is calculated
These are the components the schedule defines for this permit, as they applied on 2026-09-28. A component only applies to your project if its conditions match — read that column before assuming a figure. Want a figure for your own project? Estimate this fee with the permit fee calculator.
| Component | Formula | Applies when | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations and repairs, all others ($0.35 per sq ft, min $150.00)Permit fee | $0.35 per sq ft | Occupancy is commercial and Work type is one of alteration, repair, remodel | min $150.00 |
| Alterations and repairs, 1-2 family ($0.30 per sq ft, min $50.00)Permit fee | $0.3 per sq ft | Occupancy is residential and Work type is one of alteration, repair, remodel | min $50.00 |
| New building or addition, all others ($20.00 per 1,000 cu ft or fraction)Permit fee | $0.0002 per cubic foot (per 1,000 cu ft or fraction thereof) | Occupancy is commercial and Work type is new construction or Work type is addition | min $250.00 |
| New building or addition, 1-2 family ($10.00 per 1,000 cu ft or fraction)Permit fee | $0.01 per cubic foot (per 1,000 cu ft or fraction thereof) | Occupancy is residential and Work type is new construction or Work type is addition | min $150.00 |
| Application fee ($125.00, 1-2 family with plan review)Other fee | $125.00 flat fee | Occupancy is residential | — |
A real permit fee is these components added together. The department’s final calculation is the one that applies — this is the schedule it will be based on.
A worked example
Follow the arithmetic by hand. Every line is produced by the engine from the rules above, so the total cannot drift away from the schedule behind it.
Worked example
A new 1- and 2-family dwelling of 1,800 square feet per floor, two stories with 9-foot ceilings, plus an unfinished 800-square-foot basement: 1,800 x 9 x 2 = 32,400 cubic feet above grade plus 7,200 cubic feet of basement = 39,600 cubic feet of gross volume.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Occupancy class | Residential |
| Type of work | New construction |
| Building volume | 39,600 cu ft |
Example total
$525.00
An estimate, not an official fee. It is calculated from the published fee schedule as it applied on 2026-09-28. The permit office’s own calculation is the one that applies, and your project may fall under rules this schedule does not describe.
Fee schedule as of 2026-09-28Rules applied 2Rules considered 5
| Component | How it is calculated | Amount |
|---|---|---|
New building or addition, 1-2 family ($10.00 per 1,000 cu ft or fraction)Permit fee§109.6.1(a)1: "1- and 2-family dwellings — $10 for each 1,000 cubic feet or fraction of 1,000 cubic feet of gross volume, including all basements and cellars. Minimums — New building $150; Additions $75." The fraction clause rounds each partial thousand up, which the percent rule's increment does: the volume is rounded up to the next 1,000 cubic feet before the $0.01 per cubic foot rate ({1,1} cents per unit) is applied.Show the working
| $0.01 per cubic foot, or fraction thereof, rounded up in 1,000 cu ft steps | $400.00 |
Application fee ($125.00, 1-2 family with plan review)Other fee§109.5.7: before an application is processed, a nonrefundable application fee — $25 (1-2 family) or $50 (all others) without construction documents for plan review; $125 (1-2 family) or $150 (all others) with them. The calculator charges the $125.00 plan-review application for a dwelling; a commercial application carries $150.00 under the same section.Show the working
| $125.00 flat fee | $125.00 |
| Total | $525.00 |
Fees that do not apply here
Listed so you can see what was considered and left out, rather than wondering whether something is missing. A rule can also be left out because it is not published for this permit at all, and that is stated where it matters.
- Alterations and repairs, all others ($0.35 per sq ft, min $150.00) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Alterations and repairs, 1-2 family ($0.30 per sq ft, min $50.00) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- New building or addition, all others ($20.00 per 1,000 cu ft or fraction) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
Assumptions
- Calculated from 2 fee rules in effect on 2026-09-28.
- Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, once, at the end of each component.
The dwelling row charges $10 for each 1,000 cubic feet or fraction: 39.6 thousands rounds up to 40, so the permit fee is 40 x $10.00 = $400.00, which is above the $150.00 new-building minimum, so the minimum does not bite.
The application fee adds $125.00 — §109.5.7's plan-review amount for a 1- and 2-family dwelling — for a total of $525.00.
Read the same house at a 10-foot ceiling and the volume rises to 44,000 cubic feet and the fee to $440.00: ceiling height, not contract price, is what moves a Baltimore new-home permit.
What is different in Baltimore
Volume, not valuation, decides the fee on new work. The dwelling row charges each 1,000 cubic feet or fraction — so a 23,400-cubic-foot house pays for 24 thousands — and the volume includes basements and cellars. For taller structures the code adjusts the volume downward, excluding each story's space more than 20 feet above that story's floor, which is how the schedule avoids charging a decorative spire at full rate.
The alteration rows are the other half of the section. They charge the affected gross floor area, at $0.30 per square foot in a dwelling and $0.35 elsewhere, each with its own minimum. The exception clauses matter for small commercial jobs: exterior-only work, interior-door-only work, new-tenant demising walls and new-tenant shell space are priced at $12 per $1,000 of estimated cost instead, with a $150 minimum — a cheaper route for a big, low-cost fit-out.
Before any of it, §109.5.7 requires the nonrefundable application fee: $25 for a dwelling without plan review and $125 with construction documents, $50 and $150 for everything else. And §109.3 fixes the housekeeping rules every row shares — a $25 default minimum where a row specifies none, and every fee rounded to the nearest dollar.
What this figure does not include
Impact fees, utility connections and other departments’ permits are the usual omissions, and in some jurisdictions they are larger than the permit fee itself.
Not included in these figures
This is §109.6.1's construction-work fee and §109.5.7's application fee. It excludes:
- Mechanical, electrical and plumbing fees, which §109.6.2 and §109.6.3 price separately and which have their own pages here.
- The other construction rows: accessory structures, chimneys, retaining walls, fences, grading, paving, signs, demolition, temporary structures, moving buildings, swimming pools and occupancy permits, all of which carry flat or measured fees of their own.
- Service charges: partial permits at $10 per $1,000 of work, amendments at $25-$500, extensions, overtime inspections, reinsepections and violation reports.
- DPW and DoT review charges at $100 per review plus $50 per half hour of consultation, and sediment and erosion control fees set by the Department of Public Works.
- The no-permit surcharge (§109.5.9) — the greater of $1,000 or 50% of the permit fee, or $0.50 per cubic foot for unpermitted demolition — which applies only when work has started without one.
What you need before applying
- Gross volume, including basements and cellarsRequired
§109.6.1(a)1: the fee for a new 1- or 2-family dwelling is charged on "1,000 cubic feet or fraction of 1,000 cubic feet of gross volume, including all basements and cellars." Volume is the measurement the fee lives on, so the applicant computes it from the plans before applying; for all other structures the gross volume is adjusted to exclude, per story, the volume more than 20 feet above that story's floor.
- Nonrefundable application fee before processingRequired
§109.5.7: before an application for any permit or certificate is processed the applicant pays a nonrefundable application fee — $25 for 1- and 2-family dwellings and $50 for all others where no construction documents are submitted for plan review, and $125 and $150 where they are.
- Work started without a permit carries a surchargeRequired
§109.5.9: a surcharge is imposed on any permit issued for work begun without a permit, beyond a permit's scope, or during suspension or after revocation — the greater of $1,000 or 50% of the permit fee in general, and $0.50 per cubic foot of the structure for unpermitted demolition, in addition to any other fine.
Common questions
How much is a building permit for a new house in Baltimore?
$10 for each 1,000 cubic feet or fraction of gross volume, including basements and cellars, with a $150 minimum for a new building. A two-story, 1,800-square-foot house with 9-foot ceilings and an 800-square-foot basement is 39,600 cubic feet, which charges as 40 thousands — $400.00.
How is volume computed, and is the basement counted?
For 1- and 2-family dwellings the fee is charged on gross volume including all basements and cellars. For all other structures the code adjusts the gross volume to exclude, for each story, the volume more than 20 feet above that story's floor.
How much is an alteration or repair permit?
$0.30 per square foot or fraction of affected gross floor area in a 1- or 2-family dwelling, minimum $50, and $0.35 per square foot for all other work, minimum $150. Exterior-only alterations and interior-door-only work are priced at $10 or $12 per $1,000 of estimated cost instead.
Is there an application fee before the permit fee?
Yes. §109.5.7 requires a nonrefundable application fee before the application is processed: $25 for 1- and 2-family dwellings and $50 for all others without construction documents for plan review, and $125 and $150 with them. It is separate from, and additional to, the permit fee.
What is the minimum fee for any Baltimore permit?
§109.3 sets the default at $25 unless a row specifies otherwise — and most rows do specify: $150 for a new dwelling, $250 for a new other structure, $50 and $150 for alterations. Every fee is rounded to the nearest dollar.
What happens if I start work without a permit?
§109.5.9 imposes a surcharge of the greater of $1,000 or 50% of the permit fee for work begun or completed without a permit, beyond a permit's scope, or during suspension or after revocation. Unpermitted demolition is surcharged at $0.50 per cubic foot of the structure. The surcharge is in addition to any other fine, and an unpaid one becomes a lien.
Can I get a refund if I cancel a permit?
Only within limits: if no work has been done and no privilege enjoyed, a refund of not more than 50% of the fee may be granted, and no refund at all is granted on any fee or charge of less than $1,000. A full refund applies only where the Building Official revoked a permit for the City's own administrative error.
How much does an addition to a house cost to permit?
The same $10 per 1,000 cubic feet or fraction as a new house, with a $75 minimum for additions rather than the $150 new-building minimum. A 12,000-cubic-foot addition charges as 12 thousands, or $120.00, which is above the $75 floor.
Do I pay separately for electrical and plumbing work?
Yes. §109.2 provides that the building permit fee does not relieve the applicant of the fees for electrical permits, plumbing and other appurtenant work — each trade permit is its own fee under §109.6.2 and §109.6.3.
What if my project needs a partial permit?
A partial permit is charged at $10 per $1,000 worth of work up to $1,000,000 and $5 per $1,000 above that, with a $100 minimum for 1- and 2-family dwellings and $250 for all other structures — a separate rate schedule from the volumetric building row.
Are commercial and residential fees different?
Yes, in two ways. The volumetric rate doubles — $20 versus $10 per 1,000 cubic feet — and the minimums rise from $150/$75 to $250/$150. Alterations are $0.35 versus $0.30 per square foot with a $150 versus $50 minimum. The application fee is $50 or $150 for non-dwellings against $25 or $125 for dwellings.
How fast does a permit expire, and what does an extension cost?
An application for extension made within 90 days after expiry costs $25. Between 31 and 90 days after expiry the extension costs 50% of the original permit fee, or the applicant may apply for a new permit priced on the remaining work.
Source and verification
The documents behind every figure on this page, with the dates that make them checkable.
- Municipal codeCityPrimary source
Read 2026-09-26 from the City's own Law Library codification (American Legal Publishing platform, City-controlled host), HTTP 200. §109.6.1 prices construction work — volumetric new-construction rows, per-square-foot alteration rows with their exception clauses, and the accessory-structure, chimney, retaining-wall, fence, grading, paving, sign, demolition, temporary-structure, moving, pool and occupancy-permit rows. §109.6.2 prices electrical work by service amperage, circuit count and fixture blocks. §109.6.3 prices mechanical work and, in subsection (j), plumbing and on-site utilities fixture by fixture. §109.3 fixes the default $25 minimum and rounds every fee to the nearest dollar; §109.5.7 fixes the nonrefundable application fee; §109.5.9 fixes the no-permit surcharge at the greater of $1,000 or 50% of the permit fee.
Verification
Last verified against the official source in Sep 2026.