Montgomery County Building Permits & Contractor Licensing (2026)

All counties › Montgomery County

Who needs what license

Home improvement work on existing homes needs a state MHIC license. DPS also issues its own county licenses and certificates: DPS licenses & certificates.

Common permits

DPS lists every permit type, including decks, fences, eSolar, EV charging, ADUs, signs and mobile cranes: All DPS permits. New in 2026: updated ADU guidelines and new mobile crane permit procedures (announced on the DPS homepage).

How to apply

• Apply and pay: DPS eServices
• Upload plans: ePlans
• Status & inspections: eSearch

Fees

Use the official DPS fee schedule. We don't restate fee amounts here because they change; always price from the county's page.

Codes in force

Adopted codes and local amendments: DPS codes page.

Turnaround times

DPS publishes permitting dashboards with turnaround times on its homepage. Sign up for the DPS newsletter, Constructive Comments.

Recent changes

See the changes log for dated updates on Montgomery County.

Local pros

Official sources

• https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/department-permitting-services (checked Oct 15, 2026)
• https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/department-permitting-services/all-permits (checked Oct 15, 2026)
• https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/department-permitting-services/fees (checked Oct 15, 2026)
• https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/department-permitting-services/codes (checked Oct 15, 2026)
• https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/department-permitting-services/dps-licenses-certificates (checked Oct 15, 2026)
• https://labor.maryland.gov/license/mhic/ (checked Oct 15, 2026)