Annapolis, MD Building Permit Fees (2026)
Residential building permit fees from the City of Annapolis Fees Schedule for FY 2027, effective July 1, 2026, as published in the City Code of Ordinances. Annapolis is an incorporated city in Anne Arundel County that runs its own permit office through the Department of Planning and Zoning, so the City's schedule, not the county's, sets building permit fees inside city limits. Annapolis prices building permits by the estimated value of the work, including materials and labor. Every figure below comes from the schedule; any estimate is labeled as one.
This page covers: City of Annapolis residential building permit fees from Title 17 (Buildings and Construction) of the FY 2027 Fees Schedule: the nonrefundable application fee and the permit fee under Sec. 17.05.100, the construction drawing review fee under Sec. 17.05.070, the $250 use and occupancy inspection fee per residential unit under Sec. 17.05.030, and the demolition application fee, with the main electrical, mechanical, and plumbing lines for context.
This page does NOT cover: water and sewer connection and capital facility charges, grading permits, zoning certificates, Historic District certificates of approval, critical area and site design plan review, or any Anne Arundel County charge. Properties outside Annapolis city limits are permitted by Anne Arundel County; see Anne Arundel County permit fees.
Drawing review note: Sec. 17.05.070 charges a fee "to submit new or revised construction drawings and submittals for review." The schedule does not list which residential permits are issued without drawings, so the worked examples show the drawing review fee as its own line and give the total both with and without it where that matters.
Annapolis, MD charges a building permit fee based on the estimated value of the work: $150 for work valued $501 to $3,000, $175 from $3,001 to $5,000, $200 from $5,001 to $10,000 ($25 at $500 or less), then $250 + 0.8% of the value over $10,000. A nonrefundable application fee is added ($100 for work valued $501 to $25,000, rising to $200 plus 0.25% of the value over $75,000), and a drawing review fee applies when plans are submitted ($100 to $350, plus 0.1% over $100,000). A $120,000 addition comes to $1,812.50 with drawing review ($312.50 application + $1,130.00 permit + $370.00 drawing review), or $1,442.50 without it; the schedule does not say whether the $250 use and occupancy fee applies to additions. A $25,000 deck comes to $670.00 with drawing review, or $470.00 without it. Maryland adds no statewide permit levy.
- The building permit fee is $25 (up to $500), $150 ($501 to $3,000), $175 ($3,001 to $5,000), $200 ($5,001 to $10,000), or $250 plus 0.8% of the estimated value over $10,000 (Sec. 17.05.100).
- A separate nonrefundable application fee is $25, $100, $150, or $200 by value, and $200 plus 0.25% of the value over $75,000 for larger jobs.
- Submitting construction drawings for review costs $100 to $350 by project cost, plus 0.1% of the cost over $100,000 (Sec. 17.05.070).
- Above $100,000 of value, the three lines together add 1.15% of each extra dollar (0.25% + 0.8% + 0.1%); a $400,000 new home pays $5,282.50 including drawing review and the $250 use and occupancy fee.
- Trade permits are separate: new-dwelling electrical service of 200 amps or less is $150; mechanical work is $125 up to $7,000 of value; residential plumbing installation is $60 for the first fixture.
- Fees are set by value, including materials and labor, so the value you declare on the application drives the fee.
Annapolis Residential Building Permit Fee Schedule
Sec. 17.05.100 sets two value-based charges for a building permit: a nonrefundable application fee and the permit fee itself. Both use the estimated value of the work. Annapolis is not in the PermitPrice fee calculator yet, because three value-based lines stack and the drawing review line does not apply to every permit; use the worked examples on this page instead.
| Estimated Value of Work | Permit Fee (Sec. 17.05.100) | Application Fee (Sec. 17.05.100) |
|---|---|---|
| $0 to $500 | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| $501 to $3,000 | $150.00 | $100.00 |
| $3,001 to $5,000 | $175.00 | $100.00 |
| $5,001 to $10,000 | $200.00 | $100.00 |
| $10,001 to $25,000 | $250 + 0.8% over $10,000 | $100.00 |
| $25,001 to $50,000 | $250 + 0.8% over $10,000 | $150.00 |
| $50,001 to $75,000 | $250 + 0.8% over $10,000 | $200.00 |
| $75,001 and more | $250 + 0.8% over $10,000 | $200 + 0.25% over $75,000 |
Source: City of Annapolis Fees Schedule FY 2027, Sec. 17.05.100. The schedule prints each bracket in whole dollars (for example, $500.00 and $501.00) and does not say how a value with cents between two brackets is treated.
Other building and trade fee lines
| Fee Line | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Drawing review - cost $0 to $10,000 | $100.00 | Sec. 17.05.070, fee to submit new or revised construction drawings for review |
| Drawing review - $10,001 to $15,000 | $150.00 | Based on estimated cost of construction |
| Drawing review - $15,001 to $25,000 | $200.00 | - |
| Drawing review - $25,001 to $100,000 | $350.00 | - |
| Drawing review - over $100,000 | $350 + 0.1% over $100,000 | Revised drawings sent for outside review at the Director's option (any value): $100 + $150 per hour, billed in quarter-hour increments |
| Use and occupancy inspection | $250.00 per unit | Sec. 17.05.030, residential unit; nonrefundable |
| Moving or demolishing a building | $100.00 | Nonrefundable application fee, residential properties |
| Building reinspection | $100.00 | Residential properties |
| Electrical - new dwelling, 200 amps or less | $150.00 | Over 200 amps: $150 plus $8 for each 100 amps or fraction over 200 |
| Electrical - solar PV | $10.00 per module | Electrical permit line for solar photovoltaic systems |
| Electrical - pools | $100 / $50 / $45 | In-ground bonding $100; in-ground lighting, fixtures, pumps and filters $50; above ground $45 |
| Mechanical (Sec. 17.18.070) | $125 / $150 / $100 + 0.6% | $0 to $7,000: $125; $7,001 to $10,000: $150; over $10,000: $100 plus 0.6% of estimated value |
| Plumbing - residential installation | $60.00 first fixture | Each additional fixture $15 on public sewer, $30 on private sewer |
Source: City of Annapolis Fees Schedule FY 2027, Title 17. Trade permits are not included in the building permit totals below unless an example says so.
How Annapolis Calculates Building Permit Fees
| Step | What Happens | Annapolis Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Set the estimated value | Total value of the work, materials and labor. | The City's permit FAQ: fees "are based on the value of the total construction, including materials and labor." |
| 2. Add the application fee | Nonrefundable, by value bracket. | $25 / $100 / $150 / $200; over $75,000: $200 + 0.25% of the excess. |
| 3. Add the permit fee | By value bracket. | $25 / $150 / $175 / $200; over $10,000: $250 + 0.8% of the excess. |
| 4. Add drawing review if plans are submitted | By estimated cost of construction. | $100 / $150 / $200 / $350; over $100,000: $350 + 0.1% of the excess. |
| 5. Add occupancy and trade permits | New dwelling units and separate trade work. | $250 use and occupancy per residential unit. Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing are separate permits. No Maryland statewide levy. |
Worked Examples
Example 1: Home addition valued at $120,000
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $200 + 0.25% × $45,000 | $312.50 |
| Building permit fee | $250 + 0.8% × $110,000 | $1,130.00 |
| Drawing review fee | $350 + 0.1% × $20,000 | $370.00 |
| Building Permit Total | $312.50 + $1,130.00 + $370.00 | $1,812.50 |
Every line is exact arithmetic from the schedule at a declared value of $120,000. Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work for the addition are separate trade permits and are not included. The schedule does not say whether the $250 use and occupancy fee applies to an addition, so it is left out.
Example 2: Deck valued at $25,000
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $501 to $25,000 bracket | $100.00 |
| Building permit fee | $250 + 0.8% × $15,000 | $370.00 |
| Drawing review fee | $15,001 to $25,000 bracket | $200.00 |
| Building Permit Total (with drawing review) | $100 + $370 + $200 | $670.00 |
| Without drawing review | $100 + $370 | $470.00 |
The schedule has no separate deck line, so a deck uses the general value-based building permit fee. Whether the City reviews drawings for your deck is not stated in the schedule; both totals are shown. Deck lighting or outlets would need an electrical permit.
Example 3: Small project valued at $3,000
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $501 to $25,000 bracket | $100.00 |
| Building permit fee | $501 to $3,000 bracket | $150.00 |
| Drawing review fee | $0 to $10,000 bracket | $100.00 |
| Building Permit Total (with drawing review) | $100 + $150 + $100 | $350.00 |
| Without drawing review | $100 + $150 | $250.00 |
Small jobs carry a high fee relative to their value: at $3,000, the application and permit fees alone are $250, or 8.3% of the job. One more dollar of value ($3,001) moves the permit fee to the $175 bracket.
Example 4: New single-family home valued at $400,000
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $200 + 0.25% × $325,000 | $1,012.50 |
| Building permit fee | $250 + 0.8% × $390,000 | $3,370.00 |
| Drawing review fee | $350 + 0.1% × $300,000 | $650.00 |
| Use and occupancy inspection | 1 residential unit | $250.00 |
| Building Permit Total | $1,012.50 + $3,370 + $650 + $250 | $5,282.50 |
| With electrical service (200 amps or less) | $5,282.50 + $150 | $5,432.50 |
Exact arithmetic at a declared value of $400,000. Not included: other electrical lines for the house, mechanical and plumbing permits, water and sewer connection charges ($9,400 for a City-installed 4-inch sewer connection and $8,400 for a City-installed 1-inch water connection, where the City installs them), capital facility charges ($1,700 sewer and $3,200 water per equivalent dwelling unit), grading, and any county charge.
Practitioner Insight
Start by confirming the property is inside Annapolis city limits. Many homes with an Annapolis mailing address sit in unincorporated Anne Arundel County, which issues their permits under its own fee schedule (see Anne Arundel County permit fees). Inside the city, the Department of Planning and Zoning issues the permit.
Because every line is value-based, the number that matters most is the estimated value on your application, and it must include labor as well as materials. Above $100,000, the application, permit, and drawing review fees together add 1.15% of each extra dollar of value, so a realistic contractor quote is the best basis for a budget. In the Historic District, exterior work needs a certificate of approval even when it is exempt from a building permit, which can add time. Call Planning and Zoning at 410-260-2200 or email permitting@annapolis.gov.
Permit Requirements - Common Residential Projects in Annapolis
City Code 17.12.022 requires a permit before anyone constructs, enlarges, alters, repairs, moves, demolishes, or changes the occupancy of a building or structure, or installs or changes an electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system. The City's pages do not publish a project-by-project exemption list, so ask Planning and Zoning about small jobs.
| Project Type | Permit Required? | Fee Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New home | Yes | Value-based + $250 U&O | $400,000 value: $5,282.50 before trade permits |
| Addition | Yes (enlarging a building) | Value-based | $120,000 value: $1,812.50 with drawing review |
| Remodel or alteration | Yes (altering a building) | Value-based | Same brackets as any building permit |
| Deck | Yes (constructing a structure) | Value-based | $25,000 value: $470.00, or $670.00 with drawing review |
| Demolition | Yes | $100 application | Nonrefundable application fee for moving or demolishing a residential building |
| Electrical work | Yes | Itemized | New dwelling service of 200 amps or less $150; solar PV $10 per module |
| HVAC replacement | Yes (mechanical system) | Value-based | $125 for work valued up to $7,000 |
| Exterior work in the Historic District | Certificate of approval | Not priced here | Required even when the work is exempt from a building permit (Chapter 21.56) |
City of Annapolis Planning and Zoning
Department of Planning and Zoning
145 Gorman Street, 3rd Floor, Annapolis, MD 21401
410-260-2200
permitting@annapolis.gov
Fees Schedule - FY 2027
Effective July 1, 2026; City Code of Ordinances appendix
When This Estimate May Not Apply
Your property is outside Annapolis city limits
An Annapolis mailing address does not by itself place a property inside the city. Outside city limits, Anne Arundel County issues the permit and its own fees apply.
The City may value the work differently
Every total on this page uses the declared value in the example. The fee rests on the value of the total construction, including materials and labor; if the City sets a different value, every line changes.
Drawing review may or may not apply
The drawing review fee is charged to submit new or revised construction drawings. The schedule does not say which residential permits are issued without drawings, and revised drawings can bring another review fee. The examples show totals with and without it where that matters.
Trade, utility, and site charges are outside these totals
Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and gas permits are separate. New homes may also owe water and sewer connection and capital facility charges, grading permit fees, and Historic District or critical area review fees. None of these are included unless an example says so.
Fees change each fiscal year
The City publishes a new Fees Schedule for each fiscal year; this one is effective July 1, 2026 for FY 2027. The schedule lists the resolutions behind it but does not say which one set each building fee line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
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City of Annapolis Fees Schedule - FY 2027 (Code of Ordinances) Effective July 1, 2026 - Primary source for every fee on this page (Title 17) - Verified November 2, 2026.
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City of Annapolis - Building Permit Information Current - Source for when a permit is needed (City Code 17.12.022) and the Historic District rule - Verified November 2, 2026.
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City of Annapolis FAQ - How is the building permit fee assessed? Current - Source for the value basis (materials and labor) - Verified November 2, 2026.
Outside city limits? Check Anne Arundel County's permit fees, or compare nearby Maryland jurisdictions.
Permit Fees Are One Part of Your Project Budget
Once you know your Annapolis permit cost, two related numbers complete your total budget picture:
Property tax impact after your project closes
A permitted project may change the property's assessed value. Maryland's State Department of Assessments and Taxation performs that assessment and certifies it to the local jurisdictions, separately from this permit fee.
Utility connection and capital facility charges
Water and sewer connection charges and capital facility charges on new construction are separate from the building permit and are excluded from the building permit totals above.
These charges are administered separately from the building permit fee, though the responsible office and billing process vary by jurisdiction. See which tool covers each charge →