Howard County, MD Building Permit Fees (2026)
Residential building permit fees from the official Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP) FY2026 fee schedule. New construction and additions are priced per gross square foot; alterations and repairs are flat fees by area. A 10% technology fee applies to every permit, and Maryland adds no statewide percentage levy.
This page covers: Howard County residential building permit fees from the official DILP FY26 Building Permit Fee Schedule (Council Resolution #96-2025) - the per-gross-square-foot rates for single-family new construction and additions, the flat alteration and repair fees, the foundation and manufactured-home permits, and the 10% technology fee.
This page does NOT cover: Trade permits (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire protection) on separate schedules; grading permits; and three charges assessed SEPARATELY on new construction under their own county resolutions - excise tax, the Public School Facility Surcharge, and the Moderate Income Housing (MIHU) fee-in-lieu - which can far exceed the building permit fee on a new home.
Important note on technology fee: The 10% technology fee is applied to the building permit fee on this page; the separate non-refundable filing fee is shown as its own line.
Howard County, MD charges a flat $50 building permit fee for an alteration or repair to a single room or area of 200 square feet or less, and $100 for work over 200 square feet or more than a single floor - each plus a $25 filing fee and a 10% technology fee, so a small remodel runs about $80.00 all-in and a larger one about $135.00. New construction and additions are priced at $0.25 per gross square foot for single-family dwellings, with a filing fee ($100 new, $50 addition) and the 10% technology fee on top. Unlike Virginia, Maryland adds no statewide percentage levy.
- An alteration or repair to a single room/area of 200 sq ft or less is a flat $50 building permit fee; over 200 sq ft (or more than a single floor) is $100.
- Every permit carries a 10% technology fee, and alterations/additions/new construction add a separate non-refundable filing fee ($25 alteration, $50 addition, $100 new residential).
- New single-family construction and additions are $0.25 per gross square foot; multi-family and other new construction is $0.30 per gross square foot.
- A small remodel totals about $80.00 all-in ($50 permit + $25 filing + $5 technology fee); a larger remodel about $135.00 ($100 + $25 + $10).
- Maryland has no statewide percentage building-permit levy - there is no 2% add-on like Virginia's USBC levy.
- New homes also owe excise tax, a Public School Facility Surcharge, and an MIHU fee-in-lieu, all charged separately and not part of the building permit fee.
Howard County Residential Building Permit Fee Schedule
All fees below are the DILP building permit fee. Maryland adds no statewide levy. New construction, additions, and alterations also carry a separate non-refundable filing fee, and every permit adds a 10% technology fee - see the methodology section.
| Project Type | DILP Building Permit Fee | Basis / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alteration/repair - single room or area, 200 sq ft or less | $50.00 | Flat building permit fee; plus $25 filing fee + 10% technology fee |
| Alteration/repair - over 200 sq ft or more than a single floor | $100.00 | Flat; plus $25 filing fee + 10% technology fee |
| New single-family construction or addition | $0.25 / sq ft | Per gross square foot; plus filing fee + 10% technology fee |
| Multi-family / other new construction or addition | $0.30 / sq ft | Per gross square foot |
| Filing fee - new residential | $100.00 | Non-refundable, in addition to permit fee |
| Filing fee - residential addition | $50.00 | Non-refundable |
| Filing fee - alteration/repair | $25.00 | Non-refundable |
| Foundation permit | $200.00 | Plus filing fee; requires prior approval |
| Manufactured home (new install or relocation) | $50.00 | No filing fee |
| Technology fee | 10% | Applied to the building permit fee on all permits |
Source: Howard County DILP FY26 Building Permit Fee Schedule (Council Resolution #96-2025), effective July 1, 2025. Extracted June 1, 2026. A $50 Maryland Home Builder guaranty fund fee also applies to new-home permits. Confirm current rates with DILP before filing.
How Howard County Calculates Building Permit Fees
| Step | What Happens | Howard County Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Identify project type | Match to the DILP fee schedule category. | Flat fee for alterations/repairs by area; per-square-foot for new construction and additions. |
| 2. Apply the base permit fee | Use the flat alteration fee or multiply gross square footage by the rate. | Alteration ≤200 sq ft = $50; over 200 sq ft = $100; addition = sq ft × $0.25. |
| 3. Add the filing fee | New construction, additions, and alterations carry a separate non-refundable filing fee. | $100 new residential; $50 addition; $25 alteration/repair. |
| 4. Add the 10% technology fee | A 10% technology fee is collected on all permits. | 10% of the building permit fee. |
| 5. No state percentage levy | Maryland imposes no statewide building-permit levy. | There is no 2% add-on; the total is permit fee + filing fee + 10% technology fee. |
Worked Examples
Example 1: Bathroom Remodel, single room under 200 sq ft
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DILP Building Permit - alteration (≤200 sq ft) | Flat fee | $50.00 |
| Filing Fee | Non-refundable | $25.00 |
| Technology Fee | 10% of $50.00 permit fee | $5.00 |
| Estimated Total | $50 + $25 + $5 | $80.00 |
Note: A single-room remodel of 200 sq ft or less is a flat $50 building permit fee regardless of construction value. Trade permits (electrical, plumbing) are separate. Source: DILP FY26 schedule.
Example 2: Kitchen Remodel, area over 200 sq ft
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DILP Building Permit - alteration (over 200 sq ft) | Flat fee | $100.00 |
| Filing Fee | Non-refundable | $25.00 |
| Technology Fee | 10% of $100.00 permit fee | $10.00 |
| Estimated Total | $100 + $25 + $10 | $135.00 |
Note: Work over 200 sq ft or spanning more than a single floor is the $100 tier. Still value-independent. Source: DILP FY26 schedule.
Example 3: Room Addition, 400 sq ft
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DILP Building Permit - addition | 400 sq ft × $0.25 | $100.00 |
| Filing Fee (addition) | Non-refundable | $50.00 |
| Technology Fee | 10% of $100.00 permit fee | $10.00 |
| Estimated Total | $100 + $50 + $10 | $160.00 |
Note: Additions are priced per gross square foot. A larger addition scales linearly at $0.25/sq ft. Trade permits separate. Source: DILP FY26 schedule.
Example 4: New Detached House, 2,400 sq ft
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DILP Building Permit - new SF construction | 2,400 sq ft × $0.25 | $600.00 |
| Filing Fee (new residential) | Non-refundable | $100.00 |
| Technology Fee | 10% of $600.00 permit fee | $60.00 |
| Maryland Home Builder Guaranty Fund Fee | New home | $50.00 |
| Estimated Building Permit Total | $600 + $100 + $60 + $50 | $810.00 |
Note: This is the building-permit side only. A new house in Howard County ALSO owes excise tax (Council Resolution CR107-2025), a Public School Facility Surcharge (CB42-2019), and a Moderate Income Housing fee-in-lieu (CR110-2025) - each assessed separately under its own resolution and each capable of exceeding the building permit fee. They are excluded from the $810.00 above. Source: DILP FY26 schedule.
Practitioner Insight
Howard County's alteration fees are refreshingly flat - $50 for a small job, $100 for a bigger one - so the permit cost for a bathroom or kitchen remodel barely moves with the project budget. The 10% technology fee is small in absolute terms on these jobs (a few dollars), but it applies to every permit, so factor it in.
The number that catches new-home buyers off guard is never the $0.25-per-square-foot building permit fee - it is the stack of separately assessed charges on new construction: excise tax, the school facility surcharge, and the MIHU fee-in-lieu. Treat the per-square-foot permit fee as the floor of your county cost on a new house, not the ceiling, and call DILP at 410-313-2455 to confirm which charges apply to your lot before you budget.
Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits
Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP)
Howard County Government
410-313-2455
DILP main line
howardcountymd.gov/inspections-licenses-permits
Fees, forms, inspections
Howard County Citizen Access (Accela)
Apply and pay at dilp.howardcountymd.gov
When This Estimate May Not Apply
Separately assessed new-construction charges
Excise tax, the Public School Facility Surcharge, and the MIHU fee-in-lieu are set under their own county resolutions and are not part of the DILP building permit fee. On a new house they can add thousands and are excluded from every figure here.
Trade permits are separate
Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and fire-protection permits carry their own DILP schedules and are not included above.
Technology-fee base
This page applies the 10% technology fee to the building permit fee. If Howard County applies it to a different base for your permit, your total will differ slightly - confirm at intake.
Commercial or multi-family work
This page covers one- and two-family residential permits. Multi-family is $0.30/sq ft and commercial uses separate filing fees and schedules; do not apply these residential figures to those projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
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Howard County DILP - FY26 Building Permit Fee Schedule (Council Resolution #96-2025) Effective July 1, 2025 (FY2026) - Howard County, MD - Primary source for all building permit fees on this page - Extracted June 1, 2026.
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Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP) Current - Department home page - contact, fees, forms, Citizen Access portal.
Compare Howard County against neighboring Montgomery County, or see how the rest of the Maryland and DMV jurisdictions price the same project.
Permit Fees Are One Part of Your Project Budget
Once you know your Howard County permit cost, two related numbers complete your total budget picture:
Property tax impact after your project closes
A permitted deck or addition increases your assessed value in Howard County. See how Maryland jurisdictions calculate the ongoing property tax impact at CountyTaxTools.com.
Development impact and county surcharges
For new construction, Howard County's excise tax, school facility surcharge, and MIHU fee-in-lieu can exceed the building permit fee. Research them at ZoneFee.com.