Do I Need a Permit to Remodel in Montgomery County, MD?

Who issues the permit depends on your address

DPS covers most of the county, but not the Cities of Rockville or Gaithersburg, which run their own permit offices. Some municipalities that use DPS, such as Takoma Park and the Town of Chevy Chase, add their own letter or permit on top of the county permit. If you aren’t sure whether your address is inside a municipality, check before you apply.

• Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS)

  Building, electrical, and mechanical permits, applied for online through DPS eServices with plans uploaded through ePlans. Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, Montgomery County DPS: Residential deck permit process, Montgomery County DPS: Electrical permit (with a building permit).

• WSSC Water

  Plumbing and gas-fitting permits in Montgomery County. Most plumbing and gas work has to be done by a WSSC-licensed plumber or gasfitter. Source: WSSC Water: Permit information for homeowners, Montgomery County DPS: Home improvements (what likely needs a permit).

• City of Rockville and City of Gaithersburg

  These cities issue their own building and trade permits. DPS does not issue building permits there. Source: City of Rockville: Apply for a building or trade permit, Montgomery County DPS: Addition building permit process (Rockville and Gaithersburg note).

• Takoma Park, Town of Chevy Chase, and other municipalities

  DPS issues the building permit, but some municipalities add their own step. Takoma Park requires a municipality letter for projects that need a DPS permit, and the Town of Chevy Chase requires its own building permit after the county’s. Source: City of Takoma Park: Municipality letters for construction, Town of Chevy Chase: Building permitting, Montgomery County DPS: Residential alterations permit process.

Do I need a permit? Job by job

Short answers for the remodel jobs homeowners ask us about most. Your exact scope decides the answer, so confirm with the permit office for your parcel.

The typical permit steps in Montgomery County

1. Confirm whether your address is in Rockville, Gaithersburg, or a municipality with its own step. Source: Montgomery County DPS: Residential alterations permit process, City of Takoma Park: Municipality letters for construction.
2. Apply online through DPS eServices and upload plans in ePlans. Source: Montgomery County DPS: Residential deck permit process, Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services.
3. Plan review and zoning review; upload corrections if reviewers ask, then pay and receive the permit. Source: Montgomery County DPS: Residential deck permit process, Montgomery County DPS: Residential alterations permit process.
4. Add electrical and mechanical permits from DPS and plumbing or gas permits from WSSC Water. Source: Montgomery County DPS: Electrical permit (with a building permit), WSSC Water: Permit information for homeowners.
5. Build to the approved drawings and request inspections ahead of time through final. Source: Montgomery County DPS: Residential deck permit process.

HOA approval and historic districts are separate

Montgomery County does not enforce covenants or deed restrictions, so a DPS permit is not HOA approval. Check with your association before you build. Source: Montgomery County DPS: Residential deck permit process, Montgomery County DPS: Residential alterations permit process.

For a designated historic site or a home in a historic district, substantive exterior changes such as additions, or replacing windows, doors, or porches, need a Historic Area Work Permit (HAWP). A HAWP does not replace the building permit; the approved plans go in with the DPS application. Interior work and ordinary maintenance don’t need one. Source: Montgomery County DPS: Historic Area Work Permit process.

How Real Elite handles permits

On a job we build, we confirm which office has jurisdiction over your parcel, pull the permits the scope needs, and schedule the inspections. Start with a free site visit: we walk the project with you, tell you what we expect the permit path to be, and put it in a written estimate. If something on this page doesn’t match what the county tells you, the county is right.

Quick questions

Do I need a permit to build a deck in Montgomery County, MD?

Yes. DPS requires a building permit for a deck. A single-level, single-span deck with no roof, screen, hot tub, or other added loads can use the county’s Deck Details instead of custom plans.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Montgomery County?

Replacing the roof covering only is listed as most likely not needing a permit. Structural roof work is a different question for DPS.

Who issues plumbing permits in Montgomery County?

WSSC Water, not DPS. Most plumbing and gas work has to be done by a WSSC-licensed plumber or gasfitter.

I live in Rockville. Does DPS issue my permit?

No. The City of Rockville issues its own building and trade permits, and so does Gaithersburg.

Official sources

Last checked October 11, 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the county before you file.

• Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services
• Montgomery County DPS: Home improvements (what likely needs a permit)
• Montgomery County DPS: Residential deck permit process
• Montgomery County DPS: Residential alterations permit process
• Montgomery County DPS: Residential Fast Track permit process
• Montgomery County DPS: Residential fence permit process
• Montgomery County DPS: Residential accessory structure permit process
• Montgomery County DPS: Historic Area Work Permit process
• Montgomery County DPS: Electrical permit (with a building permit)
• Montgomery County DPS: Addition building permit process (Rockville and Gaithersburg note)
• WSSC Water: Permit information for homeowners
• City of Rockville: Apply for a building or trade permit
• City of Takoma Park: Municipality letters for construction
• Town of Chevy Chase: Building permitting

Where we work in Montgomery County

• Bethesda, MD
• Potomac, MD
• North Potomac, MD
• Chevy Chase, MD
• Rockville, MD
• Olney, MD
• Silver Spring, MD
• Takoma Park, MD
• Garrett Park, MD
• Cabin John, MD
• Brookeville, MD
• Kensington, MD
• Dickerson, MD
• Laytonsville, MD
• Barnesville, MD
• Ashton, MD
• Derwood, MD
• Colesville, MD
• Aspen Hill, MD