Building - Commercial New

New construction of a structure (or a portion thereof) that is to be publicly occupied or used as a business.

For assistance with development of a commercial project, please contact the Department of Economic Development via info@ecalvert.com.

County Projects

View a map of your property and all applicable permitting details

Required Permit Applications and Forms

Requirement More Information Link(s)
Critical Area
New Commercial Buildings within the Critical Area require a Critical Area Worksheet.
The law identifies "Critical Area" as all lands within 1,000 ft. of the mean high water line of tidal waters, or the landward edge of tidal wetlands, and all waters on (and lands under) the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.		 Critical Area Worksheet
Architectural Review Properties located in a Town Center or a Rural Commercial Zoning District require Architectural Review prior to permit issuance. See the Calvert County Zoning Ordinance (CCZO), Article 25-9: Architectural Design Requirements for applicability. CCZO Article 25-9
Building Permit New Commercial Building construction requires a Commercial Building permit. Commercial Building permit
Fire Marshal Form New Commercial Buildings require review and approval by an Office of State Fire Marshal Protection Engineer. Fire Marshal Form
Electrical Permit New Commercial Building electrical work requires an Electrical permit submitted by a licensed master electrician. Electrical permit
Plumbing-Gas Permit New Commercial Building plumbing and/or gas work requires a Plumbing-Gas permit submitted by a licensed master plumber. Plumbing-Gas permit
Grading Permit New Commercial Buildings with disturbances 5,000 sq. ft. or greater AND/OR cut and fill volume total exceeding 100 cubic yards require a Grading permit.
NOTE: Grading permits will require mitigation of stormwater in accordance with MDE. A Declaration of Restrictive Covenants (DoRC) form will be required for county inspection of stormwater devices.
 Grading permit
Water Sewer Permit New Commercial Buildings where the property is served by public water and/or public sewer require a Water Sewer permit.
 Water Sewer permit

Water Sewer Department webpage
Environmental Health Department Review Properties served by well and/or septic will require an Environmental Health (EH) Department review. A Site Evaluation application (percolation testing), and a Sanitary Construction permit application may be required based on the scope of work. If the permit involves construction of an exterior structure, please see item 8 on the attached Building permit FAQ page for setback requirements.

Please note that by submitting a building permit application our office is granted permission to conduct site visit(s) as necessary at our discretion to facilitate the review of the project. If you need assistance locating the well and/or septic systems, you may fill out a Public Information Request Form to obtain the property's file.
 - Building Permit FAQ
- Fee Schedule

Plan Submittal Requirements

The following information must be submitted with applicable permit application(s):
  • Approved site plan
  • Building Permit plan requirements
  • Construction plans: Signed and sealed architectural drawings, prepared by a Maryland licensed architect, with MEPs (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) prepared by a Maryland licensed professional engineer.

Fees

Other Potential Requirements

Requirement More Information Link
Beach Application Approval IF the property is located in the town limits of Chesapeake Beach or North Beach, a Beach Application Approval is required to be submitted with the Building Permit Package. Chesapeake Beach

North Beach
Agricultural Preservation Approval IF the property is located in an Agricultural Preservation District, Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board approval may be required prior to permit issuance.

Use this interactive map to see if you are in the Agricultural Preservation District.
 Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board website
County Road Access Bond IF the project is proposing a new entrance onto a county road, a Residential Road Access Bond may be required. The refundable bond is $600. Commercial fees require a cost estimate. N/A
State Road Access IF the project is proposing a new entrance onto a state road, a State Highway Administration (SHA) Entrance Permit is required. Certification of Entrance Approval is required prior to final grading approval. MD SHA Access Permit Application
Forest Conservation/Forest Stand IF clearing of the property is on a lot more than 40,000 sq. ft. in size, a Forest Conservation Worksheet (FC), Forest Stand Delineation (FS), and Forest Conservation Plan are required. An exemption may waive these requirements. FC Worksheet & FS Delineation
Maryland Dept. of the Environment Notice of Intent IF clearing of the property is greater than one acre or involves environmental features governed by Maryland Dept. of the Environment (MDE), a Notice of Intent filed with the MDE is required. MDE website