Basement Finishing

Interior improvements made to convert a basement into a living area.

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
Finished Basements 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
Building Permit Finished Basement construction requires a Building permit. Building permit
Electrical Permit Finished Basement electrical work requires an Electrical permit submitted by a licensed master electrician. Electrical permit
Plumbing-Gas Permit Finished Basement plumbing and/or gas work requires a Plumbing-Gas permit submitted by a licensed master plumber. Plumbing-Gas permit
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):
  • Floor Plan: “Existing” floor plan layouts for each floor of the dwelling showing all the dimensions, walls, door swings, windows and all the rooms must be labeled as to their use (i.e. living room, kitchen bedrooms, bathroom, etc.). “Proposed” floor plan layout showing new layout of work being proposed and any additional rooms must be labeled as to their use.

Fees

Licensing

If the applicant is contracting a builder, they need a Licensed Contractor. If they are building it themselves, they do not need a Licensed Contractor. Check to see if an individual or business is licensed before they do business for you.

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
Property Owner's Association / Home Owner's Association Approval IF the property has a Property Owner's Association (POA) or Home Owner's Association (HOA), POA/HOA approval may be required prior to construction. Property owners should consult their POA/HOA. N/A
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. 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