Planning a Construction Project?
Before starting any construction project, all residents and contractors should consult the Section 5 Activities Requiring a Permit list.
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A Montgomery County permit is not the same as a Section 5 permit.
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At times, Section 5 may require a permit, when the County does not.
Residents are asked to FIRST inform the Section of any intended project. An email to the Town Manager with a brief description of your project is sufficient. This step serves only as a notification. It is not intended to be a formal review, or approval, but it will allow the Section to alert a resident or contractor of any obvious red flags or potential issues.
The Section will then ask the resident to fill out a formal building application. Residents should read the application carefully, and make certain to submit all of the documents required for their particular project. If a County permit is also required, residents will be asked to apply for that permit simultaneously.
The Section will then review the application and provide a written assessment of whether the project meets with Section guidelines. Projects requiring an additional County permit will not be approved until the Section is provided the official County permit number and a copy of the full set of the actual County stamped and approved plans. https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DPS/municipalities.html
Plans can be full sized, reduced size (to save paper and cost), or electronic copy. However, it must be the full set, not just the structural design drawings.
Once the project has been conceptually approved by the Section and County (when necessary,) the Section will set up a brief pre-construction meeting with the applicant. At this time all fees or deposits (if required) must be submitted, along with a signed copy of the Building Permit Conditions. Once these requirements are satisfied, the Section will issue an official permit.