Skip to main content

Anne Arundel County vs Baltimore County, MD Building Permit Fees (2026)

These two Baltimore-area counties price building permits in opposite ways. Anne Arundel County uses a value-based tiered table - the more your project is worth, the higher the fee - plus a $43 application fee on every permit. Baltimore County charges flat fees by structure type and size plus a separately listed $75 residential application fee, the same whether a deck costs $5,000 or $40,000. As project value rises, the two schedules diverge sharply. Maryland adds no statewide levy to either.

Key Takeaways
  • Anne Arundel County is value-based: $86 minimum up to $242, then $242 + 1% of value above $25,000, plus a $43 application fee.
  • Baltimore County is flat by structure type: deck $105 and addition $105 (under 600 sq ft), fence $35, solar $100, plus a separately listed $75 residential application fee.
  • A $15,000 deck: $207 in Anne Arundel vs $105 to $180 in Baltimore County.
  • A $50,000 addition: $535 in Anne Arundel vs $105 to $180 in Baltimore County ($160 to $235 with structural changes).
  • The gap widens as project value rises, since only Anne Arundel scales with value.
  • Neither county adds a Maryland state levy. Baltimore County's $75 application fee is shown as additional because its schedule does not say whether it is credited toward the permit; for residential solar the lower county depends on that ($129 in Anne Arundel vs $100 or $175 in Baltimore County).
Use the Fee Calculator Maryland Hub

Anne Arundel vs Baltimore County: Fee Structure Side by Side

Fee Element Anne Arundel County Baltimore County (PAI)
Pricing basis Value-based tiered table Flat fee by structure type and size
Deck Value tier (e.g., $164 at $15k) $105 (<600 sq ft) / $150 (600+)
Addition Value tier ($242 + 1% above $25k) $105 (<600 sq ft) / $160 (600+ or structural)
Fence Value-based building permit $35 residential
Solar Value-based building permit $100 residential
Application / add-on fee $43 non-refundable per permit $75 residential (not stated whether credited)
Minimum $86 $280 minimum for new SF construction
State levy None (Maryland) None (Maryland)
Fee schedule effective October 1, 2024 July 1, 2026

Shared-Assumption Worked Examples

Each example assumes the same project and, for Anne Arundel, the same declared value.

Example 1: Deck, $15,000 declared value, under 600 sq ft

Fee Component Anne Arundel County Baltimore County
Building permit fee $164.00 ($10,001-$15,000 tier) $105.00 (flat, <600 sq ft)
Application fee $43.00 $75.00
Total $207.00 $105.00-$180.00

Note: Same deck. Anne Arundel's value tier plus $43 application fee is $27 more than Baltimore County's $105 flat fee plus $75 application fee, or $102 more if the $75 is credited toward the permit. Baltimore County's fee ignores value entirely; its $75 application fee is shown as additional because the schedule does not say whether it is credited.

Example 2: Room Addition, $50,000 declared value, under 600 sq ft

Fee Component Anne Arundel County Baltimore County
Building permit fee $242 + 1% of $25,000 = $492.00 $105.00 (flat, <600 sq ft)
Application fee $43.00 $75.00
Total $535.00 $105.00-$180.00

Note: At $50,000 value, Anne Arundel's 1% marginal rate above $25,000 pushes the fee to $535 while Baltimore County stays flat at $105 to $180 ($105, plus $75 if the application fee is not credited; $160 to $235 if the addition has structural changes). The higher the value, the wider the gap.

Example 3: Residential Solar Power System

Fee Component Anne Arundel County Baltimore County
Building permit fee Value-based (minimum $86 for a low-value system) $100.00 (flat residential solar)
Application fee $43.00 $75.00
Total $129.00 (at $86 minimum) $100.00-$175.00

Note: For a typical residential solar system Anne Arundel applies the value-based minimum ($86) plus the $43 application fee ($129); Baltimore County charges a flat $100 plus its $75 application fee ($175). If the $75 is additional, Anne Arundel is $46 lower; if it is credited, Baltimore County's $100 is $29 lower, so the lower county for solar depends on how Baltimore County treats the application fee. Electrical interconnection permits are separate in both. Anne Arundel total assumes the $86 minimum tier.

Which County Is Cheaper for Your Project?

Scenario Lower Fee Why
Low-value project (deck, small job) Baltimore County for a $15,000 deck ($105-$180 vs $207) Flat fee ignores value; for jobs valued at $5,000 or less it depends on whether Baltimore County credits its $75 application fee ($129 or $146 in Anne Arundel vs $105 or $180)
High-value project (large addition/remodel) Baltimore County ($105-$180 vs $535+) Anne Arundel's 1% marginal rate above $25k climbs; Baltimore stays flat
New single-family home Depends Baltimore $280 minimum + $50 guaranty fund ($330, or $405 with the $75 application fee if not credited) vs Anne Arundel value-based (often higher on expensive homes)
Predictable budgeting Baltimore County Flat fees are known up front and do not depend on declared value
Current schedule confidence Both current Anne Arundel is Oct 2024; Baltimore County's schedule took effect July 1, 2026

Practitioner Insight

Baltimore County is cheaper for most mid- and high-value residential projects, because a $105 deck or $105 addition fee (plus its $75 application fee) does not care what the work costs, while Anne Arundel's value-based table plus $43 application fee scales upward and never caps. Baltimore County's July 1, 2026 schedule narrowed the gap on small jobs: a $15,000 deck is now $27 to $102 cheaper there, and for solar or any job valued at $5,000 or less the lower county depends on whether Baltimore County credits its $75 application fee. Baltimore County's schedule does not say whether that fee is credited toward the permit, so we show it as an extra line. For a high-value renovation the difference can be hundreds of dollars. Verify Anne Arundel's valuation at intake (410-222-7730) and Baltimore County's current rates (410-887-3900).

Frequently Asked Questions

Baltimore County is generally cheaper because it charges flat fees by structure type. A $15,000 deck is $105 to $180 in Baltimore County vs $207 in Anne Arundel; a $50,000 addition is $105 to $180 vs $535. Anne Arundel scales with project value while Baltimore County does not. For residential solar or jobs valued at $5,000 or less, the lower county depends on whether Baltimore County credits its $75 application fee toward the permit.
Anne Arundel County is value-based - a tiered table from $86 to $242, then $242 + 1% of value above $25,000, plus a $43 application fee. Baltimore County is flat by structure type - a deck is $105, a fence is $35, solar is $100 - regardless of value, plus a separately listed $75 residential application fee.
Because only Anne Arundel scales with value. Above $25,000 it adds 1% of the excess, so a $50,000 addition is $535. Baltimore County charges the same $105 to $180 for that addition ($105, or $180 with the $75 application fee, under 600 sq ft without structural changes), so the more expensive the project, the wider the difference.
No. Maryland has no statewide percentage building-permit levy, so neither county adds one. Anne Arundel adds a $43 application fee per permit; Baltimore County's schedule lists a $75 residential application fee separately and does not say whether it is credited toward the permit, so PermitPrice shows it as an additional line.
Anne Arundel County's schedule is effective October 1, 2024. Baltimore County's PAI fee schedule is effective July 1, 2026 (re-verified November 4, 2026). See the Anne Arundel County and Baltimore County pages for full detail.

Sources

Official Sources
Anne Arundel County Fees Baltimore County Fees Montgomery vs Prince George's Maryland Hub
Verify current fees with each county before budgeting or filing. Anne Arundel County: 410-222-7730. Baltimore County PAI: 410-887-3900.
Disclaimer: All fee information on PermitPrice is informational only and not an official permit quotation. Actual fees are determined by each county at the time of application. Baltimore County's $75 residential application fee is shown as additional because its schedule does not say whether it is credited. Trade permits, grading, zoning/development, and impact fees are excluded from the figures on this page.

Written by: Munib Ur Rehman

Data verified against official fee schedule documents.