Bolthole Index

Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Annapolis, Maryland

Annapolis, Maryland handles construction building permits through the City Department of Planning and Zoning, which also administers city zoning.12 Private septic systems and wells stay with the Anne Arundel County Department of Health, including applicable properties inside Annapolis.34 Annapolis prohibits sleeping in vehicles outside established trailer camps, while tiny homes can qualify as accessory dwelling units subject to city approval.56

At a glance

Building permits
City Planning and Zoning handles construction building permits; apply through Citizen Self-Service17
Zoning
City zoning and subdivision regulations apply inside Annapolis28
Private septic
County Health issues septic construction permits and conducts perc testing3
RV living
Vehicle living or sleeping prohibited except in established trailer camps5
Tiny homes and ADUs
Conditional ADU route; structure under 850 square feet with separate water and sewer connection6
Private wells
County Health well permit and licensed Master Well Driller required4
Minimum dwelling size
Habitable floor area depends on occupant count, starting at 150 square feet for the first occupant9

Who to call

Building permits

City of Annapolis Department of Planning and Zoning

City construction building permits and inspections, zoning, subdivision review and Historic District project approval

410-260-2200

[email protected]

145 Gorman Street 3rd Floor Annapolis MD 21401

Online permits →

Building permits

City of Annapolis Licenses and Permits Division

City building and trade application submission and application searches

[email protected]

Online permits →

Septic permits

Anne Arundel County Department of Health — Sanitary Engineering Program

Private septic and well site review, construction permits and inspections

410-222-7193

[email protected]

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Annapolis means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Annapolis, MD, and who issues it?

Start an Annapolis construction project with the City Department of Planning and Zoning, which provides construction building permits and inspections under the city’s adopted codes and local amendments.110 Annapolis ADUs specifically require a building permit, inspections and a Certificate of Occupancy.11 New single-family homes also require grading permits and stormwater management review.12

Reach the city office at the contact listed below to describe the proposed work and request the applicable building and trade application requirements.1 Private septic or well construction has a separate county health approval path even when the building project is inside Annapolis.34

How do you apply for or search Annapolis building permits?

Annapolis submits building permit, plan and license applications through the Citizen Self-Service portal.7 For applications submitted before January 10, 2023, the city directs searches to eTRAKiT; new applications belong in Citizen Self-Service.7

The City Department of Planning and Zoning administers construction review and inspections, so use the city office for an address inside Annapolis rather than the county building counter.1 Once an Annapolis building permit is issued and outstanding fees are paid, inspections become schedulable.12 For an ADU, the city’s sequence ends with a Certificate of Occupancy after construction inspections.13

Does Annapolis have zoning, minimum lot sizes and setbacks?

Annapolis has its own zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations, administered by City Planning and Zoning.2 District and overlay maps matter: historic, Critical Area and other overlays may add standards to the underlying district.14

For a single-family detached home, the R3 district requires a lot of at least 5,400 square feet and a width of at least 50 feet.15 R3 setbacks are 25 feet front, 5 feet interior side, 15 feet corner side and 30 feet rear.16 In R4, the corresponding minimum lot is 4,800 square feet with a 40-foot width; the front setback is 15 feet, with 5-foot interior side, 15-foot corner side and 30-foot rear setbacks.1718 Ask City Planning and Zoning to identify the parcel’s district and applicable overlays before sizing a house or dividing land.148

How do septic permits and private wells work inside Annapolis?

For an Annapolis property using private septic, Anne Arundel County Health conducts perc testing, determines system design requirements, issues septic construction permits and inspects installations.3 Private wells likewise require a county health permit and a licensed Master Well Driller.4 The listed new-well construction permit fee is $630.4

These approvals stay with County Health while Annapolis handles city building permits and zoning.341 For city water or sewer service, a person constructing a structure who wants that service must apply to the Director of Public Works or designee.19 Annapolis ADUs require separate water and sewer connections and compliance with stormwater requirements, so the ADU route has utility conditions as well as a size limit.11

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Annapolis?

Annapolis prohibits using a trailer, camper or other vehicle as living or sleeping quarters except within an established trailer camp.5 The same rule covers temporary vehicle sleeping, so an RV on a building lot is not an authorized substitute for housing during construction.20

Annapolis permits tiny homes through its accessory dwelling unit rules: the ADU structure must be under 850 square feet, meet accessory-building bulk and use standards, have separate water and sewer connections, and complete building permit, inspection and occupancy review.11 Annapolis’s habitable floor-area rule is occupant-based: at least 150 square feet for the first occupant, 100 additional square feet for each of the next three occupants, and 75 additional square feet for each further occupant.9 The ADU provision therefore does not authorize sleeping in a wheeled camper.115

What are the steps to building a home in Annapolis?

  1. Ask City Planning and Zoning to confirm the parcel’s zoning district, overlays and proposed dwelling use; the city also reviews subdivision proposals.148
  2. Resolve the water and wastewater plan: apply to City Public Works for requested city service, or consult County Health for applicable private septic and well approvals.1934
  3. Submit city building permit plans through Citizen Self-Service, including the grading and stormwater review required for a new single-family home.712
  4. Arrange inspections after city building permit issuance and payment of outstanding fees; for an ADU, obtain the Certificate of Occupancy after construction inspections.1213

For land outside Annapolis city limits, use the Anne Arundel County guide for the county building permit process.21

What should you check before buying land in Annapolis?

Ask City Planning and Zoning about flood-hazard review as well as zoning: Annapolis prohibits new or relocated manufactured homes or buildings at or below base flood elevation in flood-hazard areas.22 That restriction is floodplain-specific; Maryland’s manufactured-home rule otherwise protects qualifying permanently affixed homes in zones allowing single-family residential uses, subject to local codes and requirements.23

Maryland requires local floodplain development approvals and applicable state approvals before work begins, including state wetland and floodplain construction review.24 Annapolis Planning and Zoning also approves Historic District projects.1 Before committing to an ADU, confirm that the proposed footprint meets the city’s accessory-building standards and that separate water and sewer connections and stormwater requirements can be satisfied.11

Watch-outs

  • Annapolis’s tiny-home ADU provision requires city building permit and occupancy review; vehicle sleeping remains prohibited outside established trailer camps.115
  • We could not confirm an Annapolis owner-builder exemption or approval route for composting toilets; ask City Planning and Zoning before relying on either.1
  • We could not confirm Annapolis driveway-access requirements or agricultural construction exemptions; ask City Planning and Zoning about the proposed project.1

Sources

  1. City of Annapolis Department of Planning and Zoning (annapolis.gov)
  2. Planning, Zoning and Building (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  3. Wells and Septic Systems (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  4. Installation of a Private Water Well Guidelines (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  5. Section 11.16.030 - Vehicles used for living or sleeping (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  6. Accessory Dwelling Unit Guide (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  7. City of Annapolis Licenses and Permits Division (annapolis.gov)
  8. Planning, Zoning and Building (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  9. Section 17.40.460 - Habitable floor area (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  10. Annapolis Building Codes (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  11. Accessory Dwelling Unit Guide (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  12. Requesting Inspections (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  13. Accessory Dwelling Unit Guide (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  14. Planning, Zoning and Building (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  15. Bulk Regulations Table R3 District (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  16. library.municode.com (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  17. Bulk Regulations Table R4 District (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  18. library.municode.com (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  19. Accessory Dwelling Unit Guide (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  20. Section 11.16.030 - Vehicles used for living or sleeping (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  21. Inspections and Permits, quoted and re-checked
  22. Section 17.11.450 - Manufactured homes and buildings (Annapolis), quoted and re-checked
  23. mgaleg.maryland.gov (Maryland statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Floodplain Permitting in Maryland (Maryland statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Annapolis

Annapolis’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Annapolis city limits.

    • The listed codes have local amendments.
    • Submittals and applications are reviewed and inspected under the adopted codes.
    “The City of Annapolis has adopted the following updated codes with local amendments:”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Accessory dwelling unit construction inside Annapolis city limits.

    • The City guide states that the Certificate of Occupancy is received after construction inspections.
    • A broader all-building applicability rule was not located in the opened material.
    “Receive Certificate of Occupancy from the Department of Planning and Zoning”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Zoning inside Annapolis city limits.

    • The City Department of Planning and Zoning administers the City's zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations.
    “Administers and enforces the City's zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and maps inside Annapolis city limits.

    • The City publishes zoning maps and the code contains district-specific bulk regulations, including R2-NC, R3, and R4.
    • Overlay, historic, critical-area, and mixed-use height maps may impose additional standards.
    “Administers and enforces the City's zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Every dwelling unit inside Annapolis city limits, measured by habitable floor area and occupant count.

    • The rule is occupant-based rather than a single universal dwelling-size minimum.

    first occupant habitable floor area: >= 150 sq. ft. · each of next three occupants additional habitable floor area: >= 100 sq. ft. · each additional occupant additional habitable floor area: >= 75 sq. ft.

    “Every dwelling unit shall contain at least one hundred fifty square feet of habitable floor area for the first occupant, at least one hundred square feet of additional habitable floor area for each of the next three occupants, and at least seventy-five square feet of additional habitable floor area for each additional occupant.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the R2-NC District.

    • The table also states a minimum lot width of 50 feet.
    • The table notes and other applicable zoning provisions may modify the requirement.

    minimum lot area: >= 5400 sq. ft. · minimum lot width: >= 50 ft.

    “Dwellings, single-family detached 5,400 50 25 6 15 30 2.5 stories up to 26 feet or average on block face not to exceed 35 feet”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Specified — Single-family detached dwellings in the R3 District.
      “Dwellings, single-family detached 5,400 50 25 5 15 30 2.5 stories not to exceed 35 feet”
    • Specified — Single-family detached dwellings in the R4 District.
      “Dwellings, single-family detached 4,800 40 15 5 15 30 2.5 stories not to exceed 35 feet”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in R3.

    front yard: >= 25 ft. · interior side yard: >= 5 ft. · corner side yard: >= 15 ft. · rear yard: >= 30 ft.

    “Dwellings, single-family detached 5,400 50 25 5 15 30 2.5 stories not to exceed 35 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Single-family detached dwellings in R4.
      “Dwellings, single-family detached 4,800 40 15 5 15 30 2.5 stories not to exceed 35 feet”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in R2-NC.

    • Height is 2.5 stories up to 26 feet, or average on the block face not to exceed 35 feet.

    maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories (or average on block face) · maximum height: <= 26 ft. (average on block face may not exceed 35 feet)

    “2.5 stories up to 26 feet or average on block face not to exceed 35 feet”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Use of an automobile trailer, trailer coach, camper, or other vehicle as living or sleeping quarters inside Annapolis city limits.

    • Exception: use is allowed within the limits of an established trailer camp.
    • Separate floodplain restrictions prohibit recreational vehicles from being stored at or below the BFE.
    “No automobile trailer, trailer coach, camper or any other type vehicle shall be used as a living or sleeping quarters except within the limits of an established trailer camp.”
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    Use of vehicles as temporary living or sleeping quarters on land inside Annapolis city limits.

    • Exception: established trailer camps.
    “No automobile trailer, trailer coach, camper or any other type vehicle shall be used as a living or sleeping quarters except within the limits of an established trailer camp.”
  • Tiny homesAllowed (with conditions)

    Tiny homes functioning as accessory dwelling units inside Annapolis city limits.

    • The City states that its ADU law permits tiny homes and secondary units.
    • ADUs must be under 850 square feet, have separate water and sewer connection, satisfy stormwater requirements, and undergo City permit, inspection, and occupancy review.

    maximum ADU structure size: < 850 sq. ft.

    “In October of 2021, a new Annapolis City law took effect that permits homeowners to build “granny flats,” also known as backyard homes, tiny homes, secondary units, garage apartments, and the name we will use in this brochure: Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    New or relocated manufactured homes or buildings inside Annapolis city limits in flood hazard areas.

    • New or relocated manufactured homes or buildings are prohibited at or below the base flood elevation.
    • The cited restriction is floodplain-specific and does not establish a citywide manufactured-home occupancy rule.
    “New or relocated manufactured homes or buildings are prohibited from at or below the BFE.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwelling units inside Annapolis city limits.

    • ADUs are subject to Section 21.64.010 use standards and bulk regulations for buildings accessory to single-family dwellings.
    • Structure must be under 850 square feet.
    • Separate water and sewer connection and stormwater requirements apply.
    • Building permit, inspections, and Certificate of Occupancy are required through the City.

    maximum structure size: < 850 sq. ft.

    “Annapolis City Code: "an accessory building, or portion of a building, designed or used exclusively for residential occupancy that is located in a single family dwelling or on the same lot and is subject to the use standards in section 21.64.010 of the Annapolis City Zoning Code and the bulk regulations for buildings accessory to single family dwellings."”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Residential or commercial structures inside Annapolis city limits seeking City water or sewerage service.

    • A person constructing a structure who desires water or sewerage service must apply to the Director of Public Works or designee.
    • The opened source did not establish a general distance or availability rule requiring every new home to connect when service is available.
    • The City ADU guide separately states that an ADU requires a separate water and sewer connection.
    “A person constructing a residential or commercial structure who desires water or sewerage service to the property shall apply to the Director of Public Works or his or her designee for the service.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and development inside Annapolis city limits.

    • The City's Department of Planning and Zoning administers subdivision regulations.
    “Administers and enforces the City's zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Development and placement of recreational vehicles and manufactured homes in flood hazard areas inside Annapolis city limits.

    • Recreational vehicles may not be stored at or below the BFE.
    • New or relocated manufactured homes or buildings may not be placed at or below the BFE.
    • The cited provisions do not establish that all floodplain development is prohibited.
    “New or relocated manufactured homes or buildings are prohibited from at or below the BFE.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building, grading, inspection, and related permit processes inside Annapolis city limits.

    • Applications are handled through the City Department of Planning and Zoning and the Citizen Self-Service portal.
    • Inspections become schedulable after permit issuance and payment of outstanding fees.
    • Grading permits may be required for new single-family homes, specified disturbance thresholds, or more than 100 cubic yards of earthwork.
    “Grading permits and stormwater management are required for: Any new single-family home”

Rules another office applies inside Annapolis

Annapolis does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Septic permitRequired

    Installation of a private septic system for property inside Annapolis city limits, where applicable.

    • The county health department issues construction permits for private septic systems.
    • Perc testing and additional Critical Area or grading requirements may apply.
    “Services include conducting perc tests, determining septic system design requirements, issuing construction permits for private septic systems and wells, inspecting private septic systems and wells”
  • Well permitRequired

    Private wells serving property inside Annapolis city limits, where applicable.

    • Wells must be drilled by a licensed Master Well Driller.
    • An application for a permit to drill a well must be issued by the Anne Arundel County Department of Health.

    new well construction permit fee: 630 USD

    “All wells in Maryland must be drilled by a licensed Master Well Drillers and accompanied by an Application for Permit to Drill Well issued by the Anne Arundel County Department of Health.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Annapolis or Anne Arundel County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Annapolis city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Annapolis city limits.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation inside Annapolis city limits.
  • Agricultural exemption — Agricultural construction or agricultural exemptions inside Annapolis city limits.
  • Driveway access — Driveway access for property inside Annapolis city limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Annapolis publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Anne Arundel County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Anne Arundel County: county rules, score and offices