Bolthole Index

Harford County, Maryland

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Havre de Grace, Maryland

Havre de Grace, Maryland sets its own zoning inside city limits under Chapter 205 of the city code1. The city's Department of Planning lists building permits among the work it handles2. Septic systems inside the city are allowed only in limited cases and must meet Harford County Health Department rules3; that office issues the septic permits4.

At a glance

Zoning
City zoning (Chapter 205), with district rules in Table I15
Building permits
City Department of Planning lists building permits; fees and process not confirmed2
Septic
Harford County Health Department issues permits; city allows individual systems only in limited cases43
Sewer connection
Owners on septic must connect to city sewer within one year of notice once it is available and adequate6
Accessory dwelling
Conditional use, Board of Appeals approval, owner must live on site7
Wells
State well permit required for any well in Maryland8
Property tax (county-level)
Harford County effective rate about 0.9%9

Who to call

Zoning

City of Havre de Grace Department of Planning

Zoning regulations, building codes and building permits, subdivision, Chesapeake Bay Critical Area and floodplain management inside city limits

410-939-1800

711 Pennington Ave. Havre de Grace, MD 21078

Septic permits

Harford County Health Department -- Bureau of Environmental Health

Percolation tests, well permits, sanitary construction (septic) permits and septic inspections for Harford County addresses, including addresses inside Havre de Grace

410-877-2300

Roads & driveways

Harford County Department of Public Works -- Division of Highways, Utility & Access Group

Driveway access permits and utility work in county rights-of-way

410-612-1704

212 S Bond Street, Bel Air, MD 21014

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Havre de Grace have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Havre de Grace adopts its own zoning under Chapter 205 of the city code, and that zoning covers land inside city limits only1. The districts are named in the code and shown on the city's zoning map10.

Minimum lot area, height and yard requirements are set district by district in Table I of the code115. Residential structures taller than 40 feet get larger front, rear and side setbacks, one extra foot for every two feet above 40 feet12. Look up the specific district for your parcel rather than assuming a single lot size.

Older small lots get relief: single-family homes on R-1 lots platted before March 15, 1982 are exempt from Table I lot specifications, though setbacks still cannot fall below what the adopted building code requires for fire safety13. Lot coverage on those R-1 lots between 5,000 and 9,999 square feet is capped at 40%14.

We could not confirm the city's rules on living in an RV, tiny homes or manufactured homes. Ask the Department of Planning at 410-939-18002.

Do you need a building permit in Havre de Grace, and who issues it?

The City of Havre de Grace Department of Planning lists building codes and building permits among its responsibilities, and its page shows a permit office2. We could not confirm the city's permit requirements, fees or inspection steps, so call the Department of Planning at 410-939-1800 before you start work2.

The Harford County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits covers the county's own permitting jurisdiction, and the county notes that incorporated municipalities may administer building permits separately15. Treat the county counter as the right office for land outside city limits, not for a Havre de Grace address.

Maryland requires building standards to be enforced through permits and inspections in every local jurisdiction16. A property owner doing home-improvement work has a limited exception, which does not cover new-home construction17.

How do septic permits work inside Havre de Grace?

Septic permits for Havre de Grace addresses come from the Harford County Health Department's Bureau of Environmental Health, not from the city4. To get one, a licensed septic installer or licensed plumber files the application with the Health Department18.

The city narrows when a septic system is allowed at all: an individual sewage disposal system is lawful only if the city director certifies that community facilities are inadequate or unavailable, or a county building permit has been issued3. A system must also meet state and county health rules. If city sewer later becomes available and adequate, the owner must connect within one year of notice, at the owner's expense6.

Harford County's new sanitary construction permit fee is $21019. Maryland also requires a permit to build any well, and only a Maryland-licensed well driller may apply for it818.

Building a home in Havre de Grace: the steps, in order

  1. Find your zoning district on the city's zoning map and read the Table I limits for lot area, height and setbacks1011.
  2. Call the city Department of Planning at 410-939-1800 to confirm what building permits and approvals your project needs2.
  3. Ask whether city sewer serves the lot. If not, a perc test and septic permit go through the Harford County Health Department18.
  4. Check floodplain and Chesapeake Bay Critical Area status; the city's planning page lists both2.
  5. A well needs a state permit filed by a licensed driller18.
  6. A driveway onto a county road needs a county access permit20.

What stays with Harford County, and what to check before you buy

Septic and well permits stay with the Harford County Health Department, and driveway access permits on county roads come from the county Division of Highways1820. Land outside city limits follows the county's rules instead; see the Harford County page.

Plan for soils. Across Harford County, only about 19% of soils are rated not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system21. Harford County's effective property tax rate is about 0.9%9.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Havre de Grace's building permit requirements, fees, inspections, minimum home size or floodplain permit rules; call the city Department of Planning at 410-939-18002.
  • Accessory dwelling units in Havre de Grace need Board of Appeals approval as a conditional use, and the owner must live in one of the two dwellings7.
  • The county's rules for unincorporated Harford County, such as its limit on RV occupancy, do not apply inside city limits22.

Sources

  1. Chapter 205 Zoning, Article I General Provisions (eCode360) (Havre de Grace), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Havre de Grace Department of Planning (havredegracemd.gov)
  3. Chapter 198 Water and Sewers (eCode360) (Havre de Grace), quoted and re-checked
  4. New Home Construction: Building with a Well and Septic System, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 205 Zoning, Article I General Provisions (eCode360) (Havre de Grace), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 198 Water and Sewers (eCode360) (Havre de Grace), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 205 Zoning, Article I General Provisions (eCode360) (Havre de Grace), quoted and re-checked
  8. Well Construction Permit Applications and Forms (Maryland statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  10. Chapter 205 Zoning, Article I General Provisions (eCode360) (Havre de Grace), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 205 Zoning, Article I General Provisions (eCode360) (Havre de Grace), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 205 Zoning, Article I General Provisions (eCode360) (Havre de Grace), quoted and re-checked
  13. ecode360.com (Havre de Grace), quoted and re-checked
  14. Chapter 205 Zoning, Article I General Provisions (eCode360) (Havre de Grace), quoted and re-checked
  15. Permits (2026 county census)
  16. Maryland Public Safety Article § 12-505 (Maryland statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Maryland Business Regulation Article § 8-504 (2026 county census)
  18. Harford County Health Department -- Bureau of Environmental Health (harfordcountyhealth.com)
  19. Bill No. 24-013 - DILP Fees, quoted and re-checked
  20. Harford County Department of Public Works -- Division of Highways, Utility & Access Group (harfordcountymd.gov)
  21. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Harford County Zoning Code, quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 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 Havre de Grace

Havre de Grace’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Havre de Grace city limits, under the city's own Chapter 205 Zoning.

    • Use and dimensional limits come from the zoning districts and Table I, which was not retrieved in this research pass.
    “the provisions of this chapter shall be held to be the minimum requirements.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Havre de Grace city limits; zoning districts defined in the city's Chapter 205.

    • Individual district names and boundaries are in § 205-5 and § 205-6 and the zoning map, which were not opened.
    “§ 205-5 zoning districts. § 205-6 district boundaries and zoning map. § 205-7 interpretation of district boundaries.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Minimum lot area for each zoning district, including the R-1 single-family district, inside Havre de Grace city limits.

    • Numeric minimum lot areas are in Table I, which was not retrieved.
    • Pre-1982 recorded lots under 10,000 sq ft in R-1 are exempt from Table I lot specifications.
    “single-family detached dwellings on lots less than 5,000 square feet, or less than 10,000 square feet in the r1 zoning district, which have been or may be constructed on lots created by virtue of deeds or of subdivision plats recorded in the land records of harford county prior to march 15, 1982, shall be exempt from the single-family, residential lot specifications contained in table i of this chapter, except where stated below:”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Front, side and rear yard setbacks for each zoning district and use inside Havre de Grace city limits.

    • Residential structures exceeding 40 feet in height: the front, rear and side yard setback requirements increase by one foot for every two feet of height above 40 feet.
    • Historic National Register district streetscape and Union Avenue, Washington Street and Congress Avenue front-load garage rules also apply (§ 205-9 a).

    height threshold for setback increase: > 40 feet

    “the front, rear and side yard setback requirements for residential structures exceeding 40 feet in height shall be increased by one foot for every two feet by which the height of the structure exceeds 40 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family detached dwellings on R-1 lots under 10,000 sq ft (or under 5,000 sq ft elsewhere) platted or deeded before March 15, 1982, inside Havre de Grace city limits.
      “(b) setbacks cannot be less than required to meet the city's adopted building code standards for firesafety and other safety standards.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings on R-1 lots between 5,000 and 9,999 sq ft platted or deeded before March 15, 1982, inside Havre de Grace city limits.

    • Applies only to pre-March 15, 1982 recorded lots; general R-1 lot coverage limit is in Table I, not retrieved.
    • Lots under 5,000 sq ft in total area have a 60% cap under the same clause.

    lot coverage maximum: <= 40 percent of total lot area (lots 5,000 to 9,999 sq ft created by deed or recorded plat before March 15, 1982)

    “(a) lot coverage shall not exceed 40% of the total lot area for lots between 5,000 square feet and 9,999 square feet in area, and 60% for lots less than 5,000 square feet in total area;”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Single-family detached dwellings on pre-March 15, 1982 lots in the R-2, RO and RB districts inside Havre de Grace city limits.
      “(2) residential zoning districts r-2/residential, ro/residential office and rb/residential business. (a) lot coverage shall not exceed 60% of the total lot area;”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Height limits for each zoning district and use inside Havre de Grace city limits.

    • Numeric height limits are in Table I (attachment to Chapter 205), not retrieved.
    “height, lot and yard requirements for each district and use shall be as specified in table i,”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory dwelling units inside Havre de Grace city limits on a single lot in the R, R-1, R-2, RO and RB districts.

    • Requires Board of Appeals approval as a conditional use.
    • The lot owner must occupy one of the two dwellings as a principal residence.
    • Occupants must park off-street, with at least one space in addition to the main dwelling's requirement.
    • No separate address is assigned to the ADU.
    • Detached ADU size limits (§ 205-9 h(5)) were only partly read.

    attached ADU maximum floor area: <= 1200 sq ft

    “an adu may be permitted by the board of appeals as a conditional use on a single lot in the r, r-1, r-2, ro and rb districts, provided that the following provisions are met:”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Individual sewage disposal systems inside Havre de Grace city limits.

    • Allowed only if the director certifies community facilities are inadequate or unavailable, or a county building permit has been issued (§ 198-6 a).
    • Construction must meet the Harford County master water and sewer plan and MDE and county health rules (§ 198-6 b).
    “it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any individual sewage disposal system on any property in the city unless:”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Homes inside Havre de Grace city limits that use an individual septic system while city sewer is available.

    • Owner must connect to the city sewage system when it becomes available and adequate to serve the property, within one year after notice, at owner's expense (§ 198-7 b).
    • Water connection requirements not confirmed in this pass.
    • A Chapter 134 plumbing rule on connection within 300 feet was seen only in a search snippet and is not cited here.
    “the property owner has been notified that he will be required to connect to the city sewage system when it becomes available and at such time as it is adequate to serve the property;”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Division of land inside Havre de Grace city limits.

    • Chapter 173 covers subdivider plats (§ 173-5), transfers, sales and building permits (§ 173-6), critical area overlay (§ 173-9) and dimensional standards (§ 173-13); the text of §§ 173-5 to 173-6 was not read.
    “§ 173-5 subdivider shall prepare and record plat. § 173-6 transfers, sales and building permits.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Havre de Grace or Harford County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits for new homes inside Havre de Grace city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Havre de Grace city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Havre de Grace city limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Havre de Grace city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Havre de Grace city limits.
13 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Havre de Grace publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Harford County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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