Bolthole Index

Worcester County, Maryland

Town of Ocean City, Maryland: building permits, zoning and sewer rules

The Town of Ocean City, Maryland requires building permits for nearly all construction, structural repairs and accessory structures; the Town handles building review and zoning.123 In Worcester County, Ocean City’s municipal sewer rules require qualifying properties to connect and generally prohibit private wastewater systems.45 Start with the Town’s Planning & Community Development offices before designing a home or planning off-grid sanitation.26

At a glance

Building permits
Town building permits required for nearly all construction and structural repairs1
Zoning
Town zoning applies; lot standards depend on district378
Sewer and septic
Public sewer connection required for qualifying properties; private wastewater facilities generally prohibited45
Building inspections
Required for issued building permits; request 24 hours ahead9
Building application
Digital submissions with plans or drawings; paper applications not accepted10
Short-term rentals
Additional short-term rental license for qualifying rentals of 30 consecutive days or fewer11

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Ocean City Planning & Community Development — Building Division

Town building permit review, issuance and inspections

410-289-8855

301 N. Baltimore Avenue – Ocean City, MD 21842

Floodplain permits

Town of Ocean City Planning & Community Development — Flood Hazard Information

Property flood hazard information and Town floodplain development requirements

410-289-8855

Septic permits

Worcester County Department of Environmental Programs

County sewage-disposal and drinking-water programs; consult about any Town-approved private-system exception

(410) 632-1220

Also useful

Town of Ocean City Water/Sewer/Public Works

Town water and sewer connection questions

410-524-6760

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 Town of Ocean City means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Ocean City, MD?

Ocean City requires a building permit for nearly all construction, structural repair work and placement of accessory structures.1 Ocean City’s Building Division reviews construction, issues building permits and performs inspections.2 Do not use Worcester County’s accessory-structure exemption as the answer for a lot inside town limits; Ocean City lies outside the County’s land-use jurisdiction.12 For land outside town limits, use the Worcester County guide to follow the county jurisdiction instead.12

Who issues building permits in the Town of Ocean City?

Ocean City’s Planning & Community Development Building Division is the Town building-permit office; use the building contact listed below for construction review and inspections.2 Ocean City accepts digital building applications and does not accept paper applications.10 Submit the property’s correct address, scope of work, valuation, contact information and plans or drawings; missing plans can cause rejection.10 Ocean City publishes a downloadable building-permit fee schedule, and applicants can pay online after the application is processed and a permit number is created.13

Does the Town of Ocean City have zoning and minimum lot sizes?

Ocean City has its own zoning, and district-specific bulk regulations govern residential lots.3 In Ocean City’s R-1 single-family residential district, the minimum lot area is 7,500 square feet, subject to the code’s supplementary provisions.7 In the MH district’s mobile-home subdivisions, the minimum lot area is 4,800 square feet, also subject to supplementary provisions.8 Ocean City’s R-1 principal buildings may be no more than 35 feet high; accessory buildings may be no more than 20 feet high, with additional story limits.14 Ask the Town Zoning Department to identify the parcel’s district and applicable setbacks before fitting a home onto the lot.6

How do sewer and septic rules work inside the Town of Ocean City?

Ocean City generally prohibits constructing or maintaining septic tanks, privies, cesspools and other private wastewater collection, treatment or disposal facilities, subject to the code’s stated exceptions.5 Ocean City requires qualifying occupied properties abutting a right-of-way containing the Town’s public sewer to connect at the owner’s expense within 30 days after official notice.4 A written Town permit is required before connecting to or disturbing the public sewer.4 Ask Town Water/Sewer/Public Works about connection arrangements; Worcester County Environmental Programs handles county sewage-disposal programs, but that role does not override Ocean City’s prohibition.15165

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of Ocean City?

We could not confirm an Ocean City private-lot RV living or tiny-home occupancy rule; ask the Town Zoning Department about the proposed dwelling and parcel before buying.6 Ocean City’s MH mobile-home subdivision lot standard does not establish permission for RV occupancy or a tiny home on any residential lot.8 Maryland protects placement of qualifying manufactured homes in zones allowing single-family residences when the statutory conditions, including conversion to real property, are met; local building, zoning and other requirements still apply.17 Ocean City’s private-wastewater prohibition also matters when planning an off-grid dwelling.5

Building a home in the Town of Ocean City: what are the steps?

  1. Ask Ocean City’s Zoning Department to confirm the parcel’s zoning district and the standards for the proposed home.63
  2. Resolve the Town’s sewer connection requirements and ask Water/Sewer/Public Works about the connection.415
  3. Ask Planning & Community Development about floodplain requirements before grading or filling; floodplain land development requires approval.1
  4. Submit the digital building application with plans and necessary information; the building permit issues only after all reviewing agencies approve.10
  5. Arrange the Town’s required building inspections at least 24 hours in advance and complete them before building-permit closeout.9

What should you check before buying in the Town of Ocean City?

Ask Ocean City’s Planning & Community Development office about floodplain requirements and elevation certificates before committing to a design or renovation budget.1 We could not confirm a general Town certificate-of-occupancy rule, owner-builder exemption or private-well approval route; ask the Building Division and Worcester County Environmental Programs about the proposed project.218 If rental income is part of the purchase plan, Ocean City requires an annual rental license and noise-control permit before renting, plus an additional short-term rental housing unit license for qualifying rentals of 30 consecutive days or fewer.11

Watch-outs

  • Ocean City’s private-wastewater prohibition makes sewer availability a purchase question, even when a property appears suitable for septic.54
  • Ocean City requires approval before floodplain grading or filling, as well as building construction review.1
  • We could not confirm Town rules for accessory dwellings, minimum dwelling size or temporary camping; ask the Town Zoning Department about the specific proposal.6

Sources

  1. Town of Ocean City Planning & Community Development — Flood Hazard Information (oceancitymd.gov)
  2. Town of Ocean City Planning & Community Development — Building Division (oceancitymd.gov)
  3. Code of Ordinances, Sec. 110-276—Bulk regulations (Town of Ocean City), quoted and re-checked
  4. Code of Ordinances, Sec. 94-64—Use of public sewers required (Town of Ocean City), quoted and re-checked
  5. Code of Ordinances, Sec. 94-64—Use of public sewers required (Town of Ocean City), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Ocean City Zoning Department (oceancitymd.gov)
  7. Code of Ordinances, Sec. 110-276—Bulk regulations (Town of Ocean City), quoted and re-checked
  8. Code of Ordinances, Sec. 110-426—Bulk regulations for mobile home subdivisions (Town of Ocean City), quoted and re-checked
  9. Building Inspections (Town of Ocean City), quoted and re-checked
  10. Online Permitting (Town of Ocean City), quoted and re-checked
  11. Ocean City Rental Hub (Town of Ocean City), quoted and re-checked
  12. Worcester County Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Chapter, quoted and re-checked
  13. Online Permitting (Town of Ocean City), quoted and re-checked
  14. Code of Ordinances, Sec. 110-276—Bulk regulations (Town of Ocean City), quoted and re-checked
  15. Town of Ocean City Water/Sewer/Public Works (oceancitymd.gov)
  16. Worcester County Department of Environmental Programs - Septic System Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  17. mgaleg.maryland.gov (Maryland statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Worcester County Department of Environmental Programs (worcestermd.gov)

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 Town of Ocean City

Town of Ocean City’s own rules

  • InspectionsRequired

    Issued building permits in Ocean City.

    • Inspection requirements vary by permit type and full scope of work.
    • An inspection request must be made 24 hours in advance.

    inspection request advance notice: >= 24 hours

    “All issued building permits have required inspections by the Town of Ocean City that must be completed before a permit can be closed out.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Ocean City town limits.

    • Chapter 110 bulk regulations are subject to Article V, Division 2.
    “Bulk regulations are as follows except as otherwise provided in article V, division 2, of this chapter: (1) Minimum lot area: 7,500 square feet.”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    Private wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal facilities inside Ocean City town limits.

    • The restriction is qualified by 'Except as herein provided' in Sec. 94-64.
    “Except as herein provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Houses, buildings, and properties for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes inside Ocean City that abut a street, alley, or right-of-way containing an Ocean City public sanitary sewer.

    • Connection is at the owner's expense.
    • Connection is required within 30 days after official notice.
    • A written Ocean City permit is required before connection or disturbance of the public sewer.

    connection deadline after official notice: <= 30 days

    “The owners of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes, situated within Ocean City and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located, or in the future may be located, a public sanitary sewer system belonging to Ocean City, is hereby required, at the owner's expense, to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities to the community or multi-use sewerage system in accordance with the provisions of this article, within 30 days after date of official notice to do so.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivided two-family dwellings and townhouses inside Ocean City.

    • Site plans are subject to Planning Commission review.
    “Site plans for the following major uses shall be subject to review by the planning commission: (1) Subdivided two-family dwellings and townhouses.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Rental of a dwelling unit for 30 consecutive days or fewer inside Ocean City.

    • A short-term rental housing unit license is required in addition to the primary rental license.
    • An annual rental license and noise-control permit are required before renting.

    short-term rental duration: <= 30 consecutive days (excludes hotels, motels, apartments, dormitories, and employee housing)

    “If you intend to rent your property for 30 consecutive days or fewer, you must obtain a Short-Term Rental Housing Unit License in addition to the primary rental license.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Town building/construction permits.

    • The Town directs applicants to its downloadable permit-fee schedule; the particular fee depends on permit type and work.
    “Once your application is received and processed a permit number is created and you will be notified by email. At that time, you can pay the permit fee online.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Digital building-permit applications inside Ocean City.

    • Paper applications are not accepted.
    • Applications need the correct 911 address, scope of work, valuation, email, phone number, plans or drawings, and necessary information.
    • Permit issues only after all agencies approve the review.

    average issuance after confirmed submission: 2-4 weeks (varies by application type)

    “All applications REQUIRE PLANS OR DRAWINGS. Please attach plans and necessary information with your application in .pdf format. If not received at time of submittal, application will be rejected.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Ocean City

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

  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    MH mobile-home residential district mobile-home subdivisions inside Ocean City.

    • Bulk regulations are otherwise subject to Chapter 110, Article V, Division 2.

    minimum lot area: 4800 square feet

    “Bulk regulations for MH mobile home subdivisions are as follows except as otherwise provided in article V, division 2, of this chapter: (1) Minimum lot area: 4,800 square feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — R-1 single-family residential district inside Ocean City.
      “Bulk regulations are as follows except as otherwise provided in article V, division 2, of this chapter: (1) Minimum lot area: 7,500 square feet.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R-1 single-family residential district inside Ocean City.

    • Bulk regulations are otherwise subject to Chapter 110, Article V, Division 2.

    principal-building maximum height: <= 35 feet (maximum three stories) · accessory-building maximum height: <= 20 feet (maximum 1½ stories)

    “Principal building: Shall be no more than 35 feet, and shall be no more than three stories. b. Accessory building: Shall be no more than 20 feet, and shall be no more than 1½ stories.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Ocean City or Worcester County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Ocean City town limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — New or altered structures inside Ocean City town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — New dwellings inside Ocean City town limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lots inside Ocean City town limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Ocean City town limits.
6 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access

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 Town of Ocean City publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Worcester County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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