Can you drill a well without a permit in Maryland?

Exempt — no permit or water right. Individual domestic use is exempt from the Maryland water appropriation permit (COMAR 26.17.06); a well-construction permit is still required, and non-domestic/large withdrawals (>10,000 gpd) need an appropriation permit.

Which Maryland counties have groundwater restrictions?

5 Maryland counties sit in a managed, over-appropriated, adjudicated, or critically overdrafted groundwater basin — including Anne Arundel County, Charles County, Prince George's County, Queen Anne's County, Worcester County. Each county profile cites the specific basin and rule.

Maryland · off-grid water rights

Water rights in Maryland

Whether a new off-grid home can legally get its own water in Maryland: the state well and water-rights rules, then the 5 counties where a specific groundwater basin adds a catch — each cited to the state water agency.

Maryland water rules

Household well
Exempt — no permit or water right
Individual domestic use is exempt from the Maryland water appropriation permit (COMAR 26.17.06); a well-construction permit is still required, and non-domestic/large withdrawals (>10,000 gpd) need an appropriation permit.
Limit: individual domestic use exempt from appropriation permit
Maryland MDE — Water Appropriation Permits ↗
Greywater reuse
none
No residential greywater provision; treated as wastewater.
Greywater Action / EPA REUSExplorer ↗
Rainwater harvesting
encouraged
County rebates up to $7,500; statewide stormwater programs.
NCSL ↗
Water rights
regulated riparian
Appropriation permit since 1933; domestic/ag under 10,000 gpd exempt.
National Agricultural Law Center ↗

5 constrained counties in Maryland

Actively managedAnne Arundel CountyCoastal Plain Water Management Strategy Areas34
Actively managedCharles CountyCoastal Plain Water Management Strategy Areas45
Actively managedPrince George's CountyCoastal Plain Water Management Strategy Areas32
Actively managedQueen Anne's CountyCoastal Plain Water Management Strategy Areas50
Actively managedWorcester CountyCoastal Plain Water Management Strategy Areas56

The Bolthole Index Letter

One email a week: the best counties to live off-grid, rule changes that matter, and Maryland water-rule changes as basins close. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Keep exploring Maryland

See the full Maryland county ranking, compare states on the water-rights hub, or read how water access is scored. Physical water is dimmed — never erased — where a county sits in one of these basins, household-first.

General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.