What's Required in Baltimore
- Building permit for every deck at a one- or two-family home; the model small-deck exemption is not adopted (Part X R105.2 items 9 to 10).
- Scaled sketches and a site plan showing the deck's extension, height, side elevation and framing plan (DHCD drawings matrix).
- Fee read as $10 per $1,000 of estimated cost, $50 minimum, plus the $25 application fee and 5% permit tax (BFRCBC 109).
- At least 1 GFCI receptacle on all decks, installed under an electrical permit by a licensed electrician (Part X 3901.7.2).
- Rooftop decks: sealed Maryland architect or engineer drawings, no more than 2 ft above the roof mid-plane, 8 ft front setback on a flat roof (BFRCBC 1511.9).
- Planning design review for roof decks on existing rowhouses (Zoning Code 4-405 via DHCD referrals).
- Footing and final building inspections (DHCD inspection guidelines).
- CHAP approval first for a deck at a property in a historic district or on a landmark (City Code Art. 6).
Do You Need a Permit to Build a Deck in Baltimore?
Yes, whatever its size or height. The model residential code exempts decks of 200 square feet or less that are no more than 30 inches above grade, not attached to the house and not serving the required exit door. Baltimore City's amendments mark that item (R105.2 building items 9 and 10) Not Adopted, and DHCD's list of work exempt from permit has no deck item. DHCD's drawings matrix lists decks at one- and two-family homes among permits that need scaled sketches and a site plan showing the deck's extension, height limitations, a side elevation and the framing plan. Swapping a few deck boards is ordinary maintenance; DHCD says minor repairs usually need no permit unless the item is completely replaced, and rebuilding a deck is reconstruction, which always needs one.
Baltimore adds two local rules. Its residential code amendment says at least 1 GFCI receptacle must be installed on all decks of whatever level, which is electrical work for a licensed electrician; ask the plan reviewer how it applies to your deck. Rooftop decks, common on rowhouses, have their own section: construction documents signed and sealed by a Maryland-licensed architect or engineer, a deck no more than 2 feet above the roof's mid-plane, a front setback of 8 feet from the face of the wall on a flat roof, written notice to the neighbors when party walls carry the deck, and Planning design review for roof decks on existing rowhouses.
Baltimore Deck Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Freestanding deck under 200 sq ft and under 30 inches high | Building permit; no small-deck exemption | Part X R105.2 items 9 to 10 Not Adopted |
| Small $4,000 landing or platform | $50 minimum + $3 tax + $25 application = $78 | BFRCBC 109.6.1(c), 109.7, 109.5.7 |
| $15,000 rear deck attached to the house | $150 + $8 tax + $25 application = $183 | BFRCBC 109.6.1(c) exterior-alteration rate |
| $25,000 two-level deck | $250 + $13 tax + $25 application = $288 | BFRCBC 109.6.1(c) |
| Rooftop deck on a rowhouse | Permit with sealed drawings plus Planning design review | BFRCBC 1511.9; Zoning Code 4-405 |
| Deck with an outlet or lighting | Electrical permit by a licensed electrician; at least 1 GFCI receptacle | Part X 3901.7.2; BFRCBC 2706.2 |
| Deck at a house in a CHAP district | CHAP approval before the DHCD permit | City Code Art. 6, 8-2(a)(4) |
How Much Does a Deck Permit Cost?
Section 109 has no line item for decks. We read a deck at a one- or two-family home under the exterior-alteration rate: $10 for each $1,000 or fraction of estimated cost, with a $50 minimum (the code's miscellaneous-work rate is the same $10 per $1,000). Add the nonrefundable $25 application fee and the 5% Building Code Permit Tax, rounded up. A $15,000 deck: $150 + $8 + $25 = $183. DHCD's ePlans matrix lists decks only for properties other than one- and two-family dwellings, so a house deck should not need the $125 plan-review application fee; confirm at intake. Electrical work is a separate line at $6 per circuit.
Zoning, Inspections and Who Builds It
Table 15-601 of the Zoning Code does not name decks; it allows an open patio or terrace in any yard and an unenclosed porch of one story to reach no more than 8 feet into a required yard, so show setbacks on the site plan and let Zoning classify it. DHCD's inspection guidelines list a footing inspection and a final for decks. The owner may apply, but DHCD says construction work on one- and two-family dwellings requires an MHIC-licensed contractor.
How to Get a Deck Permit in Baltimore
Draw the deck
Prepare a scaled framing plan, side elevation and site plan with setbacks. Rooftop decks need sealed drawings from a Maryland architect or engineer.
Check zoning and historic status
Confirm with Zoning how the deck sits in the required yards, and whether CHAP or Planning design review applies to your property.
Apply in E-Permits
File a One and Two Family Combo Permit with the estimated job cost; add the electrician for the required GFCI receptacle.
Pay the fees
Pay the $25 application fee up front, then the permit fee ($10 per $1,000 of cost, $50 minimum) and 5% tax before issue.
Inspect footings, then final
Call Miss Utility 48 hours before digging, schedule the footing inspection before pouring, and book the final when the deck is done.