Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Anne Arundel County, Maryland

At a glance

Building permit

Required for a new single-family dwelling¹

Zoning

County zoning outside city limits; Annapolis administers its own zoning⁵⁶

Septic permit

Anne Arundel County Department of Health, Sanitary Engineering Program³

Owner-builder exemption

Available via Homeowner Affidavit for a landowner's own use⁴

Manufactured (HUD) homes

Allowed in any district that allows single-family dwellings, on a permanent foundation, since Jan 1, 2025⁷

Accessory dwelling unit (ADU)

One per lot in most residential districts; detached size limited to the lesser of 800 sq ft or 50% of the main home⁸

RV living

Highway dwelling use prohibited from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.; private-land occupancy unconfirmed⁹¹⁰

Minimum lot size (R1 district)

30,000 sq ft (15,000 sq ft for a side-by-side duplex); varies by district¹¹

Who to call

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

Do you need a building permit in Anne Arundel County, Maryland?

Yes, a new single-family dwelling in unincorporated Anne Arundel County requires an Anne Arundel County building permit¹. The county administers locally amended editions of the International Building, Residential and Energy Conservation Codes within Maryland's statewide building-code framework¹²¹³. A project may also need trade or grading permits and approvals from Planning and Zoning or Public Works¹⁴. The permit holder must request county inspections as work reaches each required stage¹⁵. A qualifying agricultural building can be exempt if it is on a farm with a current soil-conservation and water-quality plan, has the required agricultural zoning or assessment, is no more than 40 feet tall and at least 60 feet from other buildings, and is not open to the public¹⁶.

Who issues building permits in Anne Arundel County, and how do you reach them?

The Anne Arundel County Department of Inspections and Permits runs the Permit Center at 2664 Riva Road in Annapolis; call (410) 222-7730 or email permitcenterhelp@aacounty.org¹⁷. New applications generally must be submitted online through Land Use Navigator, with exceptions for apartment submissions, associated trades and revisions to existing paper applications¹⁸. A non-refundable $43 application fee is added to every building permit¹⁹. A landowner building directly on personally owned Maryland land solely for personal use may submit a Homeowner Affidavit, but hiring someone to manage or supervise the build changes that status⁴.

Does Anne Arundel County have zoning?

Unincorporated Anne Arundel County has zoning enforced by the county Office of Planning and Zoning⁵. Inside Annapolis, the city administers its own zoning ordinance⁶. Private septic construction permits in Annapolis remain with the Anne Arundel County Department of Health²⁰. The county zoning ordinance is Article 18 of the county code, with eight residential districts alongside commercial, industrial, maritime and mixed-use districts, and each district has its own bulk regulations²¹. Allowed uses and bulk standards depend on each parcel's district, so use the county's zoning viewer and confirm the classification before designing a project². In the R1 district, for example, the minimum lot size is 30,000 square feet, structures may cover up to 50% of the lot, and principal buildings top out at 45 feet¹¹²²²³. Setbacks depend on the zoning classification, development type and kind of structure²⁴. Overlay zones can add further development rules²², and subdivision and site-plan activity goes through county development review²⁵.

How do septic and well permits work in Anne Arundel County?

The Anne Arundel County Department of Health's Sanitary Engineering Program reviews properties, issues construction permits and inspects private septic systems and wells³. A Septic Installation Permit is required for an onsite sewage system²⁶. For new residential subdivisions, the growth tier controls the sanitation path: Tier 1 requires public sewer, Tier 2 allows septic for minor subdivisions only until public sewer becomes available, and Tiers 3 and 4 require onsite septic or private community systems; private-septic proposals need Health Department review and an approved perc test before the development application proceeds²⁷. A nitrogen-reducing BAT unit installed through the Bay Restoration Fund process must be inspected by the Health Department and a manufacturer representative²⁸. Where public sewer and water are available, a water/sewer connection permit is required for the final connection to a structure, and a single-lot connection without an executed public works agreement needs a TAP Permit from an AB Licensed utility contractor²⁹. Wells require a permit submitted by a licensed well driller³⁰. Call 410-222-7193 or email septic_sod@aacounty.org³¹.

Can you live in an RV, tiny home, or camp on your land in Anne Arundel County?

An RV parked on a highway in Anne Arundel County may not be used as a dwelling, residence or accommodation between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.⁹. The highway restriction covers camping vehicles, motor homes, park model RVs and travel trailers; a violation is a Class E civil offense⁹. We could not confirm private-land RV occupancy or temporary camping rules; ask the Office of Planning and Zoning before relying on either use¹⁰³². A manufactured home has a clearer path: since January 1, 2025, it is allowed in any zoning district that permits single-family dwellings if it sits on a permanent foundation, the same person owns the land and home, and an affidavit of affixation is recorded⁷. Anne Arundel County also allows one accessory dwelling unit per lot in most residential districts, with no minimum lot size⁸. The county does define cottage homes, detached dwellings of no more than 800 square feet excluding loft space, on a permanent foundation, but those units sit in cottage home developments with deed restrictions limiting occupancy to income-eligible households, so the definition does not open general tiny-home placement on a rural lot³³. We could not confirm a countywide minimum dwelling floor area or a general tiny-home occupancy rule; ask Planning and Zoning about the proposed design³².

What are the steps to build a home in Anne Arundel County?

1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district, allowed use and bulk limits with the Office of Planning and Zoning².
2. Ask whether subdivision, site-plan or floodplain review applies²⁵³⁴.
3. Determine the parcel's growth tier and whether public sewer is required or private septic can be reviewed²⁷.
4. Obtain Health Department approval for any private well and septic system³.
5. Submit the building application through Land Use Navigator; qualifying owner-builders should include the Homeowner Affidavit¹⁸⁴.
6. Obtain a Residential Driveway Access Permit for a new or modified entrance onto a county road³⁵.
7. Request each required construction inspection when the permitted work reaches that stage¹⁵.

What should you check before buying land in Anne Arundel County?

Only about 2% of Anne Arundel County's soils are rated not limited for conventional septic drain fields; site evaluation or an engineered system may be needed, so get a perc test before counting on a standard system³⁶. A typical home here runs around $514,257 and farmland has recently been valued near $12,289 an acre³⁷³⁸; the effective property tax rate is about 0.9%, with a median annual bill around $3,836³⁹⁴⁰. A new or modified entrance onto a county road needs a Residential Driveway Access Permit³⁵; an entrance within a State right-of-way requires a separate MDOT State Highway Administration permit⁴¹. Check the zoning district, overlay zones, floodplain status, water source and growth tier before treating a parcel as buildable²³⁴²⁷.

Watch-outs

• Anne Arundel County prohibits RV dwelling use on a highway from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.; private-land RV occupancy and temporary camping remain unconfirmed, so ask the Office of Planning and Zoning about the parcel⁹¹⁰³².
• A new or modified driveway onto a county road needs a Residential Driveway Access Permit, and normally only one entrance is allowed per lot; a driveway within a State right-of-way requires a separate MDOT SHA permit³⁵⁴¹.
• The owner-builder Homeowner Affidavit only works when the landowner performs the work directly for personal use without hiring anyone to manage or supervise construction; a later management contract must be reported to the Department⁴.
• Short-term rentals of a dwelling through a hosting platform require approved county registration before renting, and a host may not register more than two dwelling units⁴².

Sources

1. Do I need a Permit?, quoted and re-checked
2. Comprehensive Zoning, quoted and re-checked
3. Wells and Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
4. aacounty.org, quoted and re-checked
5. Zoning Enforcement, quoted and re-checked
6. Annapolis: Planning, Zoning and Building (Anne Arundel County), quoted and re-checked
7. Zoning FAQs, quoted and re-checked
8. Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Facts & Guidelines, quoted and re-checked
9. § 9-1-712. Recreational vehicle on County roads for living purposes, quoted and re-checked
10. § 9-1-712. Recreational vehicle on County roads for living purposes, quoted and re-checked
11. Zoning Classifications Guide, quoted and re-checked
12. Building Codes, quoted and re-checked
13. Maryland Building Codes - Building Codes Administration, quoted and re-checked
14. Do I need a Permit? (2026 county census)
15. Building Inspections, quoted and re-checked
16. Agricultural Buildings - Building Permit Exemption & Grading Permits, quoted and re-checked
17. Anne Arundel County Department of Inspections and Permits - Permit Center (aacounty.org)
18. Inspections and Permits, quoted and re-checked
19. Permit Fees, quoted and re-checked
20. Annapolis: Wells and Septic Systems (Anne Arundel County), quoted and re-checked
21. Zoning Administration, quoted and re-checked
22. Zoning Classifications Guide, quoted and re-checked
23. Zoning Classifications Guide, quoted and re-checked
24. Zoning FAQs, quoted and re-checked
25. Development, quoted and re-checked
26. Septic System Permits, quoted and re-checked
27. Residential, quoted and re-checked
28. Step-By-Step Instructions For Septic System Upgrades and Repairs - BRF, quoted and re-checked
29. Water/Sewer Connections, quoted and re-checked
30. Installation of a Private Water Well Guidelines, quoted and re-checked
31. Anne Arundel County Department of Health - Sanitary Engineering Program (aahealth.org)
32. Anne Arundel County Office of Planning and Zoning (aacounty.org)
33. Anne Arundel County Code § 17-7-1303, General development principles, quoted and re-checked
34. Anne Arundel County Nuisance Flood Plan 2025, quoted and re-checked
35. Residential Driveway - Right-of-Way Permit, quoted and re-checked
36. 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
37. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
38. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data
39. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
40. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
41. Access Management/Permits - MDOT SHA (Maryland statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
42. Short-Term Residential Rental, 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.