USA Site Plans
Maryland residential permit drawings
Applying for a residential permit in Maryland? Your county, city or municipality may require a site plan showing the complete property, existing structures, proposed work, property-line distances, access, easements and other site conditions.
Order Your Maryland Site Plan View Pricing Browse Services by StateMaryland uses statewide building-code standards, but site-plan, zoning, grading and permit-submittal requirements are administered locally. Before preparing the drawing, confirm the reviewing jurisdiction, locate the best available property document and obtain the current checklist for the specific project.
A residential site plan—also called a plot plan—is an overhead drawing showing how buildings and exterior improvements fit within a property.
Depending on the project and jurisdiction, it can help reviewers understand:
- Which property is being developed
- What buildings and improvements already exist
- What construction is proposed
- The size and location of the proposed work
- Distances to property boundaries
- Distances between buildings
- Driveway, street, alley and pedestrian access
- Whether easements or recorded restrictions affect the proposal
- Whether well, septic, stormwater or environmental review applies
- Whether the site plan agrees with the remaining permit drawings
A clear site plan cannot guarantee approval. It provides measurable property and project information for review under the regulations applying to the jurisdiction and site.
Need a Maryland Site Plan for a Permit?
Send us your property address, project dimensions, intended location, photographs and any survey, recorded plat, previous plan or permit comments you have. We can organize the supplied information into a clear residential site drawing.
Order Your Site Plan View the Site Plan ChecklistHow Maryland Building and Site-Plan Requirements Work
Maryland adopts statewide model building codes through the Maryland Building Performance Standards.
The Maryland Department of Labor currently identifies the 2021 editions of the International Building Code, International Residential Code, International Energy Conservation Code and related model codes as the adopted statewide standards.
Local jurisdictions may adopt modifications to suit local conditions, subject to limitations applying to the Maryland energy and accessibility codes.
The permit and zoning authority may be:
- A county department
- Baltimore City
- An incorporated city or town
- A planning or zoning department
- A county health department
- A public works agency
- More than one reviewing agency
This means there is no single Maryland residential site-plan checklist that applies to every property.
Before preparing the final drawing, confirm:
- Which jurisdiction issues the building permit
- Which office reviews zoning and setbacks
- Whether the property uses public water and sewer or private well and septic
- Whether the project affects a county or state road
- Whether the property is in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area
- Whether floodplain or stormwater review applies
- Whether a municipality has separate requirements from the surrounding county
Official sources: Maryland Building Codes Administration and Maryland Local Codes and Contacts by County .
What Maryland Homeowners Usually Need First
1. Confirm the permit authority
Do not rely only on the postal address.
A Maryland mailing address may use the name of a nearby municipality even when the property is outside that municipality’s corporate limits.
Confirm whether the project is reviewed by:
- The county
- An incorporated municipality
- Baltimore City
- A special zoning or planning authority
Using the wrong jurisdiction can lead to the wrong application, zoning rules, setback standards and online submission process.
2. Find the current project-specific checklist
A general building-permit page may not contain every requirement for a deck, pool, addition, shed or driveway.
Look for the current checklist or permit page for the exact project, including:
- Home addition
- Deck or porch
- Garage or carport
- Shed or accessory structure
- Swimming pool
- Fence
- Driveway or access point
- Retaining wall
- Basement entrance
- Accessory dwelling unit
The checklist may identify:
- Required drawing scale
- Sheet size
- Survey or house-location plat requirements
- Construction plans
- Grading documents
- Well and septic approvals
- Tree or Critical Area information
- Electronic file-naming rules
3. Locate a reliable property document
Useful property documents can include:
- Boundary survey
- House-location survey or plat
- Recorded subdivision plat
- Settlement survey
- Previous approved permit plan
- Deed or legal description
Check:
- Home-purchase documents
- Title-company records
- Lender or mortgage files
- Previous permit records
- Documents supplied by the former owner
An older document may not show later:
- Additions
- Garages
- Decks
- Sheds
- Pools
- Driveway extensions
- Patios or retaining walls
Review the property’s current condition before using an old survey as the drawing base.
4. Define the proposed project
Provide:
- Project length and width
- Height when relevant
- Number of stories when relevant
- Intended use
- Proposed location
- Roof projections
- Stairs and landings
- Decks, patios or associated paving
- Structures proposed for removal
The site-plan dimensions should agree with the construction drawings, permit application and contractor documents.
What a Maryland Residential Site Plan Should Show
Property address and identifying information
Include:
- Complete property address
- Tax account or parcel information when required
- Lot and block when available
- Subdivision name when available
- Project title
- Short scope description
- Drawing or revision date
The identifying information should agree with the permit application and property records.
Complete property boundaries
Show:
- Front property line
- Left-side property line
- Right-side property line
- Rear property line
- Street-side line on a corner lot
- Curved, angled or irregular segments
- Available dimensions of each boundary
- Adjoining streets and alleys
Do not automatically treat a fence, hedge, retaining wall, driveway edge or online parcel line as the legal property boundary.
Existing buildings and improvements
Show relevant existing features, including:
- Main house
- Existing additions
- Attached and detached garages
- Carports
- Sheds and workshops
- Decks and porches
- Patios and walkways
- Swimming pools and spas
- Driveways and parking areas
- Retaining walls
- Fences and gates when relevant
An omitted structure can affect zoning setbacks, building separation, lot coverage, access and the available project location.
Proposed construction
Clearly distinguish proposed work from existing conditions.
Use:
- A clear “PROPOSED” label
- A distinct hatch pattern
- A heavier outline
- A different line type
- An existing-and-proposed legend
Show the complete proposed footprint and relevant:
- Exterior walls
- Foundation outline
- Posts or supports
- Stairs and landings
- Deck or porch platforms
- Roof and eave projections
- Equipment pads
- New paving
- Structures proposed for removal
Project dimensions
Show the proposed length and width.
Irregular projects should include enough dimensions to define the complete shape.
The dimensions should agree with:
- Permit application
- Foundation plan
- Floor plans
- Exterior elevations
- Framing plans
- Contractor drawings
- Manufacturer plans
Actual property-line distances
Show the shortest relevant distance from the proposed project to:
- Front property line
- Both side property lines
- Rear property line
- Street-side boundary on a corner lot
- Known easement boundary
- Recorded building line
Do not expect the reviewer to calculate the proposed distance using the drawing scale.
Maryland setbacks vary by:
- County or municipality
- Zoning district
- Project type
- Lot size and shape
- Corner-lot status
- Structure height
- Recorded plat
- Overlay district
- Previous zoning approvals
Read Setbacks and Zoning: How to Find the Rules for Your Property and Property Setbacks Explained for Homeowners .
Building separation
Show distances between the proposed work and relevant:
- Main house
- Detached garage
- Shed
- Deck or porch
- Pool
- Other structures
Building separation can affect zoning, fire-resistance requirements, access and the classification of the structure.
Driveways, parking and access
Show relevant:
- Adjoining street
- Public alley
- Existing and proposed driveway
- Parking area
- Garage entrance
- Public sidewalk
- Walkways
- Vehicle and pedestrian gates
A new or modified driveway connection can require separate county, municipal or State Highway Administration review.
Easements and rights-of-way
Show known:
- Utility easements
- Drainage easements
- Sanitary-sewer easements
- Access easements
- Shared-driveway easements
- Rights-of-way
- Recorded building lines
- Environmental buffers
A project can satisfy its ordinary zoning setback and still conflict with an easement or other recorded restriction.
Site Plan vs Survey vs Construction Plans
A Maryland permit application can require more than one of these documents.
A drafted site plan does not independently establish legal property boundaries.
A Maryland-licensed land surveyor may be needed when:
- The reviewing authority requires a signed or sealed survey
- No reliable property document is available
- Property corners cannot be located
- The project is close to a property boundary
- The lot has an irregular shape
- Available records conflict
- An easement location is uncertain
- Certified elevations are required
- A boundary dispute exists
- A lot-line adjustment or new legal description is proposed
Important service distinction
USA Site Plans provides drafting services. Standard drawings are not boundary surveys and are not signed or sealed by a Maryland-licensed land surveyor, architect or engineer.
How Requirements Differ Between Maryland Counties
The following examples illustrate why homeowners should use the checklist issued by the actual reviewing jurisdiction.
| Jurisdiction | Examples of current residential site-plan requirements |
|---|---|
| Montgomery County | Current deck guidance requires electronic submission of site and construction plans. The deck location is placed to scale on a house-location plat or survey, with distances to lot lines, height above grade, address and street or alley information. Properties using well and septic systems require additional site information showing wells, septic components and reserve areas. |
| Prince George’s County | Residential additions and exterior alterations require site or plot plans together with structural and architectural drawings. Plans are screened for sufficient information before full review, and project-specific checklists apply. |
| Anne Arundel County | Most new permit applications are submitted online through Land Use Navigator. Depending on the property, the application can involve site-plan, grading, Critical Area, stormwater or other supporting documents. |
| Baltimore County | Construction applications are completed online. Additions and structural modifications require permits, while new residential dwellings require an engineer-scaled site plan sealed by an accepted licensed professional. |
| Frederick County | Residential plan-review checklists apply by construction type. Projects involving grading, historic design review or other site conditions may require dimensioned plans showing property lines, streets, existing structures and proposed work. |
These examples are not interchangeable. Use the current requirements issued for the actual property and project.
Official county resources: Montgomery County Residential Deck Guidelines , Montgomery County Well and Septic Submittal Requirements , Prince George’s County Addition Permits , Anne Arundel County Inspections and Permits , Baltimore County Permit Applications and Frederick County Building Plan Review .
Private Well and Septic Systems
Properties without public water or sewer can require additional health-department review.
The site plan may need to show:
- Existing well
- Approved replacement well location
- Septic tank
- Septic absorption area
- Approved septic reserve area
- Existing and proposed structures
- Distances between the project and well or septic components
The required separation distances depend on the project and local health regulations.
Do not assume that open yard space is available for construction simply because it is outside the normal zoning setback. It may be reserved for an existing or future septic system.
A site plan can identify the supplied well and septic information, but it does not replace health-department approval, septic design or professional field verification.
Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Properties
Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay Critical Area generally includes land within 1,000 feet of tidal waters and tidal wetlands.
Most residential permits in the Critical Area are reviewed through the local jurisdiction, although particular projects may require additional review or comment.
Critical Area requirements can affect:
- Lot coverage
- Clearing and tree removal
- Stormwater management
- Development on steep slopes
- Shoreline and stream buffers
- Location of proposed structures
- Mitigation or replanting
The site plan may need to show:
- Critical Area boundary or classification
- Buffer or expanded buffer
- Existing and proposed lot coverage
- Trees or forest cover
- Proposed clearing
- Structures and paving
- Waterfront or environmental features
Contact the local planning office before finalizing a project on or near tidal water.
Official source: Maryland Critical Area Frequently Asked Questions .
Floodplain, Drainage and Grading
Additional site information may be required when the project:
- Is located in a mapped flood hazard area
- Changes existing grades
- Adds substantial roof or paved area
- Uses fill
- Includes a retaining wall
- Changes an existing drainage path
- Disturbs a large area of soil
- Affects a drainage easement or stormwater facility
The permit package may need:
- Existing and proposed contours
- Spot elevations
- Drainage arrows
- Cut-and-fill information
- Finished-floor elevation
- Swales
- Stormwater practices
- Erosion and sediment-control measures
- Floodplain boundaries
- Elevation certificates
- Engineering calculations
Maryland floodplain development permits are administered through local communities under their adopted floodplain ordinances.
A standard drafted site plan does not replace civil, grading, drainage, floodplain or geotechnical engineering when professional design is required.
Official source: Maryland Floodplain Permitting .
Maryland Projects That Commonly Need Site Information
Permit thresholds and exemptions vary by jurisdiction. A small structure that is exempt from a building permit may still need zoning, Critical Area, floodplain, health-department or homeowners’ association approval.
What to Send With Your Maryland Site Plan Order
- Complete Maryland property address
- Name of the county or municipality reviewing the permit
- Project type and description
- Proposed project length and width
- Proposed height when relevant
- Preferred location within the property
- Existing property survey
- House-location plat
- Recorded subdivision plat
- Previous approved site plan
- Contractor or architectural drawings
- Manufacturer plans when applicable
- A marked survey or hand sketch
- Measurements to nearby property lines
- Measurements to existing structures
- Photographs of the complete property
- Photographs of the proposed work area
- Driveway, road, sidewalk or alley information
- Known easement and right-of-way information
- Well and septic information when applicable
- Critical Area information when applicable
- Floodplain, slope or drainage information when applicable
- HOA instructions when applicable
- Permit comments already received
Complete source information helps reduce uncertainty while the drawing is being prepared.
How the Maryland Site Plan Drafting Process Works
Common Maryland Site Plan Problems
- The wrong county or municipality is treated as the permit authority
- An outdated project checklist is used
- Only the immediate project area is shown
- Property lines are missing or uncertain
- A fence or GIS parcel line is treated as a surveyed boundary
- Lot dimensions are incomplete
- An existing garage, shed, deck or pool is omitted
- The proposed work is not clearly labeled
- Project dimensions are missing
- Property-line distances are unclear
- Building separation is not shown
- Driveway, road or access information is omitted
- An easement or right-of-way is missing
- Well or septic components are overlooked
- A septic reserve area is treated as open building space
- Critical Area requirements are discovered late
- Floodplain or grading conditions are omitted
- The site plan conflicts with the construction plans
- A drafted site plan is submitted where a sealed survey is required
- Required architectural or engineering documents are missing
A complete drawing cannot eliminate every review comment, but it can avoid corrections caused solely by omitted or unclear site information.
Read Why Site Plans Get Rejected for Permits and What Permit Reviewers Check First .
Maryland Residential Site Plan Checklist
- Correct county or municipality confirmed
- Current project-specific requirements reviewed
- Drafted plan or survey requirement confirmed
- Correct property address included
- Parcel, lot or block information included when required
- Complete property shown
- Available property-line dimensions included
- Existing house shown
- Garages and accessory structures shown
- Decks, patios, pools and paving shown
- Proposed work clearly identified
- Project length and width included
- Project height included when relevant
- Roof projections shown when relevant
- Front property-line distance shown when applicable
- Both side property-line distances shown
- Rear property-line distance shown
- Distance between structures shown
- Adjoining road or street labeled
- Alley shown when applicable
- Driveway and parking shown
- Known easements shown
- Rights-of-way shown
- Recorded building lines shown when available
- Well and septic systems shown when applicable
- Septic reserve area shown when applicable
- Lot coverage included when required
- Impervious area included when required
- Critical Area information included when applicable
- Drainage and grading shown when required
- Floodplain information included when required
- Trees and environmental features shown when required
- North arrow included
- Drawing scale identified
- Existing and proposed work visually distinguished
- Site plan agrees with construction drawings
- Licensed survey or professional plans obtained when required
Related Permit Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Maryland have one statewide site-plan requirement?
No. Maryland adopts statewide model building codes, but counties, Baltimore City and incorporated municipalities administer local permitting, zoning and site-plan requirements.
Does every Maryland residential permit require a site plan?
No. Interior-only alterations and certain minor projects may not require one. Additions, decks, accessory structures, pools, driveways and other projects affecting the property layout are more likely to require site information.
What should a Maryland site plan show?
It commonly shows the complete property, existing structures, proposed work, dimensions, property-line distances, access, easements, north arrow and scale. Additional information depends on the jurisdiction and property.
Can I use the survey from when I bought my house?
It may provide useful base information if it is readable and still reflects current conditions. The reviewing authority may request an updated survey or additional documents.
Can a county GIS map establish my property boundaries?
No. GIS and parcel maps can support preliminary research but may be approximate or outdated. They do not independently locate or certify legal property boundaries.
When is a Maryland land surveyor required?
A surveyor may be required when the permit checklist requests a sealed survey, the property boundaries are uncertain, the project is close to a boundary, certified elevations are required or existing documents conflict.
Do well and septic systems need to appear on the site plan?
They may need to be shown when the property uses private systems. The local health department may require the existing well, replacement well, septic components and reserve area to be identified.
What is the Maryland Critical Area?
It generally includes land within 1,000 feet of Maryland’s tidal waters and tidal wetlands. Development can be subject to local Critical Area rules involving lot coverage, vegetation, buffers, stormwater and project placement.
Can a drafted site plan replace grading or drainage engineering?
No. Projects involving substantial grading, stormwater, retaining walls, floodplain development or complex drainage may require professional plans and calculations.
Can a drafted site plan establish legal property lines?
No. A drafted plan uses supplied surveys, plats, records and measurements but does not independently locate or legally certify property boundaries.
Are USA Site Plans drawings signed or sealed?
No. USA Site Plans provides drafting services. Licensed surveying, architecture, engineering and professional seals must be obtained separately when required.
Will a Maryland site plan guarantee permit approval?
No. The reviewing authority controls the permit decision and may request corrections, a licensed survey, professional design or additional supporting documents.
Order Your Maryland Residential Site Plan
Send us your Maryland property address, project dimensions, intended location, photographs and any survey, house-location plat or construction drawing you have. We will prepare a clear residential site drawing based on the information supplied.
Order Your Site Plan View PricingOfficial Maryland Resources
- Maryland Building Codes Administration
- Local Codes and Contacts by County
- Local Codes and Contacts by Municipality
- Montgomery County Residential Deck Guidelines
- Montgomery County Well and Septic Requirements
- Prince George’s County Residential Building Permits
- Prince George’s County Permit Process
- Anne Arundel County Inspections and Permits
- Anne Arundel County Forms and Publications
- Baltimore County Permit Applications
- Baltimore County Zoning Review
- Frederick County Building Plan Review
- Maryland Chesapeake Bay Critical Area FAQs
- Maryland Floodplain Permitting
Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information and is not legal, surveying, engineering, architectural, zoning, environmental, health-department, floodplain or permitting advice. Maryland requirements vary according to the county, municipality, property, project, zoning, recorded documents, well and septic conditions, Critical Area status, drainage and current regulations. USA Site Plans is an independent drafting service and is not affiliated with the State of Maryland or a local permit authority. A drafted site plan does not establish legal property boundaries or replace a licensed survey, architecture, engineering or another professionally certified document when required. Confirm current requirements with the authority reviewing the application.