Building construction in Maryland remains safe through its building code while at the same time supporting easy business setup processes. The regulations concerning plumbing fire safety and structural integrity apply to all property owners. Business rollouts become quicker as permit approvals occur swiftly without delays. Any business facility needs to fulfill necessary operational requirements in order to obtain legal status.
Maryland Building Code and Licensing
Updated: May 24, 2024
Building projects advance smoothly through timely acquisition of licenses. Business owners and builders are mandatory to meet safety standards because these measures protect their workers along with customers. All projects will complete their approval process efficiently when the established procedures are correctly followed. Final regulation compliance with the Maryland building code protects construction safety and makes permit procedures rapid and enables easy licensing procedures.
Maryland Codes Administration:
Department of Labor
Division of Labor and Industry
Building Codes Administration
10946 Golden West Drive, Suite 160
Hunt Valley, MD 21031
410-767-2227
[email protected]
What Are The Current Maryland Building Codes Adopted:
- 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
- 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC)
- 2021 International Green Construction Code (IGCC)
- 2021 International Building Code (IBC)
- 2021 International Residential Code (IRC)
- 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC)
- 2018 International Private Sewage Disposal Code (IPSDC)
- 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC)
- 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC)
- 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC)
- 2020 National Electric Code (NEC) – Effective 5/29/23.
- State Energy Code 2021 IECC with amendments and ASHRAE 90.1-2019
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 Life Safety Code 2018
Applicability (statewide, local, limited): STATEWIDE
Maryland’s law related to building codes is called the Maryland Building Performance Standards (MBPS). It requires each jurisdiction in Maryland to use the same edition of the same I-codes.
The Department of Housing and Community Development is the state wide adopting authority. Local jurisdictions can amend the state codes to suit local conditions with the exception of the 2018 IECC and the MD Accessibility Code. Both codes can be made more stringent. Local jurisdictions can amend but must adopt the new editions although no penalties occur should a jurisdiction fail to adopt in a timely manner.
State of Maryland adoption of 2018 edition of I-codes and other codes, under Maryland Building Performance Standards and Model Performance Code, has become final in the Maryland Register, Volume 46, Issue 6, March 15, 2019 with an effective date of March 25, 2019.
Please review the information found here for code adoption: https://www.dllr.state.md.us/labor/build/buildadmin.shtml
Maryland building code is mandatory covering all building construction in state, however local jurisdictions may adopt amendments to the codes.
Additional Building Codes by State
| State Website | https://www.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx |
| State Licensing | License required for electrical, plumbing, HVACR, and home improvement. |
| State Licensing Division | https://www.dllr.state.md.us/ |
| State Fire Marshall | https://mdsp.maryland.gov/firemarshal/Pages/StateFireMarshalsWelcome.aspx |
| State Environmental Permit | https://mde.maryland.gov/Pages/index.aspx |
Additional Building Codes by State
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming