City of Laurel, Maryland

The Department of Community Planning and Business Services is responsible for protecting the public health, safety and welfare by enforcing the City's Building Codes.  In the performance of these duties, the Department issues permits and performs inspections for all construction and development-related activities within the City of Laurel including building occupancies, signs, rental licenses, and electrical work.  Activities requiring permits include:

• BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT PERMITS
  new commercial and residential construction, commercial alterations and tenant fit-ups, demolitions, site work and grading, emergency repair, right-of-way work, commercial paving, life safety permits
• RESIDENTIAL HOME IMPROVEMENT PERMITS
  residential additions and interior alterations, porches, decks and patios, sheds and storage structures, garages, fences, pools and hot tubs, driveways
• ELECTRICAL PERMITS
  all electrical work including residential, commercial, and illuminated signage
  **only contractors holding valid Prince George's County master electrician's license may pull electrical permits**
• USE AND OCCUPANCY PERMITS
  residential and commercial occupancies, home occupations, family day cares, home professional offices
• SIGN PERMITS
  commercial and advertising signage, temporary and special event banners
• RESIDENTIAL RENTAL LICENSES
  all residential rental properties inclulding multi-family, single-family detached, townhouse, duplex, condominium,and apartment units
• SECURITY SYSTEMS AND BURGLAR ALARMS
  registration of residential and commercial alarm systems
• MISCELLANEOUS PERMITS
  yard sales, sidewalk displays, PODs

Permits are obtained by submitting an appropriate permit application.  All permit applications are reviewed for compliance with the zoning ordinance and building codes. This process takes a minimum of 10 business days. Complicated or extensive projects, including those for properties in the Historic District, can take longer.

All permits expire six (6) months after date of issue.  Failure to start the work or establish the use authorized by a permit within this six month period renders the permit invalid and a new permit must be obtained.  Once work begins, noticeable progress must continue until completion.  All work must be complete within eighteen (18) months of a permit issue date, regardless of when work begins.

Permit application fees are due at the time of submission.  No permit will be reviewed without the fees being paid.  Permit applications must be submitted by the property owner or submitted with the property owner's acknowledgement and permission in writing.

All permit applications must be submitted with the appropriate supporting documentation.  Applications submitted without such documents will not be reviewed until supporting documentation is provided.  The specific supporting documentation for a given permit varies, however most require site plans and building plans.  These plans must be properly scaled and in some instances may need to be seal by an engineer, architect, surveyor, or other licensed professional.

If a submitted permit application is withdrawn before issuance of a permit, a portion of the permit fee may be refunded.  Refund requests must be submitted in wiriting, referencing the permits number, property address, and applicant.  Fees are not refunded on permits that have been issued.  If a permit is denied, an applicant has the option of having the Department's decision reviewed by the City of Laurel Board of Appeals.

CODES
The building and construction standards for the City of Laurel are enumerated in Chapter 4: BUILDINGS AND BUILDING REGULATIONS of the Municipal Code.  The following codes are enforced with amendments:

• 2006 International Building Code (IBC)
• 2006 International Residential Code for One and Two Family Dwellings (IRC)
• 2006 International Mechanical Code (IMC)
• 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (Energy Code)
• 2006 Property Maintenance Code
• 2008 National Electric Code
• 2006 National Fire Protection Association

INSPECTIONS
Inspections are normally conducted Monday to Friday.  To schedule an inspection, call 301-725-5300 ext. 238 at least 24 hours prior to the desired inspection date.  Please have the permit number, property address, and a contact name and number available when calling.  Inspections cannot be scheduled for a specific time; however you nay request a morning (A.M.) or afternoon (P.M.) inspection based on availablity.  While every request cannot be guaranteed, every attempt will be made to accommodate requests.

Permit application fees allow for an initial inspection and one re-inspection.  If re-inspections beyond these first two are required, a re-inspection fee is assessed.  The fee is $100.00 for residential re-inspections and $150.00 for commercial re-inspections.  This fee must be paid before the re-inspection is scheduled.

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