RESIDENTIAL INSPECTIONS General Information
Residential inspectors scrutinize projects for construction or modification of houses, townhouses, additions, alterations, demolitions, repairs, and various accessory structures.
After you obtain the permits you must request mandatory inspections to ensure that permitted work on the project is approved and the building or structure is ready for use or occupancy.
Work is inspected in the sequence described for each project type.
The permit must be on site at the project. Be certain that your project is clearly marked with a lot number or address.
For all inspections, a set of approved plans, if any, stamped by Montgomery County must be on the job site for inspector’s review.
Inspection requests made before 12 p.m. will be scheduled for the next working day. Requests made after noon will be scheduled the following working day. A specific time for an inspection cannot be given at the time that the inspection is scheduled. You may contact MC 3-1-1 in the morning of the inspection after 7:30 a.m. to obtain the inspector’s name and cell phone number. It is best to text the inspector and request an expected time window.
You can schedule a building, electrical, or mechanical inspection, except partial inspections, online or by calling 3-1-1.
Inspection requests must include the street address, permit number, and the type of inspection needed if scheduled online your Contact ID number is also needed.
Montgomery County residential inspectors are cross trained in building, mechanical and electrical inspections, therefore the close-in and final building, electrical, and mechanical must be scheduled at the same time for the same date. However, close-in and final inspections must be requested under the relevant Building, Electrical and Mechanical Permits. If all trades are not ready, the inspector will disapprove the scheduled inspections.
A partial inspection is conducted upon request. A fee must be paid when scheduling this inspection.
A reinspection fee is required after a building, electrical or mechanical inspection has been disapproved twice. To alert you of the re-inspection fee the inspector will leave a disapproval sticker indicating a fee is due. This fee must be paid prior to requesting any future inspections
Inspections which cannot be performed because the inspector cannot gain access to the construction, or where work is incomplete, will be considered disapproved, counting toward the two allowed disapprovals.
Inspections, except partial inspections, may be cancelled online or by calling 311 prior to inspector arrival. Requests must include the street address, permit number, and the type of inspection to be cancelled. If the inspection was scheduled online you will also need your Contact ID number.
Please see our policy on scheduling inspections on permits that have expired.
USEFUL INFORMATION AND LINKS
When a permit is issued, a Notice of Required Residential Inspections is attached to the approved plans listing the required building inspections for the permit type. Similarly, a Notice of Required Residential Deck Inspections i s attached to the deck approved plans. Some mechanical, fire sprinkler and electrical inspections are prerequisite for scheduling building inspections (and vice versa) and are cross referenced accordingly in the required inspections for each project type. Furthermore, please consult the description of all residential inspections.
Montgomery County residential inspectors are cross trained in building, mechanical and electrical inspections, therefore the close-in and final building, electrical, and mechanical must be scheduled at the same time for the same date. However, close-in and final inspections must be requested under the relevant Building, Electrical and Mechanical Permits. If all trades are not ready, the inspector will disapprove the scheduled inspections.
When a Building Permit Notice is issued for your project, you must post it within 3 calendar days after the release date and it must remain posted for 30 calendar days. No other inspections will be performed prior to approval of the posting requirements of the sign.
Before you dig call MISS UTILITY 1-800-257-7777 (2-day notice is required). Please note that the Maryland High Voltage Line Act prohibits any person or object from getting closer than 10 feet to high voltage power lines.
You can learn more about other inspections that may be applicable to your project type by seeing our index of inspections .
If an owner refuses access within a reasonable amount of time after the house is completed, the building official may close the permit file but, this action will not relieve the owner of any obligation to comply with applicable building codes.
If you have job specific questions during construction, please call the inspector assigned to the area in which the project is located using our F ind My Inspector application.
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Please use the links below as resources for inspection and permitting information which may be related to your project.