| Project | What applies |
|---|---|
| Full house teardown | Building permit (Single Family Dwelling record) |
| Detached garage or shed teardown | Building permit (Accessory Structure record) |
| Interior gut for a remodel | Covered by the remodel's building permit |
| Asbestos in a single-family home | Friable material removed by a licensed contractor first |
| Property on the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties | Historic review before a permit is issued |
1. The permit
Anne Arundel County puts residential demolition on the same permits as construction: a Residential Single Family Dwelling permit for the house or anything attached to it, and a Residential Accessory Structure permit for detached buildings. File in the Land Use Navigator. Arrange utility disconnections with BGE and your water and sewer provider early, and ask the Permit Center ((410) 222-7730) what documentation they need with your application.
2. Asbestos
Older homes often contain asbestos in pipe insulation, flooring and siding. Under Maryland Department of the Environment guidance, demolishing a single-family home that was never used commercially doesn't need an MDE notification, but friable material such as thermal pipe insulation must be removed by a licensed asbestos contractor first. Notification is needed if the house was used commercially, has more than four units, or is one of several homes being demolished together. For MDE purposes, gutting an interior is a renovation, not a demolition.
3. Historic properties
There is no blanket age rule in the county. Properties on the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties, including contributing buildings in a listed district, need historic review before a demolition permit is issued: a worksheet, a site visit and assessments by an engineer and a historic preservationist. Inside Annapolis, the city's Historic Preservation Commission reviews demolition in the Historic District; see our historic district guide.
4. Rebuilding on the lot
Under §18-2-303(a), a structure that stood for 20 years or more can be replaced in kind without meeting current bulk rules, if a permit is obtained within 18 months of removal. That can protect a house that sits closer to the lot line than today's setbacks allow, so don't let the clock run out between teardown and new-home permit. If two lots have merged by law, a recorded merger agreement is needed before a demolition permit is issued.
5. Grading, the Critical Area and fees
Demolition disturbs ground, so grading approval and, near the water, Critical Area review apply, just as for new construction. The building permit fee is based on the cost of the work, plus a $43 application fee; try our permit fee calculator. Planning a teardown and rebuild? See our custom home builders.
