Building Permit Plan Requirements

Projects requiring engineered plans prepared by a MD Licensed Land Surveyor/Engineer or qualified professional


  • Single-Family Dwelling
  • Pools (Commercial and Residential)
  • Any other construction project requiring grading/disturbance of 5,000 square feet or more and/or  100 cubic yards or more of cut and fill (also requires Grading Permit)
  • If over 5,000 square feet, refer to Department of Public Works checklist
  • If the project is grading only, the Calvert Soil Conservation District may waive the engineered plan requirement
  • Disturbance within Floodplain
  • Retaining wall 3 feet in height or above 3 feet in height (also requires Grading Permit)

Projects not requiring engineered plans prepared by a MD Licensed Land Surveyor/Engineer


  • Structures other than Single-Family Dwellings
  • Any other construction project requiring grading/disturbance if less than 5,000 square feet or less than  100 cubic yards or more of cut and fill  (unless it’s a Dwelling)

Note: Any Calvert County Department reserves the right to require a plan prepared by a MD licensed land surveyor/engineer.

Building Permit Plan Minimum Submittal Requirements


Building Permit plans that do not include the following information will be returned to the applicant by the review agencies.

  Information Required  
1 Property Lines  
2 Building Restriction Lines  
3 Any existing structures on the property  
4 Distances to two closest adjacent property lines from proposed structure/addition  Pools-include pool decking
5 Please specify the anticipated cut and fill volume on the application . (If this is 100 cubic yards or greater, a Grading Permit is required.) Pools-amount of soils to be removed for installation of a pool
6 Erosion & Sediment control  
6.1 E&S control notes (if SFD on plan. If not, supply as separate document) (add link).  
6.2 Site access  
6.3 Limits of disturbance  Pools-include pool decking
6.4 Stockpile area  
6.5 Disposition of soils  
6.6 Provide a note if the disposition of soils are to be removed from the site or spread on the site  
7 Existing topography (contours)  Calvert County Interactive Maps
8 Existing stormwater management structures (add link to types/examples)  
9 Water and Sewer Structures: Location and distance (of any part of the water/sewer system) to proposed structures (add link to W/S page of standard details), including septic recovery area (add link to PIA request to Env Health).  
9.1 Public Water, Public Sewer  
9.1.1 Sewer and Water house connection lines (house to main line), include applicable county standard details  
9.1.2 Location of water meter & sewer cleanout, include applicable county standard details  
9.1.3 Location and type of Grinder pump (if applicable)  
9.2 Well, Public Sewer  
9.2.1 Well: Distance from structure to well  
9.2.2 Sewer: House connection line (house to main line), include applicable county standard details.  
9.2.3 Sewer: Location of sewer cleanout, include applicable county standard details.  
9.2.4 Sewer: Location and type of Grinder pump (if applicable)  
9.3 Public Water, Septic  
9.3.1 Septic: Distance from structure to septic  
9.3.2 Water: House connection line (house to main line), include applicable county standard details.  
9.3.3 Water: Location of water meter and size, include applicable county standard details  
9.4 Well, Septic  
9.4.1 Distance from structure to both well and septic.  
10 Floor Plan of existing and proposed structures/renovations, Rooms must be labeled Accessory Structures/Additions (sinks, bathroom/toilets/kitchen}
11 Property Address  
12 Property Owner Name  
13 North Arrow  
14 Scale  
15 Subdivision Name  
16 Date of lot creation  MD Property Search
17 Map, Parcel, Lot, Block, Section Number. MD Property Search
18 Provide the following note on the plans if less than 5,000 square feet of disturbance is proposed: “Per the Calvert County Stormwater Management Ordinance, Section 123-6.C Exemptions, this site proposes to disturb less than 5,000 square feet of land area; including new and redevelopment and is therefore exempt from stormwater management.”  
19 Provide a note on the plans stating: “The lot shall be graded to provide a minimum of 6 inches of fall within the first 10 feet away from the house.”  

Note: Further information may be required by the reviewer after submittal