Compiled 2026-08-08 from each jurisdiction's published websites, policy PDFs, permit packets, and ordinances (5 parallel research agents, primary documents fetched and read; every claim below carries its source). Verification labels: VERIFIED = fetched page/PDF; SNIPPET = search result not fetched; INFERRED = from state code/analogy, not a local document.
Companion to
VB_EXPANSION_3P_INSPECTION_MATRIX_2026-08-08.md (Virginia
Beach zone). Scope doc:
TRIAGE_BRANCH_JURISDICTION_RESEARCH_SCOPE_2026-08-08.md.
The statewide frame (applies everywhere — and it is the OPPOSITE of Virginia's)
- MBPS = COMAR 09.12.51 (recodified from 05.02.07) — VERIFIED (full chapter PDF read: https://www.dllr.state.md.us/labor/build/comar091251.pdf). Adopts 2021 IBC / 2021 IRC / 2021 IECC statewide (Reg .04A), effective May 29 2023; local jurisdictions had 12 months to implement (Reg .06B). No 2024-cycle adoption found yet (PS §12-503 obligates the state to adopt each new edition within 18 months — watch for it).
- Local amendment + local enforcement are in the regulation text — VERIFIED: Reg .05B(1)(a) lets each local jurisdiction amend the Standards (local amendment prevails, .05B(3), except energy/sprinkler/wind); Reg .08: "Enforcement of the Standards shall be the responsibility of the local jurisdiction." Each jurisdiction establishes its own plan review, permit issuance, inspections, and U&O process (Reg .04B(1)).
- There is NO Maryland equivalent of Virginia's VUSBC §113.7 — no statewide rule requiring or even authorizing building officials to maintain a third-party inspection policy. VERIFIED absence in the full COMAR 09.12.51 text and PS §12-503 (the only statewide "third-party inspector" statute found is for elevators, PS §12-806/12-809 — different subtitle). Practical consequence: in Virginia you can always demand the written §113.7 policy; in Maryland, if a county hasn't published a third-party program, there may genuinely be nothing to request — acceptance is pure building-official discretion, case by case.
- IBC Ch 17 special inspections are administered locally by each building official — INFERRED from Reg .08 + .04B(1); no state-level SI administration exists in the MBPS text (verified absence). No regional SI consortium (like Hampton Roads' shared policy) was found anywhere in this branch — each MD county stands alone.
- Maryland Building Rehabilitation Code (COMAR 05.16 / 09.12.58, 2015 IEBC base) — several counties route repairs/alterations to existing buildings through it (Cecil amendment VERIFIED; Baltimore County page VERIFIED; Talbot exempts "repairs under the MD Building Rehabilitation Code" from permits — VERIFIED). Relevant to UP: repair-scope work on existing dwellings often gets a lighter review path than new construction.
- Municipalities are real jurisdictions here. Unlike Virginia (county building offices), Maryland incorporated towns can and do run their own building offices: Easton, Cambridge, Salisbury, Hagerstown (+6 more Washington Co. towns), Chestertown, Centreville, Denton, Elkton, Rising Sun all self-permit (all VERIFIED or state-directory-VERIFIED below). Every tracker record needs an in-town vs. unincorporated check before assuming the county's rules apply.
THE MATRIX
Tier 1 — Published product-specific rules
| Jurisdiction | UND | ANC | BRC | SUP | FND | WTR | ENC | RTW | How it works |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anne Arundel | ◆¹ | ●² | ◆ | ●³ | ●¹ | ●⁴ | ◇ | ◆⁵ | Formal Third Party Inspector Certification program — but scoped to footing (210) / backfill (215) / slab (240) only since 6/1/2021. PE/RA + 3 yrs ICC-jurisdiction experience, county pre-approval (Approval ID), COI + insurance, reports ≤10 working days to ipbpri@aacounty.org. UP files 210/215/240 today. |
| Baltimore County | ◆⁶ | ◆ | ◆ | ●⁷ | ●⁶ | ●⁸ | ◇ | ●⁹ | Code-mandated "professional services during construction" via Data Sheets (amended §1705.1.2, Bill 49-24): engineer inspects and reports to the county inspector before final. Retaining-wall engineer certification is a published form (PAI 378-08). Engineer services SUPPLEMENT county inspections, don't replace them. |
Tier 2 — Published general policy / engineer-documentation rule (conditions apply)
| Jurisdiction | All products | Policy conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City | ◆ (discretionary hook) | Own building code (2024 Ed., IBC 2021 base). §105.1.5 "Special professional services": Building Official may require an RDP to perform specific work or sign/seal statements as a permit condition. Ch 17 adopted unamended ("As in IBC") → stock SSI/special-inspection process, no city registration list. No published 3P program for building permits (the city's "third party" program is rental licensing). Underpinning permits must be pulled by the licensed contractor doing the work (§105.1.3(3)); retaining-wall permit exemption is stripped — ALL heights need permits. |
| Town of Easton (Talbot) | ◆ (SI regime) | Full published Special Inspection Program manual: owner-retained, Town-approved third-party inspectors per IBC Ch 17. Applicability includes a standalone bullet "All deep foundations, such as caissons and piles" — could sweep pier work in town limits. SSI at permit issuance; reports ≤5 business days; sealed Final Report per Inspector of Record. Inspector must be unaffiliated with BOTH designer and contractor — the designing engineer cannot self-inspect on covered projects. |
| Frederick MD | ◆ (strongest paperwork) | Published general rule (Inspection Procedures packet): all inspections by county inspectors "unless the Building Official pre-authorizes acceptance of an inspection report by a pre-approved agency or individual." Plus the most complete published SI package in the branch: official SSI form (2021 IBC) required at permit issuance with a "DEEP FOUNDATION/HELICAL PILE FOUNDATION ELEMENTS" category (monitoring driving, recording installation torque, load tests — exactly UP's pier-log data) and "Retaining walls" under Special Cases; Final Report approved before final inspection/CO. NB: the county's named "Third-Party Inspection Program (TPIP)" is electrical-only despite the name. Frederick City + Mt. Airy are separate jurisdictions. |
| Howard | ◆ (footing-scoped) | Published on the DILP Inspection Requirements page, commercial AND residential footings: "Prior approval must first be obtained when professional third party inspectors are used. Submit the engineer's certification… engineer's original stamp and signature" (address + permit number required). Formalized Docs4DILP email submission channel. No published registration list/qualifications — prior-approval based. 2024 IBC/IRC + county amendments eff. 9/7/2025. |
| Town of Denton (Caroline) | ◆ (weak) | Ord. 724 §38-2.3(E): "All structural evaluations including drawings shall be certified by a registered Maryland structural engineer or architect" — a written engineer-certification requirement matching exactly what UP produces; not an in-lieu-of-inspection program. Own building office, 2021 codes. |
Tier 3 — Nothing published (engineer acceptance = counter-level discretion; call)
| Jurisdiction | Status | What IS known |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City | (see Tier 2) | Listed above for the §105.1.5 hook; no actual 3P program published. |
| Harford | ◇* | Biggest Tier-3 exposure (64 records). "No work shall be covered before it has been inspected and approved" (Guideline sheet). Published SI program exists but is commercial-only: Memo 000378-2024 (7/31/2024, Harold Boling, Deputy Director) — SSI as condition of permit, owner-employed approved agencies, EOR/RDP may act as approved agency for work they designed if qualified as special inspectors. Foundation inspection pre-backfill "after installation of damp proofing and drain tile." Only 3P references: mechanical equipment certs + erosion/sediment. RTW ≥4 ft = zoning certificate (SNIPPET). 2021 IBC/IRC (CB 24-005, eff. 5/20/2024). |
| Carroll | ◇ | Ch. 170 amended IBC §110.3: "The Code Official shall determine whether the owner shall provide for special inspections" — SI is pure discretion, no SSI form. RTW >4 ft = permit (VERIFIED page; engineered plans "may be required"; pre-engineered systems can use manufacturer instructions; 4 inspections). Foundation walls: Code Official "may… ask for an engineer's report" when soil conditions warrant — an existing engineer-letter hook. Steel connections "certified by structural engineer when required by Code Official" (commercial). Only published 3P reference = energy calcs. New codes eff. 1/1/2024 (2021 eds. — SNIPPET). |
| Cecil | ◇ | 2021 codes (6/3/2024). County staff inspect (24-hr notice); electrical via county-approved 3P agencies (precedent). Repairs routed to MD Rehabilitation Code (COMAR 05.16). Elkton + Rising Sun self-permit; 6 other towns = county permit + town sign-off. |
| Kent | ◇ | Ch. 73: county Code Administrator runs 6 phased inspections; if footing inspection isn't made within 24 hrs of request, work may proceed (48 hrs other phases). §73-4: no design professional required for SFD/duplex. Chestertown issues its own permits. |
| Queen Anne's | ◇ | 2021 codes (5/1/2024). County building inspections incl. footing + pre-backfill foundation; trades outsourced to MDIA (410-822-8300) — institutional 3P precedent. Bulletin is from 2016 (stale). Centreville is separate (own building office; ecode snapshot showed 2015 IBC — likely stale, confirm). |
| Caroline | ◇ | Permit triggers published and "retaining walls" is named in the trigger list (no threshold stated). Amended IBC 103.3 lets the BO delegate duties to firms under contract to the county — contracted-inspection legal basis exists. Denton is separate (Tier 2 above). |
| Talbot | ◇ | Ch. 28: repairs under MD Rehab Code are permit-exempt; RTW ≤4 ft exempt (codified); county page still lists 2018 codes (state is on 2021). Electrical → MDIA. Easton is separate (Tier 2 above). |
| Dorchester | ◇ | Thinnest corpus: one permit-triggers flyer (interior structural alterations need permits; list non-exhaustive, "call us"). Code amended 6/4/2024 (Bill 2024-5, content unfetched). Cambridge runs its own office (page stale — cites 2012 codes). |
| Wicomico | ◇* | Two published 3P carve-outs: all electrical must use county-approved private agencies (list published) and suspended slabs need 3P agency reports approved + signed by a MD Licensed Engineer — best analogy hook on the lower Shore. Ch. 117 (2015 bill): structural repairs need permits; RTW ≤4 ft exempt. Salisbury runs its own office (same building, different floor; manual stale — 2009 codes). |
| Washington MD | ◇ | Well-documented numbered inspection sequence (300 footing / 500 pre-backfill foundation incl. drain tile + dampproofing / 510 slab...); standalone "Footing and Foundation Permit" exists ($75, SNIPPET). "Retaining/Masonry Walls" is an explicit residential permit category (no threshold published). Only 3P procedures on the books are stormwater, not building. 7 towns self-permit incl. Hagerstown (own office, 2021 codes). |
Footnotes (Tier 1):
- Anne Arundel Third Party Inspector Certification program (program notice PDF, VERIFIED; forms rev. 03/08/2024): 3P certification accepted ONLY for footing (210), backfill (215), slab (240) as of 6/1/2021 — "all other inspection types shall be conducted by the county inspection staff." Qualifications (residential): MD PE/RA or ICC B1 + 3 yrs code-compliance inspection experience in an ICC jurisdiction; county pre-approval with Approval ID; independence from contractor; Conflict of Interest Statement; insurance naming county additional insured (1M/1M per SNIPPET). Reports + form within 10 working days to ipbpri@aacounty.org. County may audit, may require removal of un-inspected footing/backfill/slab work, and can revoke 3P acceptance per-project. Form 210 (Footing) requires 4 soil-pressure tests, dimensions/depth, rebar/ground wire — UP's SUP/FND footer scope.
- Form 215 (Backfill) explicitly includes "Verification of all foundation anchors or anchoring systems installed" — UP's ANC line, verified in the county's own 3P form.
- Form 210 footing certification covers structural-support footers (SUP) poured for jacks/beams/columns.
- Form 240 (Slab) verifies interior draintile with 4″ gravel base / 8″ coverage — UP's WTR interior-drainage scope; Anne Arundel also has a dedicated Residential Waterproofing Permit ("interior or exterior installation of drains, sump pumps and etc.") — VERIFIED.
- Anne Arundel RTW: permit required over 24″ (VERIFIED "Do I Need a Permit" page — stricter than the IBC 4-ft default); engineering reportedly required >4 ft (SNIPPET, third-party site — confirm); county retaining-wall checklist PDF exists.
- Baltimore County Bill 49-24 amended §1705.1.2 "Professional Services During Construction": "when required, professional services during construction shall be performed in accordance with the Baltimore County Data Sheet with inspection results provided to the building inspector prior to final inspection" — a code-embedded engineer-inspection mechanism. Also: basement excavation under an existing R-3 must be designed + sealed by a MD-registered engineer (waivable for light-frame ≤2 stories built to the county standard section).
- Baltimore County structural support: sealed-engineer design requirements for basement excavation/underpinning-adjacent scopes (Bill 49-24, VERIFIED).
- Baltimore County amended §1805.4.2.1: interior-footing-drain weephole details prescribed "unless an alternate design is certified by an engineer and approved in writing" — an explicit engineer-certification path for interior drainage design (UP's WTR).
- Baltimore County RTW: permit >3 ft (tightened from IBC 4 ft); ≥4 ft → signed/sealed plans + calcs + Retaining Wall Data Sheet (PAI Form 378-08) where the engineer of record signs Design AND Construction Phase services (periodic observation of foundations/tiebacks/geo-grid/backfill, drainage, shear plane) and delivers a final "Certificate Letter of Compliance" to the county building inspector. County footing + completion inspections are "in addition to" the engineer's services. Guards required 4 ft+ (exception <8 ft with no walking surface within 2 ft).
Per-jurisdiction dossiers (sources + contacts)
Anne Arundel County (265 records — UP's #2 MD jurisdiction; Diehl AIA certifies here)
- Inspections & Permits, 2664 Riva Rd, Annapolis: dept (410) 222-7790; Permit Center (410) 222-7730; inspection dispatch (410) 222-7784 (M–F 7:30–4:00). Emails: ipbpri@aacounty.org (3P program), ipmailbox@aacounty.org, permitcenterhelp@aacounty.org. Director: Mark Wedemeyer (VERIFIED).
- Third Party Inspections page: https://www.aacounty.org/inspections-and-permits/inspections/third-party-inspections — VERIFIED
- Program notice PDF: https://www.aacounty.org/sites/default/files/2023-03/third-party-inspector-certification-program.pdf — VERIFIED (read in full)
- Form 210 Footing: https://www.aacounty.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/footing-requirements.pdf — VERIFIED
- Form 215 Backfill: https://www.aacounty.org/sites/default/files/2026-01/backfill-requirements.pdf — VERIFIED
- Form 240 Slab: https://www.aacounty.org/sites/default/files/2026-01/slab-requirements_0.pdf — VERIFIED
- COI form: …/2026-06/coi-inspections.pdf; Insurance/Hold Harmless: …/2024-03/insurance-hold-harmless.pdf; Approved 3P Inspectors list: …/2023-03/approved-third-party-inspectors.pdf (all VERIFIED URLs, not fetched)
- Inspection Types Directory (210/215/220 draintile/240/245 pier-or-bulkhead): https://www.aacounty.org/inspections-and-permits/inspections/inspection-types-directory — VERIFIED
- Waterproofing Permit: https://www.aacounty.org/inspections-and-permits/permits/residential-permits/waterproofing-permit — VERIFIED. Do I Need a Permit (RTW >24″): https://www.aacounty.org/inspections-and-permits/permits/do-i-need-permit — VERIFIED
- County Code Article 15 adopts 2021 IBC/IRC w/ local supplement (amlegal — SNIPPET, Cloudflare-blocked)
- No published IBC Ch 17 SI program or SSI form anywhere on aacounty.org — verified absence.
- Gaps/asks: (a) is UP's underpinning cert package formally under the 3P program (repair-scope footings as "210"?) or informal practice; (b) SSI handling for deep foundations; (c) permit vehicle for pier/anchor jobs on SFDs; (d) confirm 4-ft RTW engineering threshold; (e) status of dead IP-21-01 + "program expansion" links — was the program expanded?
Baltimore City (322 records — UP's #1 MD jurisdiction by volume)
- DHCD Permits One Stop Shop: 443-984-1809, 417 E. Fayette St Rm 100 (M/T/Th/F 8:30–3:30); Building Inspections 410-396-3470. DHCD Commissioner: Timothy Keane (eff. 3/2/2026 — SNIPPET). Building Official name unpublished.
- Building, Fire, and Related Codes 2024 Edition (Ord. 24-341, eff. 5/22/2024 — SNIPPET for date), IBC 2021 base: https://codes.baltimorecity.gov/us/md/cities/baltimore/code/building-codes — VERIFIED
- §105 Permits (…/II/105), §110 Inspections (…/II/110), Ch 17 "As in IBC" (…/II/17) — all VERIFIED
- Inspection Guidelines (REV 1/2026; city-performed footing/foundation/slab/framing/final via E-Permits, 2:30 PM day-prior cutoff): https://s3.amazonaws.com/baltimorecity.gov.if-us-east-1/s3fs-public/2026-01/Inspection%20Guidelines%20-%2001-2026%20Update.pdf — VERIFIED
- Key rules: §105.1.3(3) — underpinning/retaining-foundation-wall permit application must be made by the licensed contractor employed to do the work (affects JES Baltimore intake — UP/owner can't pull it); IBC 105.2 exemptions #2–4 "{Not Adopted}" → all retaining walls need permits at any height (mapping of #4 = RTW is INFERRED from stock IBC numbering); §105.1.5 special-professional-services discretion; broad §105.1 repair trigger covers all 8 product lines.
- The city's only "third party" program = rental licensing (MD Licensed Home Inspectors registered with DHCD) — not building permits. Non-official expediter site states the city uses only its own inspectors for code verification (VERIFIED fetch, NON-official source).
- Gaps/asks: (a) will DHCD accept a PE report for underpinning alongside/in lieu of the city footing inspection (§105.1.5 discretion); (b) is an SSI ever demanded on 1–2-family pier permits; (c) confirm all-heights RTW permits; (d) practice on waterproofing/encapsulation-only jobs; (e) Building Official name/line.
Baltimore County (252 records)
- PAI Bureau of Building Inspections: 410-887-3953, 111 W. Chesapeake Ave Rm G-24, Towson (M–F 7:30–3:30); email mgawel@baltimorecountymd.gov; Building Plans Review Rm 110, Building Engineer mailbox paibldgrvw@baltimorecountymd.gov. Director/Building Engineer names unpublished on fetched pages.
- Bill 49-24 (county building code, 2021 I-codes + amendments, eff. 9/3/2024): https://countycouncilweb.s3.amazonaws.com/Bills%202024/b04924.pdf — VERIFIED (full text extracted)
- Retaining Wall Data Sheet / Engineer Certification (PAI Form 378-08): https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/files/Documents/Permits/Building_Plans_Review/retainingwalldatasheet140917.pdf — VERIFIED
- RTW permit page: https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/pai/application/retaining-wall — VERIFIED; Building Inspections page, Basement + Addition/Alteration pages — VERIFIED; Current Codes page — VERIFIED
- Key rules (all VERIFIED in Bill 49-24 unless noted): §1705.1.2 Data-Sheet professional services during construction; RTW 3-ft permit / 4-ft sealed-design thresholds; basement-excavation sealed-engineer rule; §1805.4.2.1 engineer-certified alternate interior-drainage design; presumptive soil bearing 2,000 psf; footing depth 30″. MD Rehabilitation Code applies to existing-building work. CAUTION: county "Piers and Pilings" permit = waterfront docks, NOT foundation piers.
- Sediment/erosion control has a true in-lieu county-approved 3P inspector program (approval letter from the county Building Engineer) — SNIPPET.
- Gaps/asks: (a) get the full Data Sheet catalog — is there one for underpinning/foundation repair; (b) will Building Inspections accept UP's cert package as the §1705.1.2 report at final on UND/ANC/BRC permits; (c) right permit vehicle + seal threshold for pier underpinning; (d) waterproofing/encapsulation-only permit practice; (e) current Building Engineer + Chief of Building Inspections names.
Howard County (9 records)
- DILP: main 410-313-2455, 3430 Court House Dr, Ellicott City; Inspections & Enforcement 410-313-1823; inspection questions 410-313-1830; automated requests 410-313-3800; inspectors reachable 7:30–9:00 AM — all VERIFIED.
- Third-party footing acceptance published (Inspection Requirements page, VERIFIED): "Prior approval must first be obtained when professional third party inspectors are used. Submit the engineer's certification to the Building Inspections office as soon as possible. All engineer's certifications shall list the building address, permit number and have the engineer's original stamp and signature." Applies to BOTH commercial and residential footings. Formalized Docs4DILP email procedure for certifications/documents (procedure PDF: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/sites/default/files/media/2016-02/Docs4dilp%20NEW%20PROCEDURE%2012-2016.pdf — SNIPPET).
- Inspection Requirements: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/inspections-licenses-permits/inspection-requirements — VERIFIED. Adopted Codes: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/inspections-licenses-permits/adopted-codes — VERIFIED (2024 IBC/IRC + Howard amendments eff. 9/7/2025, CB 24/25/26-2025).
- 2021-cycle amendments (state PDF, text-extracted): RTW permit-exempt only ≤3 ft measured lowest adjacent grade to top (VERIFIED in that bill; 2024-carry-forward unverified); no Ch 17 county amendments found in text search (INFERRED: IBC Ch 17 as written). Howard's compiled "HCMDBC 2024" volume incl. Ch 17 lives on codes.iccsafe.org — 403-blocked (SNIPPET).
- NOTE: the prior belief that Howard runs "the most formalized MD 3P program" is NOT confirmed by publications — what's published is a prior-approval engineer-certification pathway for footings. "Documents for DILP Inspectors" page 403'd and may hold more.
- Asks: does 3P extend beyond footings (foundation/backfill, framing, final) for repair scopes; per-project vs standing prior approval; inspector registration list (the 403'd page); SSI practice on residential pier work; 3-ft RTW exemption under the 2024 code.
Harford County (64 records)
- Permit Center 410-638-3122; Building Services (inspection scheduling) 410-638-3366; Building@harfordcountymd.gov; 220 S. Main St, Bel Air; e-Permit Center epermitcenter.harfordcountymd.gov. Requests before 3 PM → next business day — all VERIFIED.
- No published 3P/engineer-in-lieu acceptance for building work (verified absence across Building Services page, inspections page, guideline sheet, doc searches). "No work shall be covered before it has been inspected and approved" (Guideline Info Sheet, DILP Doc 000712-2020 — VERIFIED). Only 3P refs: mechanical equipment certs (SNIPPET) + erosion/sediment engineer certs (VERIFIED).
- Special Inspections Memorandum 000378-2024 (7/31/2024, Harold Boling, Deputy Director DILP — fetched + OCR'd, VERIFIED): applies to all commercial permit plans per IBC Ch 17; SSI as condition of permit issuance; owner employs approved agencies; written competence documentation before construction; "the registered design professional in responsible charge and engineers of record… are permitted to act as an approved agency… for the work designed by them, provided they qualify as special inspectors" — a design-and-inspect allowance UP can use on commercial jobs. https://www.harfordcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30343 — VERIFIED
- Code Criteria: 2021 IBC/IRC, CB 24-005, amendments in Ch. 82, eff. 5/20/2024 — https://www.harfordcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/275/Harford-County-Code-Criteria-PDF — VERIFIED. Guideline sheet: https://www.harfordcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15836/Building-Permit--Inspection-Information — VERIFIED. Ch. 82: ecode360.com/9370743 — 403 (SNIPPET).
- Repairs carve-out (Bill 19-032 text, VERIFIED in the 2018-cycle bill; CB 24-005 carry-forward unverified): ordinary repairs exempt but NOT "cutting away of any wall… removal or cutting of any structural beam or load-bearing support" → UP's structural scopes need permits (INFERRED application). Foundation inspection pre-backfill "after installation of damp proofing and drain tile if outside" (VERIFIED). RTW ≥4 ft = zoning certificate (SNIPPET, ecode).
- Asks: PE-certification acceptance in lieu of footing/foundation inspections on repair permits (largest unanswered question in the branch — 64 records); does Memo 000378-2024 ever reach residential pier work; repairs-language carry-forward; RTW building-permit vs zoning-cert thresholds.
Carroll County (9 records)
- Bureau of Permits and Inspections: 410-386-2674, 225 N. Center St, Westminster (8:00–5:00) — VERIFIED. Portal: ccg.carrollcountymd.gov/CPPLportal (SNIPPET).
- No 3P structural acceptance published — only "third party approved agency" reference is for energy envelope calcs (Residential Code Compliance Guidelines, VERIFIED). Sequential county inspections: "The contractor shall not proceed… unless the inspection for the prior phase has been completed and approved" (Ch. 170 — VERIFIED).
- SI is discretionary: amended IBC §110.3 — "The Code Official shall determine whether the owner shall provide for special inspections in accordance with Section 1704" (VERIFIED, 2018-cycle Ch. 170 full-chapter PDF; 2024-cycle text 403-blocked; new codes eff. 1/1/2024 — VERIFIED page). No SSI form/program published.
- RTW: permit >4 ft — "Retaining walls are required to have a building permit if the height of the wall exceeds 4 feet"; engineered plans "may be required"; pre-engineered systems may use manufacturer instructions at inspection; 4 inspections (footing, reinforcement, backfill/geo-grid/drainage, final) — https://www.carrollcountymd.gov/government/directory/public-works/permits-inspections/residential-projects/building-a-retaining-wall/ — VERIFIED. Guard trigger >30″ within 36″ of walking surface (VERIFIED, Ch. 170).
- Engineer-letter hooks (VERIFIED): foundation walls — Code Official "may decrease the amount of backfill allowed or ask for an engineer's report" when soils warrant; commercial steel connections "certified by structural engineer when required by Code Official." Waterproofing/drain-tile specs published; frost 30″.
- Ch. 170 full chapter: https://www.carrollcountymd.gov/media/10267/chapter170-fullchapter-2.pdf — VERIFIED (superseded ed.). Residential Guidelines: https://www.carrollcountymd.gov/media/10899/residential-code-compliance-guidelines-modified-1-3-20.pdf — VERIFIED.
- Asks: PE-report acceptance on repair permits; how discretionary SI determinations are made; whether pier work triggers the foundation-wall engineer-report practice; 2024-cycle amendment changes.
Frederick County MD (31 records)
- Dept. of Permits and Inspections: 301-600-2313, 30 N. Market St, Frederick (M–F 8–4); Permits@FrederickCountyMD.gov; portal planningandpermitting.frederickcountymd.gov. Ashlye Bonomo, Department Head, 301-600-3463; Steve Blickenstaff, Assistant Dept. Head, 301-600-1076 — all VERIFIED.
- Published general 3P rule (Inspection Procedures packet, VERIFIED): "All inspections for Frederick County permits must be performed by Frederick County (Government) Inspectors, unless the Building Official pre-authorizes acceptance of an inspection report by a pre-approved agency or individual or requires same." BO may also require pre-approved testing agencies. https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/334917/Important-Information--Document-Inspection-Procedures-Issued-2021 — VERIFIED
- CAUTION — the named "Commercial Projects & Third-Party Inspection Program (TPIP)" (updated 6/1/2026) is electrical-only despite the name: commercial ≥$200K must use MD State Fire Marshal-authorized 3P electrical inspectors. Don't cite it for structural. https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/372404 — VERIFIED
- Full SSI package on 2021 IBC (VERIFIED, official form): SSI as condition of permit issuance; SI reports to the Manager of Inspection Services + RDPs + owner + contractor; interim reports; schedule includes "DEEP FOUNDATION/HELICAL PILE FOUNDATION ELEMENTS" (test piles, driving monitoring, installation torque recording, load tests — IBC 1705.7–.10) and "Retaining walls" (Special Cases); Final Report of Special Inspections reviewed + approved before final building inspection / CO. https://frederickcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/356464/Special-Inspections — VERIFIED
- RTW: >48″ of retained fill → PE/RA-of-record sealed plans (each page), heights both faces, drainage line required; dry-stacked = manufacturer design manual (Plan Review Checklist Attachment C — https://frederickcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8969/Plan-Review-Checklist---Retaining-Wall — VERIFIED). Permit-exemption height not stated (base-code 4-ft INFERRED).
- Residential sequence (VERIFIED): Footing → Backfill ("foundation walls… parged and dampproofed and drain tile, gravel bed, and red rosin paper cover are in place") → Framing → Concealment → Final — maps to UP's FND/WTR scopes. 2021 IBC/IRC per MBPS + county amendments §1-6-18A/B (SNIPPET, amlegal 403). MBPS 2024-cycle possibly applies to permits after 12/31/2025 (SNIPPET, unconfirmed).
- City of Frederick + Mt. Airy are separate jurisdictions ("with the exception of the City of Frederick and Mt. Airy" — VERIFIED, county permits page). City building office: cityoffrederickmd.gov/214 (SNIPPET).
- Asks: how to become a "pre-approved agency or individual" (application? list? residential repair scopes?); SSI practice on residential pier permits; RTW permit-exemption height; 2024-cycle MBPS status; sort tracker records for City of Frederick limits.
Cecil County (18 records)
- Permits & Inspections Division: 410-996-5235, DLUDS@cecilcountymd.gov, 200 Chesapeake Blvd, Elkton (M–F 8:00–3:30). Division Chief: William V. Funk, Jr. (VERIFIED). Portal: cecilcountymd.viewpointcloud.com.
- 2021 I-codes eff. 6/3/2024; 2023 NEC eff. 8/2/2025 (VERIFIED). Ch. 157 amendments (2018-era state snapshot, read in full): repairs → MD Building Rehabilitation Code COMAR 05.16 (IBC 101.2 Exc. 2); shed + small-deck exemptions deleted; no RTW amendment (stock 4-ft exemption INFERRED). No 3P/SI material at all (VERIFIED absence). Electrical via county-approved 3P agencies.
- Pages: /387 Permits-Inspections, /400 Required-Inspections, /411 Application-Process, /410 Applications (town rules) — all VERIFIED; state amendments PDF: https://labor.maryland.gov/labor/build/doc/cecil-code-amendments.pdf — VERIFIED
- Towns: Elkton (410-398-4999) + Rising Sun (410-658-5353) fully self-permit; Cecilton/Chesapeake City/Charlestown/North East/Perryville/Port Deposit = county permit + town approval docs (VERIFIED).
- Asks: PE-report acceptance for pier work (concealment-timing problem); RTW threshold under 2021 adoption; current amendment package.
Kent County (1 record)
- Planning, Housing & Zoning: 410-778-7423 / Director 410-778-0455, 400 High St, Chestertown (M–F 8:30–4:30). — VERIFIED
- 2021 I-codes eff. 5/29/2023; 2023 NEC; NFPA 2024 eds. (VERIFIED county page). Ch. 73 (state snapshot, read in full): 6 phased inspections by county Code Administrator; 24-hr footing-inspection non-response → work may proceed (§73-8); §73-3/73-4 licensed-professional table (SFD/duplex = none required). No 3P/SI material (VERIFIED absence).
- State PDF: https://labor.maryland.gov/labor/build/doc/kent-code-amendments.pdf — VERIFIED. Chestertown: own permit office, 410-778-0500 (state-directory VERIFIED; town page 403-blocked).
- Asks: PE-report acceptance at Phase 2 (pre-backfill) for pier work; Chestertown code/inspector arrangement; RTW threshold.
Queen Anne's County + Town of Centreville (6 records)
- P&Z Permits Division: 410-758-4088, 110 Vincit St Ste 104, Centreville. Code Official = Zoning Administrator (Ch. 10 §10-2 — VERIFIED). Trades → MDIA 410-822-8300 (2016 bulletin — confirm current).
- Current Adopted Codes sheet (2026-07-28): 2021 I-codes eff. 5/1/2024, 2023 NEC, 2024 NFPA — https://qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/23728/Current-Adopted-Codes--2026-07-28 — VERIFIED
- Ch. 10 amendments: https://labor.maryland.gov/labor/build/doc/queenannes-code-amendmentsts.pdf — VERIFIED (read in full; no Ch 17 changes, no 3P). Commercial plans need MD PE/architect seal on every sheet (amended 107.1.1 — VERIFIED). Residential bulletin (rev. 1/24/2016 — STALE): https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/312 — VERIFIED.
- Town of Centreville does NOT defer to the county: own code chapter (ecode snapshot showed 2015 IBC — SNIPPET, likely stale), "Department of Building Inspection" = Town Manager or designee; state directory lists Town Manager, 101 Lawyers Row, 410-758-1180 as code contact (VERIFIED).
- Asks: county engineer-report practice; MDIA scope beyond trades; current inspection list. Centreville (separate call): current code edition, who inspects, PE-cert acceptance.
Caroline County + Town of Denton (3 records)
- Planning, Codes & Engineering: 410-479-8100, 403 S 7th St Ste 210, Denton — VERIFIED. Online permitting: caroline.onlama.com (SNIPPET).
- Permit triggers page names retaining walls (no threshold): https://www.carolinemd.org/288/Building-Permits-Zoning-Certificates — VERIFIED. Ch. 88 amendments (read in full): BO may delegate duties to firms under contract to the county (amended IBC 103.3); foundation-completion inspection pre-backfill (110.3.2.1); frost 24″; no Ch 17 changes, no 3P — https://labor.maryland.gov/labor/build/doc/caroline-code-amendments.pdf — VERIFIED. Current edition on county list unconfirmed (MBPS-current INFERRED).
- Town of Denton: own building office (Planning & Codes, 410-479-3625, 36-hr inspection notice — VERIFIED). Ordinance 724 adopts 2021 IBC/IRC/IMC/IEBC/IECC; §38-2.3(E): "All structural evaluations including drawings shall be certified by a registered Maryland structural engineer or architect in good standing" — https://dentonmaryland.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ORDINANCE-NO.-724-2021-Building-Code.pdf — VERIFIED (read in full). No 3P/SI provisions otherwise.
- Asks: county — which private agencies are under contract, can UP's PE reports slot in; RTW threshold. Denton — what triggers §38-2.3(E) in practice (UP-favorable rule); who inspects day-to-day.
Talbot County + Town of Easton (2 records)
- County Permits & Inspections: 410-770-6840, 215 Bay St Ste 3, Easton; inspection scheduling 410-770-6849 (8:00–3:30) or talbotcomd.viewpointcloud.com — VERIFIED. Building official name unpublished.
- Ch. 28 + 2006 Supplement (state PDF, read in full): repairs under MD Rehab Code = no permit; RTW ≤4 ft exempt (codified); footing/pre-backfill foundation/slab/framing inspections by the building official; §109.3.12.4 "For special inspections, see Section 1704" (unamended) — https://labor.maryland.gov/labor/build/doc/talbot-code-amendments.pdf — VERIFIED. County codes page still lists 2018 editions (state is 2021) — VERIFIED page, flag staleness. Electrical → MDIA 410-822-8300. CAUTION: the "third-party ICC inspector" snippet on talbotcountymd.gov is the short-term-rental license program, not construction.
- Town of Easton: own Code Enforcement Office + published Special Inspection Program manual (fetched, read in full): https://eastonmd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/94/Special-Inspections-Manual-PDF — VERIFIED. Applicability: commercial >$200K (excl. R2/R3/R4); "All deep foundations, such as caissons and piles" (standalone bullet); post-tensioned; problematic soils; elevated slabs; BCO discretion. SSI = condition of permit; inspector qualifications approved by BCO; reports ≤5 business days (48-hr agency delivery), tests ≤10 days; signed/sealed Final Report per Inspector of Record; pile driving records to the Town before pile caps; Geotechnical IR written notice-to-proceed before superstructure. Inspectors of Record must be unaffiliated with designers AND contractor. Ordinary repairs exempt but exemption excludes structural work; RTW ≤4 ft exempt; paper applications only. Town: 410-822-2526, 14 S. Harrison St — VERIFIED. Building official name unpublished; code editions unpublished ("on file").
- Asks: county — PE-report acceptance on pier permits; current editions. Easton — does "all deep foundations" pull residential pier repair into the SIP (vs. the R3 exclusion), and can Valerio be SER with a separate firm as SIR under the unaffiliation rule?
Dorchester County (10 records)
- P&Z / Permits & Inspections: 410-228-3234, 501 Court Ln Rm 111, Cambridge — VERIFIED. Building official name unpublished.
- Permit-triggers flyer (VERIFIED): permits for all new construction, interior alterations involving any structural component, reroofing, trade work; non-exhaustive. Code amended 6/4/2024 (Bill 2024-5 — SNIPPET, content unfetched). No 3P/SI material anywhere (verified absence on official domain; ecode 403-blocked). RTW threshold unpublished (IBC 4-ft INFERRED).
- Flyer: https://dorchestercountymd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Do-you-know-Dorchester-County-Permit-Regulations.pdf — VERIFIED
- City of Cambridge: own Building Safety Services Division, 410-228-8811, permits@choosecambridge.com, 1025 Washington St (VERIFIED; page cites IRC/IBC 2012 — almost certainly stale).
- Asks: engineer-report acceptance (highest-value small-county call — 10 records); what inspections a foundation-repair permit actually triggers; Bill 2024-5 content; Cambridge inspector arrangement.
Wicomico County (4 records)
- Permits & Inspections: 410-548-4810, permits@wicomicocounty.org, Rm 201, 125 N Division St, Salisbury — VERIFIED. Building official = Chief Building Inspector, DPW (name unpublished).
- Ch. 117 enrolled bill (2015 session, read in full): 2015 I-codes + appendices; structural alterations/repairs need permits ("ordinary non-structural repairs" exempt); RTW ≤4 ft exempt; CBO 10-yrs experience requirement; 4× fees for unpermitted work — https://www.wicomicocounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/3711 — VERIFIED (later MBPS editions apply by state mandate — INFERRED).
- Published 3P carve-outs: all electrical via county-approved private agencies (list VERIFIED: American Inspection Agency 302-732-6900, First State 800-468-7338, MD Electrical Inspections/George Landing 410-219-3228); suspended slabs = 3P agency reports approved + signed by MD Licensed Engineer (VERIFIED in Salisbury manual; county-side SNIPPET) — the best published engineer-report precedent on the lower Shore.
- Residential FAQ: https://www.wicomicocounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/3888/Residential-Permits-FAQs — VERIFIED
- City of Salisbury: own office (Infrastructure & Development, 410-548-3130, same building basement). Manual (stale — 2009-era codes): city performs footing/foundation/underground/framing/final; suspended-slab 3P+PE rule; sealed truss drawings; special-conditions RDP discretion — VERIFIED.
- Asks: extend the suspended-slab PE-report format to pier/anchor verification; current editions vs. the 2015 bill; sort the 4 records city-vs-county (offices share an address).
Washington County MD (20 records)
- Division of Permits & Inspections: 240-313-2460, 747 Northern Ave, Hagerstown (M–F 7:30–4:30); IVR inspection scheduling 240-313-2488 / Accela — VERIFIED. Building official name unpublished.
- 2021 full I-code suite + 2020 NEC with local amendments (amendment docs linked, unfetched): https://www.washco-md.net/permits-and-inspections/combined-codes-ordinances/ — VERIFIED
- Numbered residential inspection sequence (300 footing pre-pour / 500 foundation pre-backfill — drain tile + dampproofing must be complete / 501 pre-pour concrete / 510-515 slabs / 700 framing / 800s finals; min. 4 inspections on alterations): https://www.washco-md.net/wp-content/uploads/Inspection-Requirements-2.pdf — VERIFIED. No engineer/3P language anywhere in it.
- Homeowner booklet (dated, 2012-era fees): permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair…"; "Retaining/Masonry Walls" is an explicit permit category (threshold unpublished): https://www.washco-md.net/wp-content/uploads/HomeownerPermitProceduresBooklet.pdf — VERIFIED. Standalone "Footing and Foundation Permit" ($75) — SNIPPET.
- Only "Third-Party Inspection Procedures" in the county repository are stormwater/grading (S-3 policy) — not building (SNIPPET).
- County handles only work OUTSIDE Boonsboro, Clear Spring, Hagerstown, Hancock, Keedysville, Sharpsburg, Williamsport (VERIFIED) — check all 20 records against town limits.
- City of Hagerstown: own Permits & Inspections, 301-739-8577 x123, permits@hagerstownmd.org, One E. Franklin St 3rd Fl; 2021 IBC/IRC + local amendments; footing/foundation/slab/framing/close-in/final sequence; no 3P policy published — VERIFIED/SNIPPET mix.
- Asks: PE-report acceptance on the 300/500 cadence for pier work (20 records = high-value call); RTW threshold; does the Footing & Foundation Permit fit repair scopes; per-record town-limits check.
Strategy read (opinion, labeled as such)
- Maryland is a discretion market, not a policy market. Only Anne Arundel publishes a true third-party inspection program, and it's scoped to footing/backfill/slab. Everywhere else, engineer acceptance rides on §104-type building-official discretion — meaning relationships and precedent packets matter more than in Virginia, where §113.7 forces a written policy into existence.
- The two Baltimores are opposite regimes: the County's code already expects engineer construction-phase services reporting to the county inspector (Data Sheets, §1705.1.2 — PAI Form 378-08 is the template UP's cert package should mirror); the City gives the Building Official discretion (§105.1.5) but publishes nothing. County = friendliest structural fit in the branch; City = biggest volume and needs a direct conversation at 410-396-3470.
- Anne Arundel's 210/215/240 program is UP's citable Maryland precedent (the analog of James City's pier policy in the VB file): a formal, forms-based county program that already accepts PE certifications for footing/backfill/slab — and Form 215 names "foundation anchors or anchoring systems." The open question is whether repair-scope pier work formally rides that program; getting a written yes (or a program expansion) is the highest-leverage ask in the branch.
- Frederick is the sleeper. It pairs a published BO-preauthorization rule for third-party inspection reports with the only Hampton-Roads-grade SSI paperwork in the branch — a form whose deep-foundation/helical-pile line items (installation torque, driving records) are literally UP's pier-log output. Becoming a Frederick "pre-approved agency or individual" is the second-highest-leverage application after Anne Arundel. (Just never cite their "TPIP" — it's electrical-only despite the name.)
- Harford is the exposure. 64 records, "no work shall be covered before it has been inspected," and zero published third-party pathway for residential work. Its commercial SI memo does allow the engineer of record to act as the approved agency for work they designed — a useful published precedent to bring to the residential conversation.
- Watch the towns. Four county seats + Denton/Centreville/Chestertown/Elkton/Rising Sun, six Washington Co. towns, plus City of Frederick + Mt. Airy run their own offices. Easton's SI manual ("all deep foundations") and Denton's structural-evaluation certification rule are both town rules that don't exist at the county level. Route every tracker record to the right office before citing policy.
- Phone-call worklist (priority order by record count
× leverage):
- Baltimore City DHCD 410-396-3470 — PE-report acceptance for underpinning (§105.1.5); SSI practice on pier permits; RTW all-heights confirmation (322 records)
- Anne Arundel (410) 222-7790 / ipbpri@aacounty.org — repair-scope pier work under the 3P program; program-expansion status; RTW 4-ft engineering threshold (265 records)
- Baltimore County 410-887-3953 / paibldgrvw@baltimorecountymd.gov — full Data Sheet catalog; cert package as §1705.1.2 report on UND/ANC/BRC (252 records)
- Harford 410-638-3122 / Building@harfordcountymd.gov — PE-cert acceptance in lieu of footing/foundation inspections on repair permits (nothing published — the branch's largest unanswered question); Memo 000378-2024 reach into residential (64 records)
- Frederick MD 301-600-2313 — Ashlye Bonomo / Steve Blickenstaff — how to become a "pre-approved agency or individual" for BO-preauthorized inspection reports; SSI practice on residential piers; City-of-Frederick record sort (31 records)
- Washington Co. 240-313-2460 — PE reports on 300/500 cadence; RTW threshold; town-limits sort (20 records)
- Cecil 410-996-5235 — PE acceptance; 2021-era amendments; RTW threshold (18 records)
- Dorchester 410-228-3234 — engineer-report practice; Bill 2024-5 (10 records)
- Howard 410-313-1830 — does 3P prior-approval extend beyond footings; standing vs per-project approval; the 403'd "Documents for DILP Inspectors" page contents (9 records)
- Carroll 410-386-2674 — PE-report acceptance; discretionary-SI practice; foundation-wall engineer-report hook applied to piers (9 records)
- Queen Anne's 410-758-4088 + Centreville 410-758-1180 — county practice; town code edition + inspector (6 records)
- Wicomico 410-548-4810 + Salisbury 410-548-3130 — suspended-slab PE format extended to piers; city/county sort (4 records)
- Caroline 410-479-8100 + Denton 410-479-3625 — contracted-agency framework; §38-2.3(E) trigger practice (3 records)
- Talbot 410-770-6840 + Easton 410-822-2526 — county PE practice; does Easton's SIP "all deep foundations" bullet capture residential pier repair (2 records)
- Kent 410-778-7423 + Chestertown 410-778-0500 — Phase-2 timing accommodation for pier work (1 record)