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Exterior work in Montgomery County, MD: permits, code & costs
Montgomery County is the most permissive of our three jurisdictions on exterior maintenance — the county publishes an explicit list of work that does not require a permit, and roof covering, siding, and gutters are all on it. The catch is that the county is not the only authority over your house.
- Permit authority: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS)
- We pull the permits where they are required
- Free inspection with photos and a written report
Free estimate in Montgomery County
Tell us the address and what is going on. We reply the same business day.
Permits by trade
What needs a permit in Montgomery County
This is the question that changes most between jurisdictions, and getting it wrong is expensive in both directions — an unpermitted alteration surfaces at resale, and pulling a permit nobody required wastes weeks.
| Trade | Status | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| Roofing | Usually exempt | Montgomery County lists "roof (covering only)" among work that does not require a permit. Covering only is the operative phrase: replacing the covering is exempt, while structural changes or deck rebuilding are not. |
| Siding | Usually exempt | "Siding" appears directly on the county’s no-permit list. As always the exempt work still has to comply with the building code — exempt from permit is not exempt from the rules. |
| Windows | Usually exempt | Exempt for "windows and doors without changing the opening size and without changing the net clear opening dimensions." That second clause matters: bedroom windows have an egress minimum, and a replacement unit that shrinks the clear opening below it is a code violation even though no permit was pulled. |
| Gutters | Usually exempt | "Gutters and downspouts" are named on the county’s no-permit list. |
Permit-exempt does not mean code-exempt
Every jurisdiction on this site says some version of the same thing: work that needs no permit still has to meet the building code. Underlayment, ice barrier, fastening, flashing, and ventilation are all required whether or not an inspector ever looks. Where no one inspects, the documentation your contractor produces is the only proof the hidden work was done right.
Code & licensing
The rules behind the answer
Building code in force
The Maryland Building Performance Standards, which are based on the 2021 International Codes. Maryland law requires every jurisdiction in the state to use the same edition of the IBC, IRC, and IECC, with local amendments layered on top.
Maryland MHIC license — and a real Guaranty Fund behind it
Maryland requires an MHIC (Maryland Home Improvement Commission) license for home improvement work on properties of one to three dwelling units — roofing, siding, and window replacement all included. Maryland gives you something DC and Virginia do not: the MHIC Guaranty Fund, which can reimburse a homeowner for actual losses up to $30,000, capped at what you actually paid the contractor. It only works if the contractor was MHIC-licensed at the time of the work, and you have three years from discovering the loss to file. That protection is worth more than any warranty language a salesperson will show you — and it evaporates entirely if you hire unlicensed.
Inspections
Exempt work is not county-inspected, so on a typical Bethesda or Potomac re-roof there is no inspector coming to check anyone’s work. Your protection is the contract, the documentation, and the MHIC license. When a permit does apply — structural deck work, enlarged openings — DPS inspects before cover and at final.
Historic & design review
Your municipality or HOA may be stricter than the county
Montgomery County is explicit that its exemption list does not override a municipality or homeowners association. Chevy Chase Village, Kensington, Takoma Park, and Garrett Park all run their own review, and much of Bethesda and Potomac sits under HOA covenants that govern color, material, and profile. The county saying "no permit needed" and your village saying "not that color" are entirely compatible statements. Check both before ordering material.
Local knowledge
Important things to know in Montgomery County
Rockville and Gaithersburg permit their own work
The incorporated cities inside the county are not always served by county DPS. If your address is in the City of Rockville or Gaithersburg, confirm which office has jurisdiction before assuming the county exemption list applies to you.
The egress trap on bedroom windows
This is the most common code problem we find on otherwise permit-exempt window jobs. An insert replacement adds frame thickness inside the old frame, shrinking the clear opening. In a bedroom that can drop you below the emergency escape minimum. It is invisible, it passes no inspection because there is no inspection, and it surfaces at resale. We measure clear opening on every bedroom unit and tell you if an insert will not work.
Exempt from permit is not exempt from code
The county states directly that exempt work "must not violate the requirements of the building code." Ice barrier at the eaves, proper underlayment, correct fastener count, adequate attic ventilation — all still required, none of it inspected. A cheap bid in Montgomery County is often cheap precisely because it skips things nobody will check.
Where we work here
Neighborhoods and communities
- Bethesda
- Chevy Chase
- Potomac
- Silver Spring
- Rockville
- Kensington
- Takoma Park
Neighborhoods we cover in Montgomery County
Bethesda
Bethesda is where Montgomery County’s permissive permit posture matters most — and where it is most misunderstood. Roof covering, …
Local details →Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase is the clearest example on this site of why "the county says no permit needed" is an incomplete answer. Several of the…
Local details →Potomac
Potomac is large-roof country. The houses are big, the rooflines are complicated, and the gap between a competent bid and a cheap …
Local details →Silver Spring
Silver Spring covers an enormous range of housing age and value, which makes it the part of Montgomery County where getting the sc…
Local details →Services in Montgomery County
Roof Replacement & Repair
Architectural shingle, standing-seam metal, and flat/low-slope systems. Leak diagnosis, storm damage documentation, and full tear-off replacement.
Costs & details →Siding Replacement
James Hardie fiber cement, insulated vinyl, and cedar. We correct the wrap and flashing behind the siding, not just the panel you can see.
Costs & details →Window Replacement
Full-frame and insert replacement in vinyl, fiberglass, and clad wood. Correct sizing, correct flashing, no drafts at the sill.
Costs & details →Gutters & Downspouts
Seamless 5" and 6" aluminum, half-round copper, and guard systems — sized and pitched to actually move DMV storm volume away from the foundation.
Costs & details →Sources
- Montgomery County DPS — Home Improvements (work not requiring a permit)
- Montgomery County DPS — Residential alterations permit process
- Maryland MHIC — licensing and the Guaranty Fund
- Maryland Department of Labor — Building Codes
Permit, code, and licensing details on this page were last verified against these sources on August 29, 2026. Requirements change and every property is different — we confirm your specific address with Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) (MC 311 / 240-777-0311) before work starts. This page is general information, not a code determination for your property.
Other jurisdictions
The rules change at the county line
This is not a formality. The same re-roof is permit-exempt in Arlington and a filed permit in DC. If you own in more than one jurisdiction, read both.
Get a real number for your Montgomery County property
Free inspection, written scope, fixed price — and we handle the permit where one is required.