Calvert County, Maryland - County Development Fees
Calvert County | County | Chesapeake Bay peninsula / Southern Maryland | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MSA | County seat: Prince Frederick | FIPS 24009
Calvert County is a rural and suburban peninsula county on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, southeast of Washington D.C., between the Patuxent River (west) and the bay (east). Three county departments administer developer-side fees: the Department of Finance and Budget collects the Building Excise Tax on new residential construction; the Department of Planning and Zoning publishes the FY 2026 zoning, subdivision, site plan, and building permit fee schedule effective July 1, 2025; and the Department of Public Works Water and Sewerage Division charges capital connection fees by Equivalent Dwelling Unit for new connections to county water and sewer systems. The county also operates under an Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) that governs development capacity approvals. Most development in the county relies on private wells and septic, so capital connection fees apply only to parcels served by county systems. Planning and Zoning: 150 Main Street, Prince Frederick MD 20678; phone 410-535-2348.
Recent Fee Changes
Calvert County FY 2026 fee schedules effective July 1, 2025. The Planning and Zoning and Inspections and Permits fee schedule and the Public Works water and sewer rates both carry an FY 2026 effective date of July 1, 2025. The water Capital Connection Fee rose to $3,200 per EDU (from $3,000 per EDU in FY 2025); the sewer Capital Connection Fee held at $21,000 per EDU. A new building permit Application Processing Fee ($25 residential, $100 commercial) takes effect November 3, 2025 as approved in the FY 2026 budget. The Chesapeake Ranch Estates Special Taxing District ($275 per recorded lot per year) was adopted by Ordinance 04-24 for a five-year term running July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2029.
On this page
Fee Summary
| Fee Type | Status | Top-Line Figure | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact Fees (Building Excise Tax) | Confirmed | Single-family detached $12,950 per unit (3 installments); single-family attached $10,325; manufactured/mobile $9,050; apartment $7,750; bona fide elderly $5,150 | FY 2026 |
| Zoning, Subdivision, Site Plan, Building Permit Fees | Confirmed | Zoning text/map amendment $1,000; Planning Commission contested case $1,500; major subdivision preliminary $500 + $100/lot; residential building permit $0.12/sq ft finished | July 1, 2025 |
| Water and Sewer Capital Connection Fees | Confirmed | Water $3,200 per EDU; Sewer $21,000 per EDU (1 EDU = 200 gallons/day) | July 1, 2025 |
| Special District Fees | Confirmed | Chesapeake Ranch Estates Special Taxing District $275 per recorded lot per year | July 1, 2024 |
| Proffers | Not applicable | Maryland jurisdictions do not use Virginia-style cash proffers; MD substitutes APFO review and the Building Excise Tax | - |
Impact Fees - Building Excise Tax
Calvert County's primary development impact mechanism is the Building Excise Tax on new residential construction, administered by the Department of Finance and Budget. It is not branded as an "impact fee" in county materials but functions identically: a one-time, per-unit charge on new dwellings. The total is paid in three installments. The first installment is due by check to the Calvert County Treasurer before permit issuance; the second and third installments are billed on the real property tax bill for the two fiscal years following the permit. Source: Calvert County Department of Finance and Budget Fees page (calvertcountymd.gov/358/Fees; SHA-256 690cfe61...).
| Unit Type | Total Fee | First Installment (at permit) |
|---|---|---|
| Single-Family Detached | $12,950 per unit | $4,550 |
| Single-Family Attached | $10,325 per unit | $3,675 |
| Manufactured / Mobile Home | $9,050 per unit | $3,250 |
| Apartment | $7,750 per unit | $2,817 |
| Bona Fide Elderly Unit | $5,150 per unit | $1,950 |
| Landfill Impact Fee - New Residential and Commercial Construction | Applies (Solid Waste Fund); dollar amount not published on /358/Fees | - |
Note: A separate Landfill Impact Fee is listed on the Finance fee page as applying to all new residential and commercial construction (Solid Waste Fund, FY1994 and later), but its dollar amount is not published on that page and may be set in a separate schedule. See Coverage Notes below.
Zoning, Subdivision, Site Plan, and Building Permit Fees - Effective July 1, 2025
Source: Calvert County Department of Planning and Zoning, All Fees (Planning and Zoning and Inspections and Permits) FY 2026 (calvertcountymd.gov/544/Fees; SHA-256 8180b046...). The selection below lists principal developer-side line items; per-line breakdowns including referral fees, resubmittal charges, and inspection fees are present in the source schedule.
Zoning Actions and Boards
| Fee Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Zoning Map Amendment | $1,000 per application |
| Zoning Text Amendment | $1,000 per application |
| Administrative Variance | $150 per application |
| Official Interpretation / Zoning Determination Letter | $150 per request |
| Board of Appeals - Variance (Non-Critical Area) | $500 + $75 staff referral fee |
| Board of Appeals - Special Exception | $750 + referral fee |
| Board of Appeals - Non-Conforming Use | $700 + referral fee |
| Planning Commission - Contested Case | $1,500 per case |
| Planning Commission - PC Modifications | $250 per request |
Site Plans and Subdivisions
| Fee Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Site Plan - Category I Concept | $400 base + $350 per development area (per submittal) |
| Site Plan - Category I DSDP | $400 base + $1,600 per development area |
| Subdivision - Major Preliminary Plan | $500 base + $100 per lot |
| Subdivision - Minor Preliminary Plan | $300 base + $100 per lot |
Building Permits
| Fee Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Building Permit - Residential (Finished Space) | $0.12 per sq ft |
| Building Permit - Residential (Unfinished Space) | $0.06 per sq ft |
| Application Processing Fee - Residential (effective November 3, 2025) | $25 per application |
| Application Processing Fee - Commercial (effective November 3, 2025) | $100 per application |
Water and Sewer Capital Connection Fees - Effective July 1, 2025
Source: Calvert County Department of Public Works Water and Sewerage Division, Non-Residential Rates and Fees (calvertcountymd.gov/3853/Commercial-Rates-Fees; SHA-256 ea303bc4...). Capital Connection Fees are charged for new connections to the county public water and sewer systems and scale by Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU). One EDU equals 200 gallons per day, approximately 18,000 gallons per quarter.
| Service | Fee per EDU |
|---|---|
| Capital Connection Fee - Water | $3,200 per EDU (FY 2025 rate was $3,000) |
| Capital Connection Fee - Sewer | $21,000 per EDU (held from FY 2025) |
Note: The connection rates above are published on the Water and Sewerage Division non-residential rates and fees page. Confirm with the Water and Sewerage Division (410-535-1600 ext. 2554) that the same per-EDU rates apply to a specific new residential connection.
Special District Fees - Chesapeake Ranch Estates
Source: Ordinance 04-24, Adoption of the Chesapeake Ranch Estates Special Taxing District, Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (calvertcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/45129/Ordinance-04-24; SHA-256 36df7ede...). Calvert County administers one active special taxing district within its boundaries.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chesapeake Ranch Estates Special Taxing District - Annual Assessment | $275 per recorded lot per year |
| Term | July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2029 (5-year term) |
| Authority | Ordinance 04-24 (Board of County Commissioners) |
| Administered by | Property Owners Association of Chesapeake Ranch Estates, Inc. (POACRE) |
| Collection / Use | Collected with regular county real property taxes; funds road and infrastructure improvements within the subdivision |
| Exemptions | Lots receiving the Article V tax credit and lots titled to POACRE |
Coverage Notes - What This Page Does Not Cover
Per ZoneFee's Partial-Verified Publication Standard, the items below were not closed via confirmed fee amounts on this page. They are disclosed here rather than estimated or omitted silently. These items remain under limited-coverage review until these gaps are closed.
Proffers
Maryland jurisdictions do not use Virginia-style cash proffers. Virginia Code Section 15.2-2303 has no Maryland counterpart. Maryland substitutes Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance review and statutory excise taxes such as the Building Excise Tax captured under Impact Fees above. No proffer processing fee or proffer agreement fee was found in the FY 2026 Planning and Zoning fee schedule (calvertcountymd.gov/544/Fees) or the Finance fee schedule (calvertcountymd.gov/358/Fees), and a CivicPlus site search for "proffer" returned no relevant results across more than six official county pages. The eCode360 Calvert County code of ordinances (ecode360.com/CA1802) is protected by a Cloudflare anti-bot system, so the zoning ordinance text could not be directly read by automated tools. Closed-search outcome: this fee family does not apply to this jurisdiction.
Landfill Impact Fee Amount
The Landfill Impact Fee is referenced on the Finance fee page as applying to all new residential and commercial construction (Solid Waste Fund), but the dollar amount is not published on that page. It may be set in a separate schedule. The amount is shown as unavailable rather than estimated. Confirm directly with the Department of Finance and Budget (410-535-1600).
Residential Capital Connection Confirmation
The water and sewer Capital Connection Fees above are published on the Water and Sewerage Division non-residential rates and fees page. The per-EDU rate structure is the county-wide capital connection charge, but for a specific new residential connection, confirm the applicable EDU count and rate with the Water and Sewerage Division.
Fee Authorities
| Authority | Fee Types | Official Website |
|---|---|---|
| Calvert County Department of Finance and Budget | Building Excise Tax (impact fee), landfill impact fee | calvertcountymd.gov/103/Finance-Budget |
| Calvert County Department of Planning and Zoning | Zoning, subdivision, site plan, board of appeals, planning commission, building permit, application processing fees | calvertcountymd.gov/117/Planning-Zoning |
| Calvert County Department of Public Works - Water and Sewerage Division | Water and sewer capital connection fees by EDU | calvertcountymd.gov/132/Water-Sewer |
Related Maryland coverage on ZoneFee: Charles County, St. Mary's County, and all Maryland jurisdictions.
Sources
| Document | Agency | Accessed |
|---|---|---|
| Fees (Finance and Budget - Building Excise Tax) (SHA-256 690cfe61...) | Calvert County, MD - Department of Finance and Budget | 2026-06-25 |
| All Fees (Planning and Zoning and Inspections and Permits) FY 2026 (SHA-256 8180b046...) | Calvert County, MD - Department of Planning and Zoning | 2026-06-25 |
| Non-Residential Rates and Fees (Water and Sewer capital connection) (SHA-256 ea303bc4...) | Calvert County, MD - Department of Public Works, Water and Sewerage Division | 2026-06-25 |
| Ordinance 04-24 - Chesapeake Ranch Estates Special Taxing District (SHA-256 36df7ede...) | Calvert County, MD - Board of County Commissioners | 2026-06-25 |
Last verified by ZoneFee: 2026-06-25. Fee schedules are subject to change. Verify current rates directly with the relevant Calvert County department before relying on this data for any financial decision.
This page reflects fee data sourced from official Calvert County, Maryland schedules: the Department of Finance and Budget Fees page (Building Excise Tax), the Department of Planning and Zoning FY 2026 All Fees schedule (effective July 1, 2025), the Department of Public Works Water and Sewerage Division non-residential rates and fees, and Ordinance 04-24 (Chesapeake Ranch Estates Special Taxing District). ZoneFee does not guarantee that fee amounts are current at the time you read this page. Fee schedules change. The categories displayed above include principal developer-side line items; the source schedules contain additional line items, referral fees, resubmittal charges, and inspection fees that are not enumerated here and remain authoritative in the source. Maryland jurisdictions do not use Virginia-style cash proffers; Maryland substitutes APFO review and the Building Excise Tax. The Landfill Impact Fee amount is referenced but not published on the county Finance page and is shown as unavailable rather than estimated. Verify all current rates directly with the relevant Calvert County department before relying on this data for land acquisition, project budgeting, or any financial decision. This page is for research and due-diligence reference only - it is not legal or financial advice.