Montgomery County, Maryland - County Development Fees
Montgomery County | Charter county | Washington Metro / Suburban Maryland | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MSA | County seat: Rockville | FIPS 24031
Montgomery County is a charter county in suburban Maryland north of the District of Columbia. The Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) is the primary permitting authority, publishing the consolidated fee schedule including the Impact Taxes Handout, Zoning Fees, and Commercial and Residential Building Permit Fees. The County Council sets Transportation Impact Tax and School Impact Tax rates by ordinance under County Code Section 52-42. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Planning Department handles separate Planning Department fees (rezoning, conditional use, special exception). WSSC Water administers water and wastewater service-connection charges across Montgomery and Prince George's Counties on a separate schedule.
Updated 2026-11-04: current impact tax rates
Updated 2026-11-04: the impact tax amounts on this page were replaced with the rates effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027 (DPS Impact Taxes Handout, last updated June 24, 2025). Earlier figures were from the July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2025 handout. School Utilization Premium Payments and the FY27 DPS zoning fees (effective July 1, 2026) were added. See corrections to report other errors.
Recent Fee Changes
Montgomery County Transportation Impact Tax and School Impact Tax effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027 per the official DPS Impact Taxes Handout. Impact tax rates are set for two-year periods; no July 1, 2026 change to these rates was published. The schedule sets rates across four Transportation Impact Tax policy areas (Red Metro Station, Orange, Yellow, Green) and Infill / Turnover School Impact Tax rates per dwelling type. Per County Code Section 52-42(l), the rate due is the rate in effect on the date paid.
DPS zoning fees changed on July 1, 2026 (FY27 schedule, effective through June 30, 2027).
On this page
Fee Summary
| Fee Type | Status | Top-Line Figure | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| School Impact Tax (per dwelling unit, Infill / Turnover) | Confirmed | Single-family Detached $30,005 / $31,301; Multifamily Low Rise $7,901 / $16,350; Senior Residential $0 / $0 (six dwelling categories total) | July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2027 |
| Transportation Impact Tax - Residential (per dwelling unit, four policy areas) | Confirmed | Single-Family Detached $9,139 / $22,841 / $28,553 / $28,553 (Red Metro Station / Orange / Yellow / Green); five additional dwelling categories tabled below | July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2027 |
| Transportation Impact Tax - Commercial and Industrial (per square foot, four policy areas) | Confirmed | Office $8.30 / $20.90 / $26.10 / $26.10 per sq ft; Retail $7.40 / $18.65 / $23.25 / $23.25; Industrial $4.20 / $10.35 / $13.10 / $13.10; zero-rate categories listed below | July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2027 |
| School Utilization Premium Payments (per unit, in addition to School Impact Tax) | Confirmed | Tier 1 to Tier 3 by school level; for example Tier 1 Infill Single-Family Detached $5,001 Elementary / $3,001 Middle / $4,001 High. 10 cells are pending confirmation with the County. | July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2027 |
| DPS Zoning Fees (permit-stage zoning review) | Confirmed | Home Occupation $522.36; Parking Waiver Request $1,349.44; Sign Concept $1,610.62; Zoning Compliance Letter $435.30 residential / $565.89 commercial (17 items tabled below) | July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027 |
| Water and Sewer Connection (Tap) Fees | Administered separately | WSSC Water (Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission) administers connection charges across Montgomery and Prince George's Counties on a separate schedule | - |
| Proffers | Not applicable | Maryland counties do not use Virginia-style cash proffers; growth-cost recovery uses impact taxes (above) plus Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance tests | - |
| Special District Fees (e.g., White Flint Sector Plan, Recreation Districts) | Not verified via official sources | Specific assessment rates publish on Council legislation pages or Sector Plan documents, not on the DPS Fees landing (3 substitute paths probed, all 404 or non-fee content) | - |
School Impact Tax
School Impact Tax is administered under Montgomery County Code Section 52-42. Two columns - Infill rate and Turnover rate - apply by location and project type per the published handout. Effective: July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027. Administered by: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services.
| Dwelling Type | Infill Rate | Turnover Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family Detached | $30,005 | $31,301 |
| Single-family Attached | $25,997 | $35,347 |
| Farm-Tenant House | $30,005 | $31,301 |
| Multifamily Low Rise | $7,901 | $16,350 |
| Multifamily High Rise | $4,487 | $7,288 |
| Senior Residential | $0 | $0 |
Transportation Impact Tax - Residential (per dwelling unit)
Transportation Impact Tax is administered by policy area; the County is divided into four Transportation Impact Tax policy areas with rate differentials. Effective: July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027.
| Dwelling Type | Red (Metro Station) | Orange | Yellow | Green |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Family Detached | $9,139 | $22,841 | $28,553 | $28,553 |
| Single-Family Attached | $7,476 | $18,689 | $23,362 | $23,362 |
| Multifamily Low Rise | $5,813 | $14,533 | $18,166 | $18,166 |
| Multifamily High Rise | $4,152 | $10,381 | $12,976 | $12,976 |
| Senior Residential | $1,660 | $4,153 | $5,190 | $5,190 |
| Student-Built Houses | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Transportation Impact Tax - Commercial and Industrial (per square foot GFA)
| Use | Red (Metro Station) | Orange | Yellow | Green |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office | $8.30 | $20.90 | $26.10 | $26.10 |
| Retail | $7.40 | $18.65 | $23.25 | $23.25 |
| Industrial | $4.20 | $10.35 | $13.10 | $13.10 |
| Other nonresidential | $4.20 | $10.35 | $13.10 | $13.10 |
| Private elementary and secondary school | $0.65 | $1.70 | $2.15 | $2.15 |
| Bioscience facility, Hospital, Place of worship, Charitable or Philanthropic Institution, Agricultural Facility | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Clergy House (per unit) | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Source: Montgomery County DPS Impact Taxes Handout, effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027 (last updated June 24, 2025); County Code Section 52-42 (Transportation Impact Tax / School Impact Tax administration); Section 52-42(l) (rate-on-date-paid rule).
School Utilization Premium Payments (UPP)
DPS: "Applicants for building permits for residential development may be assessed the UPP rates below. These amounts are in addition to applicable Schools Impact Taxes." A UPP applies only where the project's elementary, middle or high school service area is placed in UPP Tier 1, 2 or 3 by the County's annual school test; this page does not list which service areas are in each tier. Effective: July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027.
UPP Tier 1 (per unit)
| Dwelling Type | Impact Area | Elementary | Middle | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Family Detached | Infill | $5,001 | $3,001 | $4,001 |
| Single-Family Detached | Turnover | $5,217 | $3,130 | $4,173 |
| Single-Family Attached | Infill | $4,333 | $2,600 | $3,466 |
| Single-Family Attached | Turnover | $5,891 | $3,535 | $4,713 |
| Multi-Family Low Rise | Infill | Pending confirmation with the County | $790 | $1,053 |
| Multi-Family Low Rise | Turnover | $2,725 | $1,635 | $2,180 |
| Multi-Family High Rise | Infill | $748 | $449 | $598 |
| Multi-Family High Rise | Turnover | $1,215 | $729 | $972 |
UPP Tier 2 (per unit)
| Dwelling Type | Impact Area | Elementary | Middle | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Family Detached | Infill | $10,002 | $6,001 | $8,001 |
| Single-Family Detached | Turnover | $10,434 | $6,260 | $8,347 |
| Single-Family Attached | Infill | Pending confirmation with the County | Pending confirmation with the County | Pending confirmation with the County |
| Single-Family Attached | Turnover | $11,782 | $7,069 | $9,426 |
| Multi-Family Low Rise | Infill | Pending confirmation with the County | Pending confirmation with the County | Pending confirmation with the County |
| Multi-Family Low Rise | Turnover | $5,450 | $3,270 | $4,360 |
| Multi-Family High Rise | Infill | Pending confirmation with the County | Pending confirmation with the County | Pending confirmation with the County |
| Multi-Family High Rise | Turnover | $2,429 | $1,458 | $1,943 |
UPP Tier 3 (per unit)
| Dwelling Type | Impact Area | Elementary | Middle | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Family Detached | Infill | $15,003 | $9,002 | $12,002 |
| Single-Family Detached | Turnover | $15,651 | $9,390 | $12,520 |
| Single-Family Attached | Infill | $12,999 | $7,799 | $10,399 |
| Single-Family Attached | Turnover | $17,674 | $10,604 | $14,139 |
| Multi-Family Low Rise | Infill | $3,951 | $2,370 | $3,160 |
| Multi-Family Low Rise | Turnover | $8,175 | $4,905 | $6,540 |
| Multi-Family High Rise | Infill | $2,244 | $1,346 | $1,795 |
| Multi-Family High Rise | Turnover | $3,644 | $2,186 | $2,915 |
Cells marked "Pending confirmation with the County": the official DPS page prints an inconsistent value for the Tier 1 Infill Multi-Family Low Rise Elementary cell, and its Tier 2 Infill Single-Family Attached and Multi-Family rows repeat the Tier 1 Turnover values. ZoneFee does not publish a number for these cells until the County confirms them.
Source: Montgomery County DPS - Public School Utilization Premium Payments (web page, July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027).
DPS Zoning Fees
The Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services publishes its zoning fees on the DPS Zoning Fees page, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. DPS states the amounts are for fee estimation only.
| Fee Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Equestrian Event | $565.89 |
| Home Occupation | $522.36 |
| Nonconforming Use Certificate | $478.84 |
| Parking Waiver Request | $1,349.44 |
| Conditional Use Enforcement | $304.72 |
| Zoning Compliance Letter - Residential | $435.30 |
| Zoning Compliance Letter - Commercial | $565.89 |
| Permanent Sign | $373.12 |
| Sign Concept | $1,610.62 |
| Sign Variance | $740.01 |
| Initial inspection of sites working without a permit | $186.56 |
| Applicant requested partial inspection (residential) | $120.64 |
| Re-inspection after two disapprovals | $120.64 |
| Permit Application Revisions | $60.94 |
| Denial Letter | $77.11 |
| Application Extensions | 15% of the filing fee |
| Permit Extension | 15% of the total permit fee |
Source: Montgomery County DPS - Zoning Fees (effective July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027).
Note: the M-NCPPC Planning Department administers separate Sketch Plan, Preliminary Plan, Site Plan, and rezoning fees on a separate schedule, not captured in this review cycle.
Coverage Notes - What This Page Does Not Cover
Per ZoneFee's Partial-Verified Publication Standard, the items below were not closed via verified primary sources. They are disclosed here rather than estimated or omitted silently.
School Utilization Premium Payment cells pending confirmation
Ten UPP cells are shown as "Pending confirmation with the County" because the official DPS page prints inconsistent values for them (see the UPP section above). ZoneFee also does not list which school service areas fall in each UPP tier; that is set by the County's annual school test.
M-NCPPC Planning Department Fees
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Planning Department administers separate Sketch Plan, Preliminary Plan, Site Plan, and rezoning fees on a separate schedule from the DPS Fees page. That schedule is not captured in this review cycle.
Water and Sewer Connection (Tap) Fees
WSSC Water (Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission) administers public water and wastewater service-connection charges across Montgomery and Prince George's Counties on a separate fee schedule from the County DPS Fees page. The County government does not publish tap fees because it does not collect them. A separate ZoneFee WSSC Water authority record is queued.
Proffers
Maryland counties do not use Virginia-style cash proffers. Va. Code Section 15.2-2303 does not apply outside Virginia. Maryland uses impact taxes (Transportation and School, captured above) plus Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) tests instead.
Special District Fees
Specific Sector Plan special tax districts (e.g., White Flint), MD Recreation Districts, and transit assessment districts publish their assessment rates on Council legislation pages or sector-plan documents, not on the DPS Fees landing. Substitute paths probed:
- montgomerycountymd.gov/department-permitting-services/fees - DPS landing enumerates DPS-administered fee categories only; no special-district links
- montgomerycountymd.gov/DPS/permitting/fees.html - HTTP 404
- montgomerycountymd.gov/DPS/permitting/impact_taxes.html - HTTP 404
A future ZoneFee source review will attempt browser-based source retrieval on County Council legislative archives or Sector Plan documents.
Fee Authorities
| Authority | Fee Types | Official Website |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) | Zoning Fees, Commercial and Residential Building Permit Fees, Site Development Fees, Impact Taxes Handout (collection) | montgomerycountymd.gov/department-permitting-services/fees |
| Montgomery County Council (rate-setting) | Transportation Impact Tax and School Impact Tax rates by ordinance under County Code Section 52-42 | montgomerycountymd.gov |
| Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Planning Department | Sketch Plan, Preliminary Plan, Site Plan, conditional use, special exception, rezoning fees (separate from DPS; not captured in this review cycle) | montgomeryplanning.org |
| WSSC Water (Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission) | Water and sewer System Development Charge (connection) fees across Montgomery and Prince George's Counties; see the WSSC Water authority page | wsscwater.com |
Sources
| Document | Agency | Accessed |
|---|---|---|
| Impact Taxes Handout - Transportation Impact Tax and School Impact Tax (effective July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2027) | Montgomery County DPS | 2026-11-04 |
| Transportation and School Impact Taxes web page (effective July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2027) | Montgomery County DPS | 2026-11-04 |
| Public School Utilization Premium Payments web page (July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2027) | Montgomery County DPS | 2026-11-04 |
| Zoning Fees web page (effective July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027) | Montgomery County DPS | 2026-11-04 |
| Montgomery County DPS Fees landing page | Montgomery County DPS | 2026-05-06 |
Last verified by ZoneFee: 2026-11-04. Fee schedules are subject to change. Verify current rates directly with the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services before relying on this data for any financial decision.
This page reflects fee data sourced from the Montgomery County DPS Impact Taxes Handout effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027, the DPS School Utilization Premium Payments page, and the DPS Zoning Fees page effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. ZoneFee does not guarantee that fee amounts are current at the time you read this page. Fee schedules change. Per County Code Section 52-42(l), the rate due is the rate in effect on the date paid. Ten School Utilization Premium Payment cells are pending confirmation with the County and are not shown as amounts. M-NCPPC Planning Department fees (Sketch Plan, Preliminary Plan, Site Plan, rezoning) are administered separately and not captured. WSSC Water connection (tap) fees are administered separately. Maryland counties do not use Virginia-style cash proffers. Sector Plan special tax districts publish their assessment rates on Council legislation or Sector Plan documents and were not located via the DPS Fees landing. Verify all current rates with Montgomery County DPS, M-NCPPC, and WSSC Water 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.