Pole barns and barndominiums in Annapolis, Maryland.
Building in Annapolis.
Annapolis is Maryland’s capital and Anne Arundel County’s only incorporated city, a historic maritime city on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River. The Maryland State House, the U.S. Naval Academy and the Colonial Annapolis Historic District are all here, and 40,812 people lived in the city at the 2020 Census. US 50/301, MD 2, MD 450 and MD 665 carry traffic in and out.
We are a post-frame builder based in Dover, about 67 miles from Annapolis and around 96 minutes by road, and Anne Arundel County is part of the area we build in. Inside the city, planning starts with the City’s own rules: historic review in the Historic District, Critical Area rules near the water, and shed and permit thresholds that differ from the county’s.
- County
- Anne Arundel County, Maryland
- Population
- 40,812 (2020 Census)
- ZIP codes
- 21401, 21403
- From our office
- About 1 hr 36 min (67 miles) by car
- Permits
- City of Annapolis Department of Planning and Zoning (permits)
- Main roads
- US 50/US 301 (John Hanson Highway / Blue Star Memorial Highway), MD 2, MD 450, MD 665 (Aris T. Allen Boulevard)
Permits and rules in Annapolis.
The City of Annapolis Department of Planning and Zoning, 145 Gorman Street, 3rd Floor (410-260-2200), handles development review, permitting, inspections, zoning, Critical Area compliance and Historic District approvals inside city limits. Applications go through the City’s online permit portal. On residential property, a shed under 200 square feet needs a City Zoning Certificate; a shed over 200 square feet, or a two-story one, needs a building permit with a plan, site plan and elevation drawings. A shed less than 5 feet from a property line needs a 1-hour fire wall on that side.
In the Historic District, every exterior project needs a certificate of approval under City Code Chapter 21.56, even one exempt from a building permit. The City enforces the 2021 IBC and IRC with local amendments. Parts of Annapolis fall in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area, which the City reviews, and parts lie in a FEMA flood zone. Outside city limits, Anne Arundel County issues the permit instead.
Who issues the permit
City of Annapolis Department of Planning and Zoning (permits)
- Address
- 145 Gorman Street, 3rd Floor, Annapolis, MD 21401
- Phone
- 410-260-2200
- Website
- Permit information(opens in a new tab)
Where this comes from
- aacounty.org (opens in a new tab)
- annapolis.gov (opens in a new tab)
- annapolis.gov (opens in a new tab)
- annapolis.gov (opens in a new tab)
- mdgeodata.md.gov (opens in a new tab)
Permit details checked October 2026. Rules change, so we confirm the current requirements for your parcel before anything is drawn.
What people build around Annapolis.
A detached garage, a storage building or a pool house can fit an Annapolis lot when it is sized to the zoning and, in the Historic District, designed with the certificate of approval in mind. A pavilion gives a backyard covered space without the bulk of a closed building. Larger pole barns and horse barns belong out in the county, where acreage allows them.
Annapolis questions.
Have a question about your property? Call 302-399-4420 and we’ll look it up.
Does an Annapolis address mean the City issues my permit?
Not always. ZIP codes 21401 and 21403 cover the city’s land, but Annapolis-addressed areas in 21405 and 21409 lie mostly outside city limits, where Anne Arundel County issues permits. We confirm which side of the line your property is on before filing.
Do I need approval for a shed in the Historic District?
Yes. Every exterior project in the Annapolis Historic District needs a certificate of approval, even one too small for a building permit. A shed under 200 square feet also needs a City Zoning Certificate.
How far is Annapolis from your office?
About 67 miles, or 96 minutes, from our office at 575 N Dupont Hwy in Dover. We build in Annapolis and across Anne Arundel County, from design through the final inspection.
Let’s plan your building in Annapolis.
Tell us what you’d like to build and where, and we’ll come back with drawings and a free quote.
- info@pbuincde.com
- Office
- 575 N Dupont Hwy, Dover, DE 19901 (opens Google Maps in a new tab)
- Hours
- Mon to Fri, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
- We build in
- Annapolis and all of Anne Arundel County