Natalie’s Library
Do I need a permit for a home addition in Chevy Chase?
Natalie’s answer
“Yes, most home additions in Chevy Chase require a permit from Montgomery County, particularly when the work involves structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems; purely cosmetic updates typically do not. MOSS handles the entire Montgomery County permitting process as part of its design-build service, so you never have to navigate it alone.”
Yes, a home addition in Chevy Chasealmost certainly requires one or more permits from Montgomery County, which serves as the permitting authority for this work. Any element that is structural, foundations, framing, load-bearing walls, roof lines, triggers a building permit, as do electrical upgrades, new plumbing, gas lines, mechanical systems such as HVAC, and changes to egress openings like doors and windows. Purely cosmetic updates, such as repainting interior walls or swapping out fixtures without moving supply lines, typically fall outside the permit requirement. Montgomery County's standard plan review runs 15 to 20 business days, and an expedited five-day review path is also available for homeowners who want to accelerate their timeline.
At MOSS, pulling the permit is our responsibility, not yours. Our team prepares the construction drawings, stamped by licensed architects or engineers where structural work is involved, completes the required DPS-1 forms, submits the full application package to Montgomery County, and schedules every inspection at the appropriate stage of construction. You never have to navigate the county's Department of Permitting Services on your own; we manage theprocess from first submission through final sign-off as a standard part of our design-build service.
Beyond satisfying a legal requirement, the permit process is what ensures your addition is built to code and independently verified by county inspectors at critical milestones, giving you a structurally sound, safe home and a clean record for any future resale. If your property falls within the Chevy Chase Village Historic District, an additional layer of review applies: the Town's Board of Managers and the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission must both sign off on exterior modifications to protect the neighborhood's early 20th-century character. MOSS has direct experience working within those historic district guidelines, so we know how to design additions that satisfy preservation requirements while still delivering the modern, functional space you are looking for.