Who can pull it
From DPS's electrician license fact sheet (read 24 October 2026):
| Who | What DPS says |
|---|---|
| Master electrician | "The applicant must have a valid Master license issued by the Maryland State Board of Electricians." Work above 50 volts must be done by "a master electrician with a valid license" |
| Homeowner | Allowed after passing DPS's homeowner exam (below) |
| Low-voltage installer (50 volts or less: alarm, cable, phone, network) | A DPS low-voltage permit, which "doesn't require an electrical license" |
DPS issues the permit automatically after the online application is completed and paid, but the application can't be completed if there are violations on the property.
The homeowner exam
DPS's homeowner electrical page (read 24 October 2026) describes "a Rough Wiring & Fixtures examination specifically for homeowners":
- You apply in person with "A valid form of identification showing his/her address as the address of the property", or a recorded deed if you own it but are not on the tax records.
- The exam is open book, using the NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code) book DPS supplies; you get two hours, and phones are impounded.
- If you fail, "they are allowed one additional attempt within a calendar year".
- Once you pass and pay, DPS issues "the electrical permit to complete their work".
The FY27 fee for the exam is $93.28 per attempt. DPS says it "is in the process of revising the homeowner's exam" because of Maryland Senate Bill 762, so confirm the current process with DPS.Electrical-Mechanical@montgomerycountymd.gov or 311 (240-777-0311) first.
Fees
From DPS's electrical and mechanical fee schedule, "Effective July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027":
| Fee | FY27 |
|---|---|
| Minimum fee, one- and two-family homes (plus equipment fees) | $111.94 |
| Heavy-up, residential, 0–400 amps / over 400 amps | $47.26 / $94.52 |
| New residential construction and alternative energy, 0–200 amps | $286.06 |
| 201–400 amps / over 400 amps | $416.65 / $559.68 |
| Homeowner's exam, initial attempt or re-exam | $93.28 |
DPS says these are for estimation and it calculates the final fee at issue.
How to apply
- A stand-alone job (a circuit, a panel, a charger) is an "Electrical Without Building" permit; wiring in a remodel or addition is an electrical permit tied to the parent building permit (DPS).
- Apply and pay online; DPS says "Permits must be applied and paid for electronically".
- Keep the permit available at the site, and request "All required inspections" through DPS eServices or MC 311.
What 22,023 Montgomery County electrical permits show
From Montgomery County electrical permits, October 2024 to September 2026:
| Measure | Montgomery County electrical |
|---|---|
| Issued | 22,023 (38% of all county permits) |
| Last 12 months / 12 months before | 11,143 / 10,880 (+2%) |
| Finished, permits issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025 | 79.5% |
| Usual days, issue to final (middle half) | 64 (18–124) |
| Busiest / quietest month (index) | October (113) / December (86) |
| ZIPs with the most | 20817 (1,990), 20854 (1,669), 20814 (1,263) |
One in five electrical permits from the first year had no final inspection a year or more later. If yours is one, ask the electrician to call for the final before the last payment; an open permit surfaces when you sell. 20817 (Bethesda) and 20854 (Potomac) lead. Solar installs also need an electrical permit and are counted under solar. More on county permit statistics, how long permits take and browse county permits.
Before you hire
Look the address up in DPS eSearch, as the Montgomery County building permit search guide shows, and check the master license number on your contract with eSearch's licensed contractor search. Rules elsewhere: electrical work, a panel upgrade, an EV charger, a generator. Costs elsewhere: electrical work cost.
What this does not tell you
The county's files name no contractor and electrical permits carry no job value, so there are no firm lists or costs. Rockville and Gaithersburg permits are largely missing. A final date is the county's final inspection date; a permit at Stop Work counts as open.
How we know this
Rules are quoted from DPS's electrician license fact sheet, its Homeowner's Electrical Exam and Electrical Without Building pages, and its FY27 Electrical and Mechanical fee schedule, read 24 October 2026. Our counts are dataMontgomery's Electrical Building Permits, read 19 October 2026: permits issued October 2024 to September 2026; days to final use permits issued October 2024 to September 2025.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 19, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Can a homeowner do their own electrical work in Montgomery County, MD?
Only after passing DPS's homeowner's Rough Wiring and Fixtures exam: an open-book, two-hour test using the NFPA 70 code book DPS provides. You apply in person with ID showing the property's address; once you pass and pay, DPS issues the electrical permit. DPS says it is revising the exam because of Maryland Senate Bill 762.
- Who can pull an electrical permit in Montgomery County?
DPS says the applicant must have a valid Master license issued by the Maryland State Board of Electricians, and any work above 50 volts must be done by a licensed master electrician. Low-voltage work under 50 volts gets a separate DPS low-voltage permit that needs no electrical license.
- How much is an electrical permit in Montgomery County, MD?
The FY27 schedule (1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027) lists a $111.94 minimum for one- and two-family homes, plus equipment fees; a residential heavy-up is $47.26 up to 400 amps. DPS calculates the final fee at issue.
- How long does an electrical permit take in Montgomery County?
DPS issues it automatically once the online application is complete and paid. Closing it takes longer: the usual permit issued October 2024 to September 2025 reached its final inspection in 64 days, and the middle half took 18 to 124 days.
- Does Montgomery County DPS cover Rockville and Gaithersburg?
Not for most building permits, which those cities issue themselves. Check which office covers your address before applying.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
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- What You Need to Know About Electrician Licenses and Permits — Montgomery County DPS (2026-10-24)
- Homeowner's Electrical Exam License Process — Montgomery County DPS (2026-10-24)
- Electrical Permit Without Parent Building Permit Process — Montgomery County DPS (2026-10-24)
- Electrical and Mechanical Fees (FY27) — Montgomery County DPS (2026-10-24)
- Electrical Building Permits (qxie-8qnp) — dataMontgomery (2026-10-19)