Underpinning Permits

When is this permit required? When you want to excavate a basement to lower the floor or achieve higher ceilings.

 

Criteria for Approval:

1. Provide the required supporting documents (see below)

2. If the underpinning is to be done on a party wall, the applicant must give written notice of the proposed underpinning to the owners of all adjoining properties, with a copy to the Building Official. This notice must be given at least 10 days before an application for the underpinning permit is filed. The contents of the written notice must:

3. indicate the intent to underpin the structure,

4. Specify:

5. the earliest date (to be at least 10 days after the notice is served) when the underpinning permit is expected to be filed,

6. the earliest date when the work is expected to begin.

7. identify the contractor scheduled to perform the underpinning and the contractor’s emergency contact information, including cell phone number and email address,

8. identify the architect or engineer who signed and sealed the plans and will certify the underpinning,

9. include a copy of all documents that are relevant to the adjoining property and are to be filed for the permit, and

10. include the following statement:

11. “The Baltimore City Building, Fire, and Related Codes provides that any person aggrieved by a permit issued by the Building Official may apply for a review of that decision. If you would like to challenge the issuance of this underpinning permit, your request must:

12. be in writing;

13. be made before or within 10 days after issuance of the permit;

14. set forth in full the reasons for review; and

15. either be:

16. mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the Deputy Commission of Permits and Code Enforcement at 417 E. Fayette Street, 3rd Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202; or

17. delivered to that Deputy Commissioner’s office and stamped received by the office.”

18. The Written notice must  be

19. personally served on the owner of the adjoining property, or

20. sent both by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and by first class mail to the owner at:

21. the adjoining property’s mailing address, and

22. if different, the owner’s mailing address recorded in the property’s tax records

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Required Supporting Documents:

1. Structural Drawings that

2. indicate the exact sequence of operation, and

3. are signed and sealed by an architect or engineer licensed to practice in this State.

4. A statement of responsibility from the architect or engineer of record that the architect or engineer agree:

5. to schedule and attend, fore an underpinning permit can be issued, an in-office meeting with the Building Official’s plans examining office, at which meeting the architect or engineer and the contractor must be present and review requirements with staff,

6. to complete, sign, and return to the plans examining office the office’s inspections and safeguards checklist,

7. to coordinate and schedule a pre-inspection on-site meeting before any underpinning work starts,

8. to ensure that the work will conform to the structural drawings and all applicable codes,

9. to periodically inspect the work,

10. to immediately report to the Building Official any construction problems or irregularities,

11. to provide inspection reports with work activity photographs to the city inspector, and

12. within 10 days after the work is completed, to submit a certification of completion, and

13. if the underpinning is to be done on a party wall, evidence that the notice required was given. (see criteria for approval)

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Fees: 

TBD

 

How to Apply:

1. Make an account on epermits: https://cels.baltimorehousing.org/permit/Account_Setup_01.aspx

2. Log onto your account: https://cels.baltimorehousing.org/permit/Account_Login.aspx

3. Click “add application”

4. For the permit category, select: “Residential: Interior/exterior alterations(or demolition) (drawings to scale may be required)”

5. Complete the online permit application and include all supporting documents as attachments and submit.

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Approval Timeline:

Over 98% of permit applications submitted with plans are reviewed in less than 30 days.

 

Department Contact Info:

Baltimore City Department of Housing & Community Development

Phone: 443-984-1809

Email: dhcd.permits@baltimorecity.gov

 

Additional Information:

1. Documents must be uploaded when the application is submitted.

2. Document sizes are minimum 8 ½” x 11” to maximum 11” x 17”.

3. The work description on the application should include the following:

4. Underpinning of foundation walls as per attached engineer’s plans and certification. The engineer certification is required at completion of work and with a report of the exact dates of periodic inspections during the construction.

5. The Certification form must be notarized: 

• https://dhcd.baltimorecity.gov/sites/default/files/Underpinning.pdf