Montgomery County is launching a new program designed to allow qualifying residential and commercial projects to receive permits the same day.
Beginning the first week of November, the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) will launch its new Fast Lane program, an in-office appointment system for eligible projects.
Commercial Fast Lane appointments will begin Tuesday, November 3, followed by residential appointments beginning Wednesday, November 4. The program provides another expedited option for property owners, contractors and businesses seeking permits for smaller projects.
DPS already offers Residential Fast Track permitting, which allows eligible applications to be submitted electronically and generally issued within one to two business days. Qualifying projects include single-level decks and sheds under 200 square feet, among other smaller residential projects.
The county also offers a Commercial Fast Track process for small-scale interior alterations to existing commercial buildings. Under the Commercial Fast Track program, complete and compliant applications can receive comments or be ready for permit issuance within three business days of initial intake or processing. By comparison, DPS says standard commercial building permit applications can take four weeks to complete the first set of reviews.
Projects submitted through Commercial Fast Track must meet the program’s guidelines and comply with all applicable codes. Plans that cannot be fully approved are returned through the county’s ePlans system with partial approvals and, when applicable, information about necessary corrections.
There is no additional fee to use the Commercial Fast Track process. Permit fees follow the same schedule as standard commercial interior alteration permits and are based on the estimated value of construction, including labor and materials for mechanical, electrical and plumbing work.
Unlike a standard commercial interior alteration permit, applicants using Commercial Fast Track are not required to provide construction cost documentation to support the project valuation.
The new Fast Lane appointment program will further accelerate the process by providing same-day permits for qualifying projects during an in-office appointment. Additional information can be found here.
