Baltimore stormwater performance bonds.
From $125.

Baltimore City will not issue a grading or building permit for a project needing a stormwater management plan until the applicant posts security with the Department of Public Works. This bond must be at least the estimated construction cost of the stormwater facilities. The premium is 2% of the bond amount plus a $25 fee, $125 minimum.

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Required by Baltimore City Code Art. 7 § 25-3 before a grading or building permit can issue

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Amount is at least the estimated construction cost of the stormwater facilities — your own estimate, submitted with the plan

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2% of the bond amount plus a $25 fee, $125 minimum — no cash tied up until DPW signs off

Instantissued the moment you paySoft pull onlynever a hard inquiryFrom $1252% of the bond amount + $25 fee

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Price

How much does a Baltimore stormwater performance bond cost?

2% of the bond amount plus a $25 fee, from $125. Enter your amount in the calculator for the exact price.

How it works

Three steps. One sitting.

The bond is the last thing standing between an approved plan and your permit. Here is the whole path:

TODAY · ONLINE

Apply online

Your company or ownership details, the project address, and the facility cost estimate from your stormwater management plan — plus a one-time consent to a soft credit pull that never affects your score.

INSTANTLY

Pay & e-sign

Most applications approve on submission, and the executed bond names the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore as obligee.

BEFORE YOUR PERMIT

Post it with DPW

Submit the bond to the Department of Public Works so your grading or building permit can issue. Wet-ink originals are mailed when the City needs them.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the stormwater performance bond guarantees

Baltimore City's stormwater rules (City Code Article 7, Division II) apply to all development within the City — any construction or alteration that changes how a parcel sheds runoff. For any development that needs a stormwater management plan, § 25-3(a) bars a grading or building permit until the applicant posts a surety or cash bond, or other security acceptable to the Department of Public Works. Section 25-1(b) lists a performance bond among the items a building permit cannot issue without.

The bond guarantees that the stormwater facilities in your approved plan — bioretention, ponds, filters, green roofs and the like — actually get built. It is a three-party promise: you (the principal), the surety, and the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore (the obligee), with DPW administering it. Under § 25-3(c) it is forfeited if you fail to complete the work in the approved plan, fail to comply with Division II or other applicable law, or miss an applicable time limit.

There is no fixed term. Under § 25-3(d) the bond is released only after DPW does a final inspection, you submit as-built plans with an executed as-built certification block, and DPW verifies the facilities are complete and comply with the plan. It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays the City, you repay the surety.

Baltimore City Code Art. 7 §§ 25-1, 25-3 · Dept. of Public WorksBaltimore City Code Article 7, § 25-3(a) provides that for any development requiring a stormwater management plan under Division II, a grading or building permit may not be issued until the applicant posts a surety or cash bond, or other security acceptable to the Department — defined in § 21-1 as the Baltimore City Department of Public Works. Under § 25-3(b) the amount may not be less than the total estimated construction cost of the stormwater management facility, estimated by the applicant and submitted with the plan. Section 21-6(b) exempts agricultural practices, a single-family detached dwelling disturbing no more than 2,500 square feet, other development disturbing no more than 5,000 square feet (each once per parcel), and state-regulated projects. This is Baltimore City, not Baltimore County, which runs its own program. Confirm the amount with DPW before you file.

You need this bond if you are

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A developer or owner seeking a grading or building permit on a Baltimore City project that requires a stormwater management plan

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A builder disturbing more than 5,000 square feet of land within City limits

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Building private stormwater facilities such as bioretention, ponds, filters or green roofs

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Replacing a cash bond with surety so capital is not held until DPW accepts the work

After you buy

Claims, renewal, filing, and what sets the price.

If a claim is made

A claim comes from the party the bond protects, the obligee named on the form, when the duty the bond guarantees is not met.

The surety investigates and pays a valid claim, up to the bond amount. You then repay the surety: a surety bond is a guarantee of your performance, not insurance for you.

Renewal and term

The term is set on the carrier’s application; the premium covers the period shown there.

Renew before the expiry date to keep the bond in force: the license, permit or contract it backs expects continuous coverage.

How to file it

Pay & e-sign. Most applications approve on submission, and the executed bond names the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore as obligee.

What sets the price

The premium is 2% of the bond amount plus a $25 fee, $125 minimum: the amount the obligee sets moves the price, not your business profile.

One soft credit pull, never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score.

Where a check runs, it decides approval; the rate is the same for everyone approved.

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual underwriting fields, including a one-time consent to a soft credit pull. The application includes a credit consent, but it authorizes a soft credit pull only — a soft inquiry that never affects your score. One soft credit pull, never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score.

Start the application →

FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the Baltimore City stormwater management performance bond?The premium is 2% of the bond amount plus a $25 fee, with a $125 minimum. The bond amount is at least the total estimated construction cost of your stormwater management facilities. Enter that figure in the calculator and your exact price appears before you apply.

What amount should I enter?At least the total estimated construction cost of the stormwater management facilities in your approved plan. Under City Code § 25-3(b) you prepare that estimate yourself — usually your engineer does — and submit it with the plan. If DPW asks for a different figure, use DPW's number.

Do I pay the full bond amount?No. You pay the premium. The bond amount is the surety's maximum liability to the City if the facilities are not built as approved — it is not a deposit, which is the point of choosing a surety bond over the cash bond the code also allows.

Is there a credit check?Yes: one soft credit pull, never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score.

Where do I file it?With the Baltimore City Department of Public Works, which reviews stormwater and erosion and sediment control plans as part of the City's grading and building permits. The bond must be in place before the permit issues, and it stays in force until DPW's final inspection and as-built approval.

Which A-rated carriers underwrite these bonds?Typically Arch Insurance Company (A.M. Best A+) or Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company (A.M. Best A). Which one writes your bond depends on the bond type and your state. The carrier's name and official signature are printed on the bond you receive.

How do I contact Light RFP about this bond?Email insurance@lightrfp.com. It reaches the bond team at Light RFP Risk Management Services LLC (NY DFS License # PC-1978982). Write to us about quotes, applications, bond forms or certificates. We will respond within 24 hours.

Related bonds

Other Maryland bonds.

Price and requirements checked on the carrier’s application, 9 October 2026.

Plan approved. Get the permit moving.

Enter your facility cost estimate, see your exact price, and post the bond with DPW. Soft pull only. Free until issued.

Start application