Montgomery County to Provide Free Residential Deck Maintenance Inspections During ‘Building Safety Month’ in May – MocoFeed

Check your deck! Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) inspectors will offer free residential deck maintenance inspections during May as part of the County’s annual “Building Safety Month” outreach campaign. The DPS deck inspection program is limited to 300 appointments.

Recognized throughout May, “Building Safety Month” is an international campaign to raise awareness about building safety and the importance of adopting modern and regularly updated building codes. This year’s campaign theme is “Game On!”

In addition to the free deck maintenance inspection program, DPS provides building safety information and resources on its website, including a deck maintenance checklist and a deck inspection video .

“Building safety is ensured through good practices, strong standards and community partnerships,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Programs like these free residential deck inspections are one of the ways we help residents take small, important steps that can prevent major problems down the road. I encourage homeowners to take advantage of this service and to stay engaged with the Department of Permitting Services throughout the year. Building and maintaining safe structures is a shared responsibility, and together we can make sure our homes and neighborhoods stay strong, secure and resilient.”

Beginning on Thursday, May 1, homeowners may contact MC 311 (240-777-0311) to schedule a deck inspection with a residential inspector. They can also request an inspection online by visiting the DPS website and submitting a service request. Homeowners should note they are requesting a deck maintenance inspection and include the property address and contact information at the top of the online form.

“It typically takes DPS inspectors less than 30 minutes to check the overall condition of a deck,” said DPS Director Rabbiah Sabbakhan. “They are looking at the support system of the deck, fasteners and the ledger attachment. Most collapses happen at the ledger-to-house connection. Now is a good time to examine the overall condition of your deck. If the deck is not self-supported, the first place to look is at the ledger connection. We highly encourage homeowners to take advantage of this free residential deck inspection service and to stay connected with DPS when it comes to building safety. We recently updated our building and fire codes, and safety is always our top priority.”

For more information about permits and inspections for residential decks , visit the DPS website.

DPS’s free deck inspection program does not extend to the city limits of Gaithersburg and Rockville, as those municipalities have their own permitting departments.

Building Safety Month Activities:

• The Montgomery County Council and County Executive Marc Elrich will present a joint proclamation for “Building Safety Month” at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 29.

• DPS Director Sabbakhan and residential inspector Bernard Marra will discuss building safety on the Montgomery Al Dia Spanish-language radio show at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 29.

• An outreach table with information about building safety and other permitting topics is set up in the DPS customer service lobby at 2425 Reedie Drive, seventh floor, in Wheaton. Customers who visit the DPS office during “Building Safety Month” will be invited to participate in a “Spin the Wheel” question-and-answer game to learn more about DPS services and building safety topics.

• Look for DPS Podcast episodes about building safety topics to drop in the coming weeks, and be sure and check out previous episodes on a variety of topics from deck safety to use and occupancy certificates.

• Watch this Fire Code Compliance (FCC) video to learn what an FCC inspector is looking for during an inspection.

• Learn more about “Building Safety Month” on the DPS website and join the conversation on social media using #MoCoDPS, #BuildingSafetyMonth2025 and #BuildingSafety365.

For more information about permits, the DPS customer service lobby is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday, and customers do not need an appointment to get assistance. Stay connected with DPS by visiting the website , following the Permitting Services Podcast and subscribing to the Constructive Comments newsletter.