Charles County, MD zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
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Towns in Charles County: Waldorf, Saint Charles, Bennsville.
Flood zone by address
ParcelSheet reads FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer at the lot: the zone, whether it is a high risk area where lenders ask for flood insurance, and the base flood elevation where FEMA lists one. FEMA's countywide study for Charles County has 65 FIRM panels, the newest effective May 2015; coastal V zones, where waves add to the flood, are mapped along its shore.
The official panel and any Letter of Map Amendment are at FEMA's Map Service Center. An elevation certificate for a Charles house comes from a licensed surveyor and is often on file with the county or city building office.
Property lines
The parcel outline, parcel number and mapped size come from the Maryland Department of Planning, statewide parcel boundaries (MD iMAP), so a Charles lot shows the same lines the state Department of Assessments and Taxation draws. Charles County covers about 293,004 acres of land and 118,475 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation keeps the parcel record (Charles County website); a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
Charles County zones its unincorporated land. ParcelSheet shows the use the state Department of Assessments and Taxation lists for the lot and links the county planning and zoning office for the district, the uses it allows and the lot size it needs.
ADU and guest houses
Under Maryland's Land Use Article (Annotated Code of Maryland, Land Use Title 4, Zoning), local governments can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether a Charles lot can add one depends on its district; the county planning and zoning office has the rule. ParcelSheet shows the mapped lot size and the ground's slope, the first two things the question turns on.
Septic and soil
ParcelSheet reads the USDA soil survey at the lot: the soil's name, its septic absorption rating and whether it is prime farmland. Charles County is soil survey area MD017, Charles County, Maryland, last updated September 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Charles County needs a permit from the Charles County health department (under Maryland Department of the Environment onsite systems rules).
Setbacks
Setbacks in Charles County come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the county zoning office gives them for the lot's district.
Hazards that apply
- Storm surge. Charles County has coastal V zones on its FEMA map, so storm surge reaches its shore. The county's evacuation zones are on its emergency management site; ParcelSheet shows the FEMA zone and the 3 ft sea level rise map at the lot.
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near a Charles lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Charles County?
Type the address in the box above and ParcelSheet reads FEMA's flood zone at the lot's center. FEMA's countywide flood map for Charles County has 65 panels, the newest effective May 2015. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Charles County?
Open the Maryland map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation shows on the map with its parcel number and mapped size. Mapped lines are approximate; only a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
What is my property zoned in Charles County?
Zoning in Charles County is set by the county for unincorporated land and by each city inside its own limits. ParcelSheet shows the use code the state Department of Assessments and Taxation lists and links the office that sets the zoning; the planning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in Charles County?
Under Maryland's Land Use Article (Annotated Code of Maryland, Land Use Title 4, Zoning), counties and cities can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In Charles County ask the zoning office for the lot's district first; ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped so you can see the room you have.
Do I need a septic permit in Charles County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Charles County needs a permit from the Charles County health department (under Maryland Department of the Environment onsite systems rules). ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area MD017 (Charles County, Maryland).
What can I build on 5 acres in Charles County?
Zoning in Charles County is set by the county for unincorporated land and each city inside its own limits. The zoning district decides the uses, how many homes and the smallest lot it allows on 5 acres. ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped and the use code on the parcel record; the planning office has the district and its rules. See the Charles County website.
What are the residential setbacks in Charles County (2026)?
Setbacks in Charles County come from the zoning code of the county, or of the city when the lot is inside city limits: the front, side and rear distances depend on the lot's district. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines or give a number it did not read; the zoning office gives them for the district. See the Charles County website.
Next to Charles County: Calvert County, Prince George's County, St. Mary's County.
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