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Live Longer In Your Own Home.Design for Life
Property Tax Incentive Program

Design for Life logo

Department of Permitting Services
2425 Reedie Drive, 7 th Floor
Wheaton, MD 20902
311 (in the County)
240-777-0311 (outside of the County)
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/design

Design for Life, managed by the Department of Permitting Services, provides partial tax credits to property owners or home builders who install measures that improve accessibility, visit-ability and/or live-ability of residential homes. This legislation was promoted through efforts of the Commission for People with Disabilities and embraced by the County Council and the County Executive. For retrofits to existing single family homes, such accessibility measures can include things like installing entry doors wide enough for wheelchairs, providing a no-step entry into the home, improving bathroom access with grab bars or roll-in showers, wider doorways, etc.  This model program was initiated in Montgomery County to improve the ability of all residents to manage more successfully in homes, to improve people's ability to age in place and to make homes more accessible to visitors of all ages.

Credits are available for accessibility features added to single family homes and condominiums. Tax credits for improvements that make a home qualify as a visitable or livable home are available for single family homes and townhouses. If you add a feature and it costs at least $500 up to $2,500 you get a 50% credit.  If you make your home visitable the credit is $3,000 and if you make it livable the credit is $10,000, credit max is $2,000 per year. For more information view www.montgomerycountymd.gov/design/Resources/Files/PDF/DFLTaxCreditIncentiveTable.pdf.

The process for building permits with Design for Life (DFL) features is as follows:

  1. When a building permit with Design for Life (DFL) features has received the final inspection for the project from the Department of Permitting Services (DPS), the homeowner/applicant must complete and submit the DFL tax credit application (see attached).  
  2. The applicant must submit the required documentation along with tax credit application, which consists of contracts, receipts, and invoices to demonstrate the cost or amount of money spent for the project along with a complete list of features and costs of each feature. 
  3. The application is then reviewed and DPS signs off on the affidavit.
  4. The tax credit application package is then sent to the Finance Office electronically to process the tax credit information.


Download Design for Life Property Tax Incentive application: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/design/Resources/Files/PDF/DesignForLifeApplicationforTaxCredit.pdf

Please email edits, additions or comments to [email protected].
For information or to report abuse call 240-777-3000.