How to Get the CleanScapes Rebate
Howard County (Clean Water Howard) · Central Maryland (Howard County), MD
What you get
Howard County's CleanScapes program reimburses 75% of the cost of residential stormwater projects: rain gardens up to $5,000, conservation landscaping up to $3,000, and tree canopy up to $1,000 ($150 per tree). Site visit requests for the 2026-2027 program year are full. Also covers rainwater harvesting ($2 per gallon, up to $750), impervious surface removal (up to $2,000), permeable hardscaping (up to $7,000), dry wells (up to $2,000), and green roofs (up to $10,000). Homes must be built before 2003, and planted projects must use at least 75% native plants (Clean Water Howard, reimbursement cap sheet updated June 2026; last verified October 2026).
- Residential: 75% of cost: rain garden up to $5,000, conservation landscaping up to $3,000, trees up to $1,000
Are you eligible?
- Be a Howard County (Clean Water Howard) customer
- Property located in: Columbia, Ellicott City
- Howard County home built before 2003
- At least 75% native plants
- Pre-approval before installation
Before you start
Do not remove turf or begin work before you have written approval. This program requires pre-approval. Starting early can disqualify the project even if everything else is correct.
Application window: Site visit requests for the 2026-2027 program year are full (75 spots). Homeowners who already have a site visit report submit project applications September 14 through November 30.
The application checklist
How to apply for the CleanScapes
These are the steps this application actually takes.
- 1
Check eligibility
Make sure you qualify with Howard County (Clean Water Howard) before you start.
- 2
Get pre-approval if required
Some programs require approval before any work begins. Check with Howard County (Clean Water Howard) and take before photos of the existing yard first.
- 3
Do the work
Complete the project, take before and after photos, and save every receipt.
- 4
Submit your application
Send Howard County (Clean Water Howard) the completed application with your photos and receipts, then watch for the confirmation.
Get help applying
Want a hand with the application?
A 30-minute call with Stephen, the founder. He reads the CleanScapes rules with you, tells you what to photograph and file first, and answers anything this page does not cover.
Confirm your project ZIP first. If this program does not serve your address, do not buy; check your city or utility on the rebates page instead.
One-time $29.99. Guidance, not filing: you submit to the program yourself. Not legal or financial advice. Rebate amounts and approval are decided by the program.
Every program listed cites its official source, and each program page shows the date we last verified it against that source. Program details change throughout the year, so always confirm requirements, amounts, and eligibility directly with the program before starting work. Pollinator Patch is not affiliated with any rebate program and does not guarantee approval.
See a problem with a program? Report it
Programs change throughout the year. If something here is out of date or wrong, tell us and we'll check it against the provider.
What people report after they apply
We ask people who filed CleanScapes whether it was approved, what they were paid, and how many days it took. A public payout time appears here only after 5 reports include a day count. Your dollar amount is stored and is not published on this page.