Annapolis's Noise Ordinances: The Rules That Matter
Every city handles noise ordinances a little differently. In Annapolis, Maryland, there are 7 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.
Decibel Limits
Annapolis caps outdoor sound by zoning district and time of day: 65 dBA daytime and 55 dBA nighttime in residential zones, with higher limits in mixed-use and commercial districts.
Key details: Residential limit: 65 dBA day / 55 dBA night. Office/mixed-use limit: 67 dBA day / 62 dBA night. Commercial/industrial limit: 75 dBA day and night. Daytime hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.. Enforcer: Planning & Zoning Director or Police Chief.
Violations are municipal infractions enforced by the Director of Planning and Zoning or Police Chief without a required warning; each repeat offense by the same person or property owner is cited at the next-highest fine tier.
Vehicle Noise
Annapolis adopts Maryland's COMAR 11.14.07.02 through .12 as the City's own Motor Vehicle Noise Standards, covering exhaust, muffler and general vehicle noise, enforced through the City's noise ordinance with municipal-infraction fines and no required warning.
Key details: Standard adopted: COMAR 11.14.07.02–.12. Enforced by: Police Chief or Planning Director. Warning notice: Not required before citation. Repeat offense: Next-highest fine tier applies.
Municipal infraction with a fine set by the annual Fines Schedule; no warning notice is required before the first citation, and repeat offenses by the same individual or owner escalate to the next-highest fine tier under § 11.12.120(B).
Leaf Blower Rules
Annapolis has banned gas-powered leaf blowers and leaf vacuums citywide since December 30, 2024, making all handheld, backpack, and walk-behind combustion models illegal to use anywhere in the city.
Key details: Effective date: December 30, 2024. Covered equipment: Handheld, backpack, walk-behind combustion blowers/vacuums. Electric blowers: Not restricted by this section. Enforcement: Planning & Zoning Director or Police Chief. Penalty: Fine under City's annual Fines Schedule.
Using or operating a combustion leaf blower anywhere in Annapolis is a municipal infraction under § 11.12.120, fined at the City's annual Fines Schedule rate, with repeat offenses cited at the next-highest tier.
Compared to other cities, Annapolis takes a harder line on leaf blower rules. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.
Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound
Annapolis caps outdoor sound, including amplified music, at 65 dBA daytime and 55 dBA nighttime in residential zones, with higher limits downtown and in commercial districts, enforced under the city's adopted Maryland noise standards.
Key details: Residential limit: 65 dBA day / 55 dBA night. Office/mixed-use limit: 67 dBA day / 62 dBA night. Commercial/industrial limit: 75 dBA day and night. Enforced by: Planning & Zoning Director, Police Chief. Citation: Annapolis City Code § 11.12.020.
Violating the noise limits is a municipal infraction under § 11.12.120, punishable by a fine set in the City's annual Fines Schedule; repeat violations by the same person or property owner escalate to the next-highest fine tier automatically.
Construction Hours
Annapolis applies its citywide decibel-based noise ordinance to construction equipment: work sites must stay within the same daytime/nighttime dBA limits set for the zoning district, since the code carries no separate construction exemption.
Key details: Residential daytime limit: 65 dBA, 7am-10pm. Residential nighttime limit: 55 dBA, 10pm-7am. Commercial/industrial limit: 75 dBA around the clock. Construction exemption: none stated in city code. Enforcement: Planning & Zoning Director or Police Chief.
Violating the noise limits is a municipal infraction under § 11.12.120, enforced by the Director of Planning and Zoning or the Police Chief; no warning is required, and each repeat offense by the same party escalates to the next-highest fine.
Quiet Hours
Annapolis cuts the legal decibel ceiling at 10 p.m. every night, dropping residential noise limits from 65 dBA to 55 dBA until 7 a.m.
Key details: Nighttime hours: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.. Residential night limit: 55 dBA. Residential day limit: 65 dBA. Commercial/industrial: 75 dBA, day or night. Enforcement: Municipal infraction fine.
Municipal infraction; fined per Annapolis Code § 11.12.120 and the annual Fines Schedule in the Code appendices.
Barking Dogs
Annapolis bans letting an animal disturb the quiet of a person or neighborhood, with a fine after one warning.
Key details: Citation: Annapolis City Code § 8.04.030. First incident: Warning only. Repeat violation: Municipal infraction, $50.00 fine. Enforcing agency: Dept. of Planning and Zoning.
One warning, then a municipal infraction citation with a $50.00 fine per the City's fines schedule.
The Bottom Line
Annapolis's noise ordinances rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Annapolis is broadly strict or permissive.
All of the above reflects Annapolis's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.