Local rules and regulations for Howard County, Maryland. Population: 332,317.
Verified from official government sources
Select a topic to see Howard County's rules on that subject.
Howard County has no separate amplified-sound permit, so loud music is judged against Section 8.900 and the COMAR 26.02.03 table. Amplified music received on residential property may not exceed 65 dBA daytime or 55 dBA at night, and electronically amplified event sound is not exempt.
Howard County has no outdoor-concert permit in its noise code. Outdoor music is measured against Section 8.900's dBA limits. Non-amplified sound from sporting, amusement and entertainment events is exempt when operating under county-imposed terms; electronically amplified outdoor music is not.
Unlike many counties, Howard County uses numeric decibel limits. Through Section 8.900 it adopts Maryland's COMAR 26.02.03 table: noise received at a residential property may not exceed 65 dBA during the day or 55 dBA at night. Air-conditioning and heat-pump equipment have their own caps.
Section 8.900 exempts motor vehicles operating on public roadways from the county noise limits, so on-street vehicle noise is governed by Maryland law, which requires every vehicle to have a working muffler and bars amplified exhaust cutouts. Off-road engine noise at a residence still must meet the COMAR limits.
Howard County has no dedicated leaf-blower ordinance. Section 8.900 expressly exempts lawn-care and snow-removal equipment used during daytime hours (7 a.m.–10 p.m.) when maintained to manufacturer specs. Running that equipment at night can still violate the residential noise limits.
Howard County adopts COMAR 26.02.03 for industrial and commercial noise. Noise received on industrial property may not exceed 75 dBA at any hour, and on commercial property 67 dBA daytime or 62 dBA nighttime. When a source is commercial or industrial, the county health department may enforce the limits.
Because Howard County has essentially no incorporated towns, the County Code governs all residents including Columbia and Ellicott City. Section 8.900 defines nighttime hours as 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and bars noise received on residential property above the state COMAR 26.02.03 limits, which drop to 55 dBA at night.
Construction and demolition noise in Howard County is governed by the state standard the County Code adopts. COMAR 26.02.03.02 lets construction sites reach 90 dBA during daytime hours (7 a.m.–10 p.m.) but requires them to meet the ordinary residential limits (55 dBA) at night.
Howard County handles a barking dog through its animal-control code, not the general noise section. Title 17, Subtitle 3, Section 17.302 treats an animal that disturbs the peace by barking, howling, or making noise as a nuisance, and owners must prevent barking that disturbs neighbors.
Howard County sets no aircraft-noise ordinance. Aircraft operations, flight paths and airspace noise are regulated by the FAA under federal law, which preempts local noise rules. Section 8.900 even exempts aircraft operations. The county noise code reaches only ground-based sources.
Maryland is restrictive. In Howard County the sale, possession and use of ground-based sparklers is prohibited; only party poppers, snakes, snap 'n pops and handheld sparklers are legal. All aerial and audible fireworks are illegal without a state display permit.
Manufactured fire pits, chimineas and luminaries must have spark arrestors, keep the fire area under 3 feet in diameter, and sit at least 15 feet from any building or structure. They may not be used on balconies or under overhangs.
Residential propane storage follows the International Fire Code, adopted by Howard County through Fire Prevention Code Title 17, Section 104. The county's published rule keeps gas-fired grills and propane appliances at least 15 feet from buildings and off balconies and overhangs.
Howard County has no mapped wildfire-hazard or wildland-urban-interface zones. Humid central Maryland is not a wildfire-risk region. The practical fire rule is a temporary open-fire ban: no burning when officials declare one due to drought or dry conditions.
Howard County, in humid central Maryland, has no California-style defensible-space or brush-clearance mandate. You may clear vegetation, but you cannot burn the cleared leaves or brush without a permit. Forest clearing may trigger the Maryland Forest Conservation Act.
Howard County prohibits non-permitted open fires except recreational, heating and cooking fires. Burning leaves, brush, trash, yard waste, refuse and building materials is not permitted. Land-clearing and agricultural burns need a permit and are only allowed October 1 through May 31.
Recreational, heating and cooking fires are allowed. Fires over 3 to 5 feet must sit at least 50 feet from any structure, cannot exceed 5 by 5 feet, keep a 10-foot safe area, be constantly attended, and burn only seasoned dry firewood. Call 410-313-2200 before lighting.
Maryland law requires smoke alarms on every level of a home, including basements, and in each sleeping area. Battery-only alarms must be sealed, tamper-resistant, 10-year long-life units with a hush button. Alarms over 10 years old must be replaced.
Howard County does not authorize residents to paint curbs. Curb colors and no-parking markings are official traffic-control devices installed by the county; parking restrictions are set by posted signs and official markings under Title 21.
Howard County zoning permits storing recreational vehicles and boats on residential lots, but on lots of 20,000 square feet or smaller storage is capped at one RV (30 feet or less) and one boat (20 feet or less).
Howard County Zoning Regulations Section 133.0 requires off-street loading spaces for commercial, industrial, and multifamily uses so deliveries happen on-site. On-street loading zones are established and signed under Title 21 traffic rules.
A vehicle is abandoned once it sits inoperable or unattended on public property, or on private property without the owner's consent, for more than 48 hours. Howard County Police handle disposal under County Code Title 17 and Maryland Transportation §25-201.
Countywide, Maryland law and Howard County Code bar stopping or parking on sidewalks, in intersections, on crosswalks, in front of public driveways, and within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. Posted signs and snow-emergency routes add limits.
Maryland law, enforced countywide by Howard County, prohibits parking in front of a private driveway without the owner's consent and in front of any public driveway. Zoning also bars storing inoperable or unregistered vehicles in residential yards.
Howard County has no single oversized-vehicle street ordinance, but zoning caps commercial vehicles at residences by lot size and limits RV and boat storage, while HOAs and Columbia covenants typically restrict large vehicles more strictly.
Howard County has no blanket ban on overnight on-street parking. Parking is prohibited on posted Snow Emergency Routes during a declared snow emergency, and signed streets, HOAs, and the Columbia Association may impose their own overnight limits.
Howard County is an EV-ready jurisdiction: County Code §3.105 requires new residential construction to include electric-vehicle charging infrastructure, and communal parking areas for multi-unit residences must provide Level 2 charging stations.
Howard County zoning limits off-street parking of commercial vehicles at homes by lot size: no more than one commercial vehicle on lots under three acres, and no more than two on lots of three or more acres.
Howard County governs every resident, including unincorporated Columbia and Ellicott City. A domesticated animal must be on a leash and under the control of a responsible person whenever it is off the owner's property; a dog off-property and unrestrained is "at large."
Wild or exotic animals may not be kept as pets in Howard County, and Maryland law separately bans possessing dangerous exotic species such as bears, big cats, alligators, foxes and raccoons statewide. County rules cover companion dogs and cats, not wildlife.
Neglecting, abandoning or mistreating animals is illegal in Howard County under Maryland's animal-cruelty law. Depriving animals of necessary food, water, care or shelter is a misdemeanor, and Animal Control can seize animals in hoarding or neglect situations.
Howard County's animal control law does not regulate honeybees, so hive-keeping is governed by zoning and by Maryland's state apiary program. Maryland requires every beekeeper to register their colonies annually with the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
Howard County regulates livestock through its Zoning Regulations, not the animal control code. Horses, cattle, goats and similar animals are permitted on rural and agriculturally zoned land (RC and RR districts) subject to acreage and setback requirements, but are restricted on small residential lots.
Howard County requires cats, like dogs, to be licensed annually and kept currently vaccinated against rabies from four months of age. Cats must not run at large onto neighbors' property, but the county has no strict cat leash mandate.
Howard County's animal control code does not set a blanket wildlife-feeding ban, but feeding deer, foxes or other wildlife that creates a nuisance or health hazard can draw enforcement, and Maryland DNR strongly discourages feeding. Feeding stray or feral animals is discouraged and can raise nuisance concerns.
Howard County allows backyard hens on residential lots through its Zoning Regulations. On a single-family detached lot of at least 10,000 square feet you may keep up to eight hens; roosters are prohibited and coops must meet setbacks from lot lines and neighboring homes.
Howard County does not ban any dog breed. Maryland repealed its pit-bull-specific liability rule in 2014, and dog liability is now applied "without regard to the breed or heritage of the dog." County rules target a dog's behavior, not its breed.
Howard County's animal control law sets no hard numeric cap on household dogs or cats, but every dog and cat must be individually licensed each year and kept currently vaccinated against rabies. Keeping many animals as a kennel triggers zoning rules.
Howard County sets no minimum liability-insurance requirement for short-term rentals, because it has no STR ordinance to impose one. Coverage is left to the host's own policy and any protection provided by the booking platform; a standard homeowner's policy usually excludes short-term-rental activity.
Howard County has no 'primary residence only' STR rule, because it authorizes no STR use to condition on residency. The Zoning Regulations define a 'Dwelling' as living facilities for one family and expressly exclude accommodations used for transient occupancy.
Howard County has no separate short-term-rental registration. Any owner renting a dwelling unit within the scope of the Property Maintenance Code for Rental Housing must first obtain a Rental Housing License from the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP) under County Code Section 14.901.
Howard County has no dedicated short-term-rental permit. Under the Zoning Regulations, renting sleeping accommodations to transient guests on a daily or weekly basis is a Hotel or Motel use, which is only allowed in commercial and mixed-use zoning districts — not by right in residential neighborhoods.
Howard County draws no 'hosted' versus 'unhosted' distinction, because it has no short-term-rental ordinance to define one. There is no requirement that an owner be present during a stay and no separate category for owner-occupied room rentals versus whole-house rentals.
Howard County levies a 7% room rental tax on charges to visitors who stay 30 or fewer consecutive days. The Rental Housing License fee is $93.50 per dwelling unit, biennial. Note the county room tax legally reaches 'hotels' with five or more rooms for rent.
Howard County sets no short-term-rental-specific overnight-guest cap, because it has no STR program. The one residential transient-lodging use it defines — a Bed and Breakfast Inn — is capped at six guest rooms and limited to historic buildings or farms under agricultural preservation easement.
Howard County has no short-term-rental-specific parking requirement. Because there is no STR program, guest parking is governed by the general off-street parking standards in the Zoning Regulations for the underlying residential or lodging use, plus County Code limits on where vehicles may be stored or parked.
Howard County imposes no short-term-rental-specific noise standard. Guests and hosts are subject to the same rules as everyone else: the Howard County noise provisions and Maryland's statewide environmental-noise standards under COMAR 26.02.03, which set day and night decibel limits at the property line.
Howard County imposes no annual limit on rental nights, because it operates no short-term-rental program that would set one. The constraint is not a night cap but the underlying zoning rule: transient rental of a residential dwelling is a Hotel/Motel use not permitted by right in residential districts.
Grills, gas-fired grills and hibachis may not be used on a balcony, under an overhang, or within 15 feet of any building or structure. Only electric grills that use no alternative fuel may be approved for balcony use in Howard County.
Smokers are treated as cooking devices under Howard County fire code. Kept at 3 feet or under, a smoker must stay 15 feet from any building and off balconies. A larger cooker over 3 feet used only for cooking must be at least 15 feet from any structure.
Fences that stay within the exempt heights need no zoning setback approval, but Howard County's building code requires a permit for fences over 6 feet tall. Taller or closer fences must also satisfy the district's accessory-structure bulk requirements.
Countywide zoning lets closed (privacy) fences up to 6 feet and open fences up to 6 feet stand in side or rear yards without a setback. Closed fences over 3 feet and open fences over 6 feet trigger setback and bulk rules.
Howard County defines a closed fence as board-on-board, privacy or stockade, or any fence 50% or less visibly open, including masonry walls. The open-vs-closed distinction, not the material name, decides which height exemptions apply.
An individual retaining wall three feet or less is exempt from setbacks. A series of retaining walls must follow the engineering design manual and cannot come closer than 10 feet to a property line adjoining residentially zoned land.
Howard County's zoning does not ban specific fence materials. Instead it classifies fences as 'open' or 'closed' by how much of the fence area is visibly open, and that classification, not the material, drives the height and setback exemptions.
A closed fence up to 6 feet along a shared side or rear lot line is exempt from setbacks, so it can sit on the property line. Maryland has no statute forcing neighbors to split fence costs; that stays a private matter.
On a corner lot, no fence over 3 feet may sit inside the sight triangle formed by lines 25 feet back from where the roads meet. Fences must also respect front setbacks from any public road right-of-way.
Howard County's adopted Property Maintenance Code requires exterior premises to be kept free of weeds and rank plant growth, but it applies only to rental and non-owner-occupied housing. Owner-occupied lots are not policed by the county; noxious-weed control is otherwise a state agriculture matter.
Howard County has no ordinance specifically prohibiting or requiring artificial turf for residential yards. Synthetic lawns are generally allowed, but because they are an impervious-type surface, large installations can trigger the county's stormwater-management and lot-coverage rules, and HOA design guidelines may still control appearance.
Howard County has no fixed lawn-height number for owner-occupied homes. Its Property Maintenance Code (adopting the International Property Maintenance Code) governs overgrown grass and weeds only on rental and non-owner-occupied housing; owner-occupied yards are left to your HOA.
Howard County allows residential backyard composting and actively promotes it. The county runs a Feed the Green Bin curbside food-scrap collection and sells discounted compost bins. Composting must be kept tidy so it does not become a nuisance, attract vermin, or violate property-maintenance standards.
A homeowner can usually remove a tree on their own lot without a county permit. But clearing that disturbs 40,000 square feet or more, or removes a 'forest,' falls under Howard County's Forest Conservation program and the Maryland Forest Conservation Act, which can require a plan, retention or replanting.
In Howard County you may prune trees inside your yard freely, but a tree growing wholly or partly in the public road right-of-way is a 'roadside tree.' Under Maryland law you must get a Tree Care Permit from the DNR Forest Service before trimming, cutting or removing it.
Howard County has no year-round odd/even watering ban. Water use is limited only when the state declares a drought. Under Maryland's Level One Mandatory Restrictions, watering grass is prohibited and outdoor water use is sharply curtailed; between droughts the county asks residents to conserve voluntarily.
Howard County does not ban rainwater harvesting. Rain barrels and cisterns are legal and actively promoted through the county's Live Green Howard and stormwater programs, which offer credits and guidance for capturing roof runoff to reduce stormwater and Chesapeake Bay pollution.
Howard County places no restriction on planting native or pollinator gardens. Maryland's low-impact landscaping law (House Bill 322, 2021) bars homeowners associations from prohibiting native-plant gardens, rain gardens, pollinator gardens or xeriscaping, or from forcing residents to keep turf-grass lawns.
In the R-20 residential district, a principal structure (house) may be up to 34 feet tall and an accessory structure up to 15 feet. Each Howard County zoning district sets its own maximum heights.
In Howard County's common R-20 residential district, principal structures must sit at least 20 feet from the front lot line, 10 feet from side lines, and 30 feet from the rear. Larger setbacks apply along arterial or collector roads.
Howard County's single-family zoning districts do not set a flat maximum lot-coverage percentage. Buildable area is controlled instead through minimum lot size, required setbacks, and open-space rules under the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations.
For above-ground (onground) pools in Howard County, the pool wall itself can serve as the required barrier if its top is at least 48 inches above grade, under Maryland's adopted 2021 code. Any ladder or steps must be removable, capable of being secured, or protected by an approved barrier.
A building permit from Howard County's Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits is required before installing an in-ground or permanent pool or spa. Design must meet the Maryland-adopted 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, and a compliant barrier must be in place before water is added.
Under Maryland's adopted 2021 pool code, every pedestrian gate or door in a Howard County pool barrier must open outward away from the pool, be self-closing, and have a self-latching device. A pool-side release must sit at least 3 inches below the top of the gate.
Residential pools in Howard County must be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches high, measured from the outside grade, under Maryland's adopted 2021 pool code. The gap between the ground and the bottom of the barrier cannot exceed 2 inches, and openings must block a 4-inch sphere.
In Howard County, spas and hot tubs equipped with a lockable safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 are exempt from the pool barrier fencing requirements under Maryland's adopted 2021 code. Without such a cover, a spa must be enclosed by the same 48-inch barrier required for pools.
Howard County has no separate 'blight' statute; instead the Health Code treats a property maintained in a condition that threatens health, including junk and improper refuse disposal, as an abatable nuisance countywide.
Howard County requires no license or permit for an occasional residential yard or garage sale. Such sales are treated as a permitted accessory use of a home; only temporary sign placement and traffic-safety rules apply.
Howard County regulates vacant lots through its Health Code nuisance rule. A vacant parcel that harbors vermin, accumulated refuse, or other health hazards is an abatable nuisance the Health Officer can order cleaned up.
Howard County does not supply trash containers. Reusable cans must be metal or tough plastic with handles and watertight, well-fitting lids; each item must weigh under 40 pounds. Residents set cans out only around collection day.
Howard County sets no countywide maximum lawn height for owner-occupied homes. Overgrowth is enforced only where it becomes a health nuisance (vermin, refuse). Rental housing must meet the adopted International Property Maintenance Code.
A carport in Howard County is an accessory structure subject to Section 128.0 zoning rules. Detached accessory garages and sheds have zero-foot side and rear setbacks on single-family detached lots, while other accessory structures must sit five feet from side and ten feet from rear lot lines.
Howard County permits an accessory dwelling unit inside an owner-occupied single-family home. The owner must live in the principal dwelling or the ADU, and a permit from the Department of Planning and Zoning is required. Recent Council Bill 3-2026 expanded ADU options countywide.
Howard County caps the total footprint of all detached accessory structures, including sheds, on a single-family lot. On lots in the public water-and-sewer service area the cumulative maximum is 600 square feet; larger caps apply to rural RC and RR district lots by acreage.
In Howard County a detached garage is an accessory structure that cannot contain a full bathroom, full kitchen, or living quarters. Converting a garage into a dwelling requires meeting the accessory-apartment rules under Section 128.0.13 and a Department of Planning and Zoning permit.
Howard County has no standalone tiny-home zoning category. A permanent tiny dwelling is regulated as an accessory apartment under Section 128.0.13, which requires an owner-occupied property, limits floor area, and requires a Department of Planning and Zoning permit. Tiny houses on wheels are treated as trailers, not permanent housing.
A home-based contractor may operate only after the Department of Planning and Zoning approves an accessory-use permit. The application requires a plot plan showing structures, parking, storage, screening, and driveways, plus a description of the use. The DPZ permit fee is $25.
Maryland registers, rather than locally zones, family child care homes. A registered provider may care for up to 8 children in their residence, with no more than 2 under age 2. Registration is through the Maryland State Department of Education Office of Child Care, with training and background checks.
Howard County's Zoning Regulations let residents run small home-based businesses as accessory uses. Home-based contractors are allowed in the RR and RC rural districts and on residential lots larger than one acre in the R-ED, R-20, R-12, and R-SC districts, subject to specific limits on vehicles, storage, and employees.
Howard County home occupations must remain clearly incidental to the residence, so on-premises business advertising is tightly limited. Outdoor storage tied to a home-based contractor must be screened from neighboring properties and roads by vegetation, fencing, or other appropriate means, keeping the business visually inconspicuous.
Maryland lets Howard County residents sell certain non-hazardous homemade foods, such as baked goods, jams, jellies, hard candy, and honey, from a home kitchen without a food license under COMAR 10.15.03. Annual cottage-food sales are capped at $50,000, and products must carry a required disclosure label.
Howard County's sign code has no special garage-sale sign category. Signs placed in County rights-of-way or attached to utility poles or trees are prohibited and may be removed. A garage-sale sign on your own private property follows the single-family residential sign standards.
Howard County allows political campaign signs up to nine square feet total per premises in residential districts and 32 square feet in commercial or industrial districts. Signs must be on private property, at least 15 feet from pavement, and may be displayed 60 days before through 7 days after the
Howard County collects up to four bulk items, each under six feet wide, placed at the curb within five feet of the roadway by the night before your trash day. Scrap metal must be scheduled, limited to two collections per year.
Single-family homeowners must place trash within five feet of the nearest public road fronting the home, out after 6 p.m. the day before or before 6 a.m. on collection day, and never blocking mailboxes or fire hydrants.
Howard County collects trash once a week, between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., for households that pay the yearly Trash and Recycling Service fee. Up to four cans, bags, or bundles are collected each week.
Howard County provides weekly single-stream curbside recycling to fee-paying households. Apartment and condominium complexes of ten or more units, and office buildings, are legally required to provide recycling collection under the county code.
Dumping refuse where it threatens health is an abatable nuisance under the Howard County Health Code, and taking recyclables set out for county collection is a separate prohibited offense under Section 18.610.
Howard County limits light trespass onto neighboring residential property. Measured three feet above ground at the property line, spillover is capped at 0.1 foot-candles onto lower-density residential districts and 0.5 foot-candles onto other residential property, under Zoning Regulations Section 134.0.D.
Howard County's Zoning Regulations Section 134.0 requires most outdoor light fixtures to be fully or partially shielded to reduce glare and skyglow. The rules apply mainly to commercial, industrial, and parking-area lighting, and to parking or loading lighting in residential districts, rather than typical home fixtures.
These communities are in unincorporated Howard County. County ordinances apply directly to these areas.
Ordinance data for Howard County is sourced from the following official government references. Click any topic above for detailed citations.