10 rules for unincorporated Howard County, Maryland.
Verified from official government sources
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.
Howard County Code § 8.900
A person may not cause or permit noise levels emanating from any property, such that the levels received on residential property exceed the levels contained in table 2 of COMAR 26.02.03.03A.(1).
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.
COMAR 26.02.03.02C
A person may not cause or permit noise levels emanating from construction or demolition site activities which exceed: (a) 90 dBA during daytime hours; (b) The levels specified in Table 1 during nighttime hours.
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 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 Code § 8.900
Daytime hours means 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., local time. Nighttime hours means 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., local time.
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.
COMAR 26.02.03.02B(1)
A person may not cause or permit noise levels which exceed those specified in this table except as provided in §B(2) or (3), or §C, of this regulation.
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.
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.
COMAR 26.02.03.02 Table 1
Maximum Allowable Noise Levels (dBA): Industrial — Day 75, Night 75; Commercial — Day 67, Night 62; Residential — Day 65, Night 55.
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.
Howard County Code § 8.900
a person may not cause or permit noise levels which exceed 70 dBA for air conditioning equipment at receiving residential property, and 75 dBA for heat pump equipment at receiving residential property.
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.
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.
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