Cecil County, MD Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Default closing time
- Sunset to sunrise
- Posted-hours parks
- Closed after posted hours
- Exception
- Department-issued permit
- Base citation fine
- $50 per violation
- Misdemeanor exposure
- Up to $1,000 or 30 days jail
Summary
County parks in unincorporated Cecil County close at sunset: staying on park property between sunset and sunrise, or beyond posted hours where a park has them, is trespassing unless the Department of Parks and Recreation has issued a permit allowing it.
Trespassing. (1) No person shall remain upon park property at any time between sunset of any day and sunrise of the following day except in parks with designated operating hours, in which case no person shall be permitted in parks beyond the posted hours of operation unless issued a permit to do so by the Department.
Full Breakdown
N(1) sets the park curfew directly: no person shall remain on park property at any time between sunset of any day and sunrise of the following day, except that in parks with designated operating hours, no person may remain beyond the posted hours of operation unless the Department has issued a permit to do so. N(2), separately bars remaining on park property after a lawful order to leave from a law enforcement officer or the Director of Parks and Recreation or an authorized representative, so ignoring either the clock or a direct command is treated as trespassing.
Both trespassing clauses sit inside § 261-5, "Park rules and regulations," which under § 261-3 applies only to Department parklands and facilities in the County, so the sunset closure governs County-run parks in unincorporated Cecil County and not the separate parks of the incorporated towns. C.
Violations & Fines
Staying past sunset without a permit, or past posted hours, is trespassing under § 261-5.N(1) and draws a $50 citation under § 261-6.A from Parks staff or a Deputy Sheriff. Refusing a lawful order to leave under § 261-5.N(2) is treated the same way. Either can instead be prosecuted as a misdemeanor under § 261-6.B, punishable by a fine up to $1,000 or imprisonment up to 30 days, or both, with each day of continued presence a separate offense under § 261-6.C.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Cecil County parks close?
Can I get a permit to be in a County park after dark?
What happens if I refuse to leave a park when told to by police?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cecil County
Compare Cecil County to another location·View the Maryland curfew laws overview
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