Anne Arundel County, MD Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Anne Arundel County, MD, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- License needed
- No, if under 1 cubic yard
- Setback for recreational fires
- None specified in code
- Must not create
- Nuisance or air pollution
- Larger open fires need
- Health Dept. license, 500-yard setback
- Enforcement
- Health, Fire, or Police Dept.
Summary
Recreational fires under one cubic yard, like fire pits and campfires, are allowed without a license as long as they don't create a nuisance or air pollution.
(b) When license not required. The following open fires are allowed without a license if the fire does not create a nuisance or air pollution: ... (4) An open fire with a volume of less than one cubic yard is allowed for recreational purposes, such as campfires and bonfires.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-93: County Code is current through May, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Anne Arundel County Code § 11-5-102(b) exempts several categories of open fire from the county's open-burning license requirement, provided the fire doesn't create a nuisance or air pollution. Recreational fires such as fire pits, campfires, and bonfires qualify automatically if their volume stays under one cubic yard: no size-based setback applies to these small recreational fires, unlike the 300-foot dwelling setback imposed on leaf and household-refuse burning under the same subsection. Any open fire above that cubic-yard threshold needs a Health Department license under § 11-5-103, which requires no burning within 500 yards of an occupied structure.
Violations & Fines
The Health Department, Fire Department, or Police Department can order an unlicensed fire that creates a nuisance or air pollution extinguished on the spot under § 11-5-104; failing to comply is a separate violation of the notice-and-cure requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a backyard fire pit in Anne Arundel County?
Is there a required distance from my house for a fire pit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anne Arundel County
How Anne Arundel County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Anne Arundel County to another location·View the Maryland fire regulations overview
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