Harford County, MD Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Harford County, MD, also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance, set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Key Facts
- Permit required from
- Dept. of Health, Air Pollution Control Office
- Application lead time
- At least 72 hours before burning
- Setback, general burning
- 500 yards from occupied structures
- Setback, garden debris
- 300 feet from neighboring dwelling
- Prohibited zones
- Towns, villages, subdivisions
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000/day or 6 months jail
Summary
Open burning of refuse anywhere in unincorporated Harford County requires a permit from the Department of Health's Air Pollution Control Office, applied for at least 72 hours ahead, under Harford County Code Section 109-12. Burning must stay 500 yards from any occupied structure or busy road, and it is barred outright inside town or village limits and subdivisions.
A. Open burning. Any person disposing or contemplating disposal of refuse on his property by open burning must observe the following procedures in accordance with State Health Department Regulation 10.03.38... (1) Permit. All types of open burning within the county are controlled by issuance of a permit from the local Department of Health, Air Pollution Control Office. The permit must be applied for at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the date of anticipated use. (2) Distance from occupied structures, roadways, etc. All refuse burning must be done at a distance of five hundred (500) yards from any occupied structure or a heavily traveled roadway... (4) Prohibited areas. All types of open burning are prohibited within town or village limits, subdivision housing developments or such other densely populated areas as may be specified by the County Health Officer. (5) Household trash and garbage. Burning of household trash and garbage is prohibited in all areas where collection service is available.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4988582; v46 updated 2026-06-09; through 06-09-2026).
Full Breakdown
38 as well as the county's own rules. General refuse burning must be conducted at least 500 yards from any occupied structure or heavily traveled roadway; a property owner burning only leaves or vegetable and flower garden debris gets a shorter 300-foot buffer from any neighboring habitable dwelling or workplace. Materials that produce dense smoke when burned, including tires, asphaltic materials and automobile body parts, may never be burned regardless of permit status. Open burning of any kind is prohibited within town or village limits, inside subdivision housing developments, and in other densely populated areas the County Health Officer designates, and household trash and garbage cannot be burned anywhere collection service is already available.
Section 109-12B separately bars visible smoke emissions from any installation or building unless approved control equipment is installed, and Section 109-14 lets the Director of Public Works and County Health Officer issue further regulations to carry out the chapter, subject to a public hearing under Charter Section 807.
Violations & Fines
Illegal open burning under Section 109-12 is enforced through Section 109-16: the Health Department or Department of Public Works issues a notice of violation or corrective order, and the recipient has 10 days to request a hearing before the order becomes final. A violator faces a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day per violation, or criminal misdemeanor charges carrying a fine of up to $1,000 per day and up to 6 months in jail, with each day and each violated provision counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to burn brush or refuse in Harford County?
How far from my house or a neighbor's does a legal burn have to stay?
Can I get a permit to burn inside a subdivision or town?
What happens if I burn without a permit and get caught?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Harford County
How Harford County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Harford County to another location·View the Maryland fire regulations overview
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