Anne Arundel County, MD Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Anne Arundel 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
- Licensing authority
- Anne Arundel County Health Department
- Unlicensed burn distance
- 300 feet from occupied structures
- Licensed burn distance
- 500 yards from occupied structures
- Recreational fire cap
- Under 1 cubic yard, no license
- Violation penalty
- $125 to $1,000 civil fine
Summary
Anne Arundel County bans open fires without a Health Department license, though leaf and refuse burns, cooking fires, and small recreational campfires under one cubic yard are allowed without one.
(a) Generally required. Except as otherwise provided in this title, a person may not cause or allow an open fire without a license. (b) Issuance. The Health Department shall issue a license allowing an open fire if the Health Officer makes written findings that: ... (4) there will be no burning within 500 yards of an occupied structure or a heavily traveled public road, except that the Health Officer may recommend that a license be issued for disposal by burning by a method acceptable to the Health Officer if this distance limitation cannot be met...
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 requires a Health Department license for any open fire, burning material in the open or in a receptacle not connected to a stack or chimney, under § 11-5-103. The Health Department issues one only after written findings that the material originated on-site, no practical disposal alternative exists, and the burn won't create air pollution or occur within 500 yards of an occupied structure or a heavily traveled road. Section 11-5-102 exempts specific unlicensed burns: leaf and household-refuse burning where no public collection exists (kept 300 feet from occupied structures), food cooking fires, recreational fires under one cubic yard, and space-heating salamanders. This governs unincorporated communities like Glen Burnie and Severna Park directly; Annapolis and Highland Beach have their own municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
Burning without a required license is a Class D civil offense: $125 for a first violation, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for a third or later violation (§ 11-1-105, § 9-2-101).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves in my yard in Anne Arundel County without a permit?
Do I need a permit for a campfire in Glen Burnie or Severna Park?
Who enforces open burning rules in unincorporated Anne Arundel County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anne Arundel County
How Anne Arundel County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Anne Arundel County to another location·View the Maryland fire regulations overview
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