Washington County, MD Fire Regulations: Smoke Detectors (2026)

Section 2-213(b), "Fire protection," within Article 2 of the Livability Code (Code of Public Local Laws) sets the county's baseline smoke-alarm standard for housing. Paragraph (1) requires the property owner to maintain all fire protection systems and equipment in proper operating condition at all times, and specifically mandates at least one smoke detector installed in each sleeping area in a structure; when activated, that detector must provide an alarm suitable to warn the occupants within the unit. Paragraph (2) layers on a broader duty: the owner must provide all housing units with smoke detectors as required under applicable codes and must maintain those detectors in working order, tying the Livability Code standard to whatever building or fire code detector placement rules otherwise apply.

The same section reaches beyond alarms to the rest of a structure's fire protection: owners with a fire suppression system must keep it free of mechanical defect and keep sprinkler heads clean and free of corrosion or paint; owners with portable fire extinguishers must keep them visible, accessible and in efficient working condition; and fire-resistance rated doors, smoke barriers, floors, walls and ceilings must be kept in a condition that preserves their rating, with door stops or wedges on rated doors prohibited unless the Code Official approves them.

A residential unit generally may not be located within a structure housing an establishment that handles flammable liquids with a flash point of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, tying occupant safety to the surrounding structure's use.