Howard County, MD Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- County-wide fixed height
- None for owner-occupied
- Code applies to
- Rental / non-owner-occupied housing
- Authority
- Howard County Code Sec. 3.700 (IPMC)
- Enforcer
- Inspections, Licenses and Permits
- Owner-occupied complaints
- Referred to your HOA
Summary
Howard County has no fixed lawn-height number for owner-occupied homes. Its Property Maintenance Code (adopting the International Property Maintenance Code) governs overgrown grass and weeds only on rental and non-owner-occupied housing; owner-occupied yards are left to your HOA.
The scope of this code is limited to existing structures in the following occupancies... Residential: Use groups R-1, R-2, R-4; and Use groups R-3 that are not owner-occupied, occupied by the owner's immediate family, or owner-occupied with 2 or more roomers or boarders.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 91 | Zoning: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
Howard County is a charter county that governs Columbia, Ellicott City, Elkridge and all other unincorporated communities, so there is no separate city grass ordinance. County Code section 3.700 adopts the International Property Maintenance Code as the 'Howard County Property Maintenance Code for Rental Housing,' and section 101.2 limits its scope to rental and non-owner-occupied dwellings (use groups R-1, R-2, R-4 and non-owner-occupied R-3). The IPMC requires exterior premises to be kept free of weeds and rank plant growth. Owner-occupied single-family lawns are not enforced by the county; complaints there are referred to the homeowners or community association (e.g. the Columbia Association) that governs the property.
Violations & Fines
A property-maintenance violation is a misdemeanor: a fine not exceeding $1,000, or up to 30 days imprisonment, or both, plus possible rental-license revocation. Each day is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a set lawn-height number in Howard County?
Who enforces overgrown grass on a rental?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Howard County
How Howard County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Howard County to another location·View the Maryland landscaping rules overview
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