Rockville, MD Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 10 inches (254 mm)
- Noxious weeds
- Prohibited regardless of height
- Applies to
- Lot plus adjacent right-of-way
- Non-compliance cost
- Becomes a tax lien
- Governing code
- IPMC § 302.4, City-amended
Summary
Rockville caps weeds and grass on any lot, including the adjacent right-of-way strip, at 10 inches and bans noxious weeds outright under its Property Maintenance Code.
302.4 Vegetation. Premises and exterior property, including the public right-of-way adjacent to the premises or exterior property, shall be maintained free from weeds in excess of ten (10) inches (254mm). Weeds shall be defined as all grasses, annual plants, and vegetation, excluding trees, shrubs, and cultivated flowers, gardens, and planned natural landscaping. Noxious weeds shall be prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 5-287 amends IPMC § 302.4 to require every premises and exterior property, including the public right-of-way strip abutting it, be kept free of weeds over 10 inches (254 mm). Weeds cover grasses, annual plants, and other vegetation, but exclude trees, shrubs, cultivated flowers, gardens, and planned natural landscaping. Noxious weeds are prohibited outright with no height threshold. The owner or their agent must maintain compliance; if a cited owner misses the notice deadline, the City may cut or destroy the vegetation itself and bill the cost, which becomes a lien on the property collected like unpaid taxes.
Violations & Fines
Missing the deadline set in a notice of violation lets the City cut the vegetation itself and bill the owner; unpaid costs become a tax lien collected the same way as delinquent property taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rockville's 10-inch weed limit cover my whole yard?
What happens if I don't cut weeds after a notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockville
How Rockville compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Rockville to another location·View the Maryland landscaping rules overview
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Weed Ordinances in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Montgomery County handle weed ordinances.