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Washington County, MD Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Exempt condition
Emergency or power interruption only
Exemption scope
Duration of the emergency, Sec. 18.97(c)(5)
Also governs
ORI District, Sec. 21B.5(b)(3)(v)
Non-emergency testing
Not exempt; must meet Sec. 18.97(b) table
Civil fine
Up to $500/day, Sec. 26.2.1

Summary

Emergency generators are exempt from Washington County's industrial noise ceiling while running for a facility's essential operations during an emergency or a power interruption, under Zoning Ordinance Section 18.97(c)(5). Outside that emergency window, a generator's noise at a PI-zoned facility must meet the Section 18.97(b) decibel table.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Washington County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(c) The following sources of noise are exempt. ... 5. Emergency generators for essential operations of a facility for the duration of an emergency and/or interruption in electric power service.

View official code

Full Breakdown

97(b)'s table of 55 decibels continuous and 60 decibels impact at a residential property line, 64/70 at a commercial line, and 70/80 at another PI-zoned lot. 5(b)(3)(v), so both of the county's industrial performance-standard zones treat backup generators the same way during outages. Routine testing of a generator outside an actual power interruption or declared emergency is not listed among the five exemptions in subsection (c), so a facility running a generator for scheduled maintenance testing, rather than for an emergency, remains subject to the ordinary decibel ceiling. 101, and it does not create a separate, general residential backup-generator noise rule outside the PI and ORI industrial districts.

Violations & Fines

A Permits and Inspections zoning official can cite a facility whose generator noise exceeds Section 18.97(b)'s limits outside a genuine emergency, with a civil fine up to $500 per day under Section 26.2.1, due to the County Treasurer within 15 days before it doubles. Section 26.1 also allows misdemeanor prosecution carrying up to a $1,000 fine, with each day a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are backup generators exempt from Washington County's industrial noise limits?
Yes, but only while running for a facility's essential operations during an emergency or an interruption in electric power service, per Zoning Ordinance Section 18.97(c)(5). The exemption lasts only for the duration of that emergency or outage, not indefinitely.
Does the generator exemption cover routine testing?
No. Section 18.97(c) lists five exempt noise sources, and routine maintenance testing outside an actual emergency or power interruption isn't among them. A generator tested on a normal schedule must meet the decibel ceilings in Section 18.97(b), the same table that applies to any other industrial noise source.
Does this generator rule apply outside the Planned Industrial District?
The exemption is written into Article 18's PI District rules and repeated word for word in Article 21B's ORI District at Section 21B.5(b)(3)(v). It does not extend to residential or commercial zoning districts, which have no equivalent generator-noise provision in the Zoning Ordinance.
What's the penalty for running a noisy generator outside an emergency?
A Permits and Inspections zoning official can issue a civil citation under Section 26.2.1 carrying a fine up to $500 for each day the violation continues, or pursue misdemeanor prosecution under Section 26.1, which allows a fine up to $1,000 with each day counted as a separate offense.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Washington County

Parking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesLight RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome Restrictions

All Washington County rules

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