Prince George's County, MD Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- County Code § 19-123(b)(13)
- Air conditioning noise cap
- 70 dBA
- Heat pump noise cap
- 75 dBA
- General residential nighttime cap
- 55 dBA
- First-offense fine
- up to $1,000
- Repeat-offense fine
- up to $1,500
- Last amended by
- CB-073-2024
Summary
Prince George's County gives residential air conditioning and heat pump equipment its own, more lenient noise ceiling than the general dBA table. County Code § 19-123(b)(13) caps air conditioning noise at 70 dBA and heat pump noise at 75 dBA measured at a receiving residential property, both well above the ordinary 65 dBA daytime and 55 dBA nighttime residential limits set in § 19-122(a)(1).
(13)Air conditioning or heat pump equipment used to cool or heat housing on residential property; for this equipment, a person may not cause or permit noise levels which exceed 70 dBA for air conditioning equipment at receiving residential property and 75 dBA for heat pump equipment at receiving residential property;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2026 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
) and 55 dBA at night, under § 19-122(a)(1). Section 19-123, titled 'Exemptions,' carves out eighteen categories of sound that the general prohibition does not reach, and item 13 addresses home HVAC directly: air conditioning or heat pump equipment used to cool or heat housing on residential property may not exceed 70 dBA for air conditioning equipment and 75 dBA for heat pump equipment at the receiving residential property. is measured against 70 or 75 dBA, not the 55 dBA nighttime figure that would otherwise apply, because the county judged HVAC equipment against a purpose-built standard rather than the zone table.
The carve-out is not unlimited: it applies only to equipment cooling or heating housing on residential property, so a commercial rooftop unit or a portable generator does not qualify for the higher ceiling. Readings are taken under § 19-126 with equipment meeting ANSI, ASTM, or EPA measurement standards, and for multiple sources the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement may measure at any point to isolate which unit is responsible. The current 70/75 dBA figures and the surrounding exemption list were last amended by CB-073-2024.
Violations & Fines
Running an air conditioner or heat pump above the 70 or 75 dBA ceiling is enforced the same way as any other noise violation: a misdemeanor fine up to $1,000 for a first offense and $1,500 for each later one, or up to 30 days in jail, with continuing noise charged day by day under § 19-124(a). DPIE, the Police Chief, or an enforcement officer may issue a civil citation for the same amount instead, and two citations at one address within a year lets the county cite the property owner or landlord under § 19-125.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Prince George's County limit how loud my AC unit can be?
Why does a heat pump get a higher noise limit than an air conditioner?
Does the HVAC exemption cover a commercial building's rooftop unit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
Compare Prince George's County to another location·View the Maryland noise from specific sources overview
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