Charles County, MD Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Charles County, MD, sometimes called construction noise rules or contractor work-hour ordinances, set when contractors can run power tools, hammers, and heavy equipment.
Key Facts
- Weekday daytime cap
- 90 dBA, 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., weekdays
- After hours/weekends
- Must meet Table 260-1 nighttime limits
- Pile-driving exemption
- Fully exempt, 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. only
- Emergency work permission
- Written approval from Planning & Growth Management
- First violation fine
- Up to $500 civil infraction
Summary
Construction and demolition sites in Charles County may run up to 90 dBA between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on weekdays, but outside that window, including all day on weekends, work must drop to the much lower nighttime figures in Table 260-1, as low as 50 dBA near homes.
C. Construction noise limits. A person may not cause or permit noise levels emanating from construction or demolition site activities which exceed: (1) 90 dBA from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., weekdays; (2) The levels specified in Table 260-1 for nighttime hours at any other time.
Full Breakdown
m. Once that window closes, or on a weekend, a construction site has to meet whichever nighttime number applies to the surrounding land use, as low as 50 dBA for a residential neighbor (§ 260-3(C)(2), cross-referencing Table 260-1). m. Construction and repair work on public property is separately exempt at (A)(9), and § 260-4(A)(14) allows erection, excavation, demolition, alteration, or repair work outside the normal rules when necessary for public health and safety, but only with prior written permission from the Department of Planning and Growth Management.
Measurement and enforcement follow the same rules as any other noise complaint under the chapter: readings are taken at the property line of the receiving land with an ANSI-compliant sound level meter, and the Health Department's Director of Environmental Health, law enforcement, or a zoning designee can act as the enforcement officer.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the 90 dBA weekday cap, or the applicable nighttime limit at any other time, is a civil infraction under § 260-5: up to $500 for a first violation and up to $1,000 for each later one, with every hour of continued violation treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can construction crews work past 10 p.m. in Charles County?
Is there a different rule for pile drivers?
Can emergency construction happen outside normal hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charles County
How Charles County compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Charles County to another location·View the Maryland noise ordinances overview
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