Washington County, MD Noise Ordinances: Construction Hours (2026)
Construction hours in Washington 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
- Exempt construction hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Governing district
- PI Planned Industrial District, Art. 18
- Same rule also in
- ORI District, Sec. 21B.5(b)(3)(iii)
- Outside window
- Must meet Sec. 18.97(b) decibel table
- Civil citation fine
- Up to $500/day, Sec. 26.2.1
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to $1,000, Sec. 26.1
Summary
Washington County's Planned Industrial District zoning exempts temporary construction noise from the county's decibel limits only between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., under Zoning Ordinance Section 18.97(c)(3). The same 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. window applies in the Office Research Industrial District under Section 21B.5(b)(3)(iii). Outside those hours, construction noise must meet the ordinance's regular industrial sound-level ceilings.
(c) The following sources of noise are exempt. 1. Transportation vehicles not under the control of the industrial use. 2. Occasionally-used safety signals, warning devices, and emergency pressure relief valves. 3. Temporary construction activity between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Full Breakdown
97 sets the noise standards that apply to every use inside it. , agricultural activities, and emergency generators running during a power interruption. m. 5(b)(3)(iii) for the "ORI" Office Research Industrial District, so both of the county's industrial performance-standard zones share the same twelve-hour construction window. 97(b): 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 line. window is specific to PI and ORI performance standards. 101, must show compliance with these noise standards before Planning Commission approval.
Violations & Fines
A zoning official from the Permits and Inspections Department can issue a civil citation for a Section 18.97 noise violation, carrying a fine up to $500 per day under Section 26.2.1, payable to the Washington County Treasurer at 35 West Washington St., Hagerstown, within 15 days or it doubles. Separately, Section 26.1 makes any Zoning Ordinance violation a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000, with each continuing day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can construction crews make noise in Washington County's industrial zones?
Does the 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. construction-noise rule apply to residential neighborhoods too?
What happens if a contractor runs noisy equipment after 7 p.m. inside a PI-zoned park?
Who enforces Washington County's industrial noise rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
How Washington County compares: Cities with the Strictest Construction Hours·Compare Washington County to another location·View the Maryland noise ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.