Baltimore County uses Maryland's statewide COMAR 26.02.03 decibel limits, measured at the receiving property line: 65 dBA daytime and 55 dBA nighttime for residential zones, 67/62 dBA commercial, and 75 dBA industrial day and night.
The county's own noise code (§ 17-3-103) is a reasonableness standard with no numeric threshold, so the enforceable decibel limits come from Maryland COMAR 26.02.03.02. Limits are set by the receiving (not source) zone: residential 65 dBA daytime / 55 dBA nighttime; commercial 67 / 62 dBA; industrial 75 dBA day and night. Daytime is 7 a.m.–10 p.m.; nighttime is 10 p.m.–7 a.m. Prominent tones and periodic noises face a 5 dBA stricter limit. Air conditioning equipment may not exceed 70 dBA and heat pumps 75 dBA at a residential property.
Exceeding COMAR limits is enforced by the Maryland Department of the Environment through abatement orders and penalties.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
baltimore-county-md
Home backyard composting is allowed in Baltimore County and supported through the Bureau of Solid Waste Management. The county collects yard trim (leaves, gr...
baltimore-county-md
Baltimore County has no ordinance banning residential artificial turf. Installation is governed by general zoning, lot-coverage, and stormwater rules, since ...
baltimore-county-md
Native and pollinator plantings are permitted in Baltimore County and encouraged for Bay-friendly landscaping, but tall native beds must still respect the 8-...
baltimore-county-md
Rain barrels and rainwater harvesting are legal in Baltimore County and encouraged as stormwater best-management practices. Maryland has no statute banning r...
baltimore-county-md
Maryland has no year-round mandatory watering ban; restrictions follow drought conditions set by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). As of 2026...
baltimore-county-md
Baltimore County's weed ordinance (Code 13-7-401) bars grass, weeds, or other rank vegetation over 8 inches tall. Noxious weeds are separately regulated stat...
See how Baltimore County's decibel limits rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.