Anne Arundel County, MD Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- County deadline
- July 1, 2030
- Who is covered
- County departments/offices only
- Public/private use
- Not restricted by this law
- Replacement timing
- As units wear out or funded
- Citation
- County Code § 8-2-124
Summary
Anne Arundel County will stop buying, leasing, and using gas-powered handheld and backpack leaf blowers in its own operations by July 1, 2030, but the phase-out covers only county departments and offices, not residents or landscaping companies.
(c) Replacement of County hand-held or backpack lawn equipment. (1) As of July 1, 2030, all departments and offices of Anne Arundel County may not purchase, lease, or use hand-held or backpack-type gas powered leaf blowers for any purpose. (2) Prior to July 1, 2030, existing hand-held and backpack-type gas powered leaf blowers shall be replaced with zero emission leaf blowers as they reach the end of their useful life or as funding becomes available.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-93: County Code is current through May, 2026).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 8-2-124 phases out gas-powered handheld and backpack leaf blowers from Anne Arundel County government's own operations, not from private use. Existing county units must be replaced with zero-emission models as they wear out or funding allows, and beginning July 1, 2030 no county department or office may purchase, lease, or use a gas-powered handheld or backpack blower for any purpose. The Office of Central Services must arrange contracts for replacement equipment, chargers, and batteries. The law applies only to county-owned equipment: residents, landscaping companies, and other private users in Glen Burnie, Severna Park, and elsewhere in the county face no local restriction on gas leaf blowers.
Violations & Fines
The section carries no fines for private residents or businesses: gas leaf blowers remain legal to buy, own, and use countywide. It only binds county departments and offices to retire their own gas units by July 1, 2030.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Anne Arundel County ban gas leaf blowers for residents?
When must county agencies switch to zero-emission leaf blowers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anne Arundel County
How Anne Arundel County compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·Compare Anne Arundel County to another location·View the Maryland noise ordinances overview
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