Anne Arundel County, MD Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Anne Arundel County, MD, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Quiet hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Covers
- musical instruments, machines, tools
- Presumption
- violation if heard 50 feet away
- Fine
- $50-$500 (Class E civil offense)
- Applies
- countywide, except Annapolis, Highland Beach
Summary
Anne Arundel County bans loud musical instruments, machines, or tools audible in a residential district between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., with a rebuttable violation at 50 feet.
(c) Prohibitions. A person may not: ... (2) between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., use, operate, or permit the use or operation of a musical instrument or a machine, tool, or similar device at an unreasonably loud volume that can be heard in a residential district.
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
Anne Arundel County Code § 9-1-707(c)(2) prohibits using or operating a musical instrument, machine, tool, or similar device at an unreasonably loud volume audible in a residential district between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. A separate anytime ban in § 9-1-707(c)(1) covers radios, televisions, and other audio devices played at unreasonably loud volume in a residential district. Sound from either that can be heard 50 feet from the source is presumed a violation. The rule applies countywide, including unincorporated communities like Glen Burnie and Severna Park; it does not apply within Annapolis or Highland Beach, which enforce their own city codes.
Violations & Fines
Enforcement is a Class E civil offense: $50 for a first violation, $100 for a second, and $500 for a third or subsequent violation, issued by citation without a prior warning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply in Glen Burnie or Severna Park?
What's exempt from the nighttime noise limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anne Arundel County
How Anne Arundel County compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Anne Arundel County to another location·View the Maryland noise ordinances overview
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