Anne Arundel County, MD Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Required clearance
- 15 feet from combustible construction
- Covered appliances
- gas-fired grills, charcoal grills, hibachis
- Governing code
- NFPA 1 (2018), as amended by county
- Violation class
- Class D civil offense, $125-$1,000
- Applies to
- entire county except Annapolis, Highland Beach
Summary
Gas-fired and charcoal grills used for cooking must be kept at least 15 feet from combustible construction under the county's Fire Prevention Code amendment to NFPA 1, up from the standard 10-foot clearance.
(a) Adoption. The following codes and standards are adopted by reference as the Fire Prevention Code for the County... "NFPA 1, Uniform Fire Code, 2018 Edition"... (33) In section 10.10.6.1, after "hibachi," insert "gas-fired grill, charcoal"; and strike "10 ft (3 m)" and substitute "15 ft (4.6 m)".
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's Fire Prevention Code adopts NFPA 1, Uniform Fire Code, 2018 Edition, and amends section 10.10.6.1 to expand its clearance requirement, originally written for hibachis, to also cover gas-fired and charcoal grills, and to raise the required separation from combustible construction from 10 feet to 15 feet. A companion amendment to section 10.10.6.2 applies the same gas-fired/charcoal coverage there. The rule applies countywide, including unincorporated communities such as Glen Burnie and Severna Park, where the county code is the only local law; it does not apply inside Annapolis or Highland Beach, which enforce their own codes. The Fire Marshal Division enforces compliance during inspections.
Violations & Fines
Violating the Fire Prevention Code is a Class D civil offense under § 15-5-102(f): $125 for a first violation, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for a third or later violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grill on my apartment balcony in Anne Arundel County?
Does this rule apply in Glen Burnie or Severna Park?
What was the clearance distance before the county changed it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anne Arundel County
Compare Anne Arundel County to another location·View the Maryland outdoor cooking overview
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