Anne Arundel County, MD Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Required clearance
- 15 feet (4.6 m) minimum
- Devices covered
- hibachi, gas grill, charcoal grill
- Base code
- NFPA 1 (2018), county-amended
- Enforced by
- County Fire Marshal Division
Summary
Anne Arundel County's Fire Prevention Code requires hibachis, gas-fired grills, and charcoal grills (which cover charcoal smokers) to be kept at least 15 feet from combustible construction: five feet stricter than the national model fire code's default 10-foot clearance.
(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), then locally amends it. One amendment rewrites NFPA 1 § 10.10.6.1 to add "gas-fired grill" and "charcoal" alongside "hibachi," and raises the required clearance from combustible construction from the model code's 10 feet to 15 feet (4.6 m); a companion amendment to § 10.10.6.2 applies the same expanded device list. The rule applies countywide, including unincorporated communities like Glen Burnie and Severna Park that have no municipal fire code of their own; Annapolis and Highland Beach, which keep separate city codes, are not covered. The County Fire Marshal Division enforces it as the code's "authority having jurisdiction."
Violations & Fines
Using a grill, hibachi, or charcoal smoker within 15 feet of combustible construction violates the amended Fire Prevention Code; the Fire Marshal (the code's authority having jurisdiction) can order the device relocated or cite the violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this cover charcoal smokers?
Does this apply in Glen Burnie or Severna Park?
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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