Baltimore County, MD Public Conduct: Aggressive Panhandling (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- Soliciting on lane dividers, roadways, shoulders
- Application lead time
- At least 15 days before the date
- Permit duration
- Capped at 24 hours
- Civil penalty
- Up to $500, § 21-18-108
- Criminal penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $500, § 21-18-109
Summary
Standing on a highway shoulder, lane divider, or roadway to solicit donations in Baltimore County requires a permit from the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections under Code § 21-18-102, tracking the state ban in Transportation Article § 21-507. The Department must refuse the permit if the location or method would endanger public safety, and unpermitted roadway solicitation carries fines up to $500.
In accordance with § 21-507 of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, a person may not occupy or stand on a lane divider or in a roadway or shoulder to solicit without possessing and displaying a permit issued by the Department. ... A person who violates any provision of this title is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $500. ... A person who violates the provisions of this title is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $500 for each violation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 29 | Zoning Regulations: Supplement 10).
Full Breakdown
Baltimore County Code § 21-18-102 bars a person from occupying or standing on a lane divider, roadway, or shoulder to solicit, meaning to request an immediate donation of money or anything of value, without possessing and displaying a permit from the Department, and it does so 'in accordance with § 21-507 of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland,' the state law that already restricts roadside solicitation. An applicant must file at least 15 days before the requested date and disclose the sponsoring organization, the exact locations where each solicitor will be posted, the time frame and duration, how solicitors will travel to and from the site, and a contact person, under § 21-18-103.
The Department investigates the application under § 21-18-104 and must deny it under § 21-18-105 if any statement is untrue or if the location, method, or duration would harm public health, safety, convenience, or welfare. A granted permit is capped at 24 hours, must state the solicitor's name and address and the exact date and time allowed, must disclaim any county endorsement of the solicitation, and is copied to the Baltimore County Police Department under § 21-18-106. The solicitor must conspicuously display the permit while soliciting under § 21-18-107.
Violations & Fines
Soliciting on a lane divider, roadway, or shoulder without the § 21-18-102 permit, or failing to display it while soliciting under § 21-18-107, exposes both the sponsoring organization and the individual solicitor to a civil penalty of up to $500 under § 21-18-108, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense. The same conduct is also a misdemeanor under § 21-18-109, carrying a criminal fine of up to $500 on conviction, and the Department can pursue an injunction or other court action to stop it under § 21-18-108(a).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is panhandling on a highway median legal in Baltimore County?
How long is a roadway solicitation permit good for?
What happens if you solicit without the permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baltimore County
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