Baltimore County, MD Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime no-loiter zone
- 50 feet of the premises
- After-hours no-loiter zone
- 250 feet of the entrance
- Trigger
- owner request plus police order within 48 hrs
- Penalty
- $100 fine or 10 days jail, or both
- Exempt
- orderly picketing and lawful assembly
Summary
Baltimore County bars loitering within 50 feet of a business during operating hours once the owner has asked a person to leave and police have already ordered them off within 48 hours. A tighter 250-foot no-loiter zone applies after closing at bars, package stores, game rooms and arcades.
(b)A person may not loiter on or within 50 feet of a commercial premises during ordinary business hours if:(1)The owner, operator, or authorized agent of the commercial premises has requested the person to leave the commercial premises; and(2)A police officer has directed the person to leave the commercial premises within the last 48 hours.(c)Except if consent has been granted by the owner, operator, or authorized agent of a commercial premises, a person may not loiter within 250 feet of the exterior entrance of a commercial premises, including a bar, tavern, restaurant, package goods store, game room, or arcade, after:(1)The commercial premises has been closed for business purposes; and(2)A police officer has requested the person to leave.(d)This section may not be construed to prevent orderly picketing or other lawful assembly.(e)A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine of $100 or imprisonment for 10 days or both.
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 § 17-1-101 targets loitering tied to commercial premises rather than loitering in general. "Loiter" is defined as idling, standing, remaining or tarrying on a commercial premises without conducting lawful business, including staying an unreasonable time after business is finished. During ordinary business hours, a person may not loiter on or within 50 feet of a commercial premises once the owner, operator or an authorized agent has asked the person to leave AND a police officer has separately directed that person to leave the same premises within the preceding 48 hours; both conditions must be met.
After the premises has closed, the no-loiter zone widens to 250 feet from the exterior entrance of specifically named businesses, including a bar, tavern, restaurant, package goods store, game room or arcade, once a police officer has requested the person leave, unless the owner or operator has given consent. The section expressly protects orderly picketing and other lawful assembly, so peaceful protest outside a store is not swept in even if it continues after hours. Baltimore County Police enforce the section on a complaint basis, typically after a store manager has already turned someone away and called for a follow-up trespass warning.
Violations & Fines
A violation is a misdemeanor carrying a fine of $100 or up to 10 days in jail, or both, under § 17-1-101(e). Because the rule requires both an owner request and a prior police directive, officers usually issue a verbal warning on the first contact and cite only on a repeat visit to the same property within 48 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be charged for loitering the first time a store asks me to leave?
Does the loitering rule apply to sidewalks in front of any business?
Can I still protest outside a business under this law?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baltimore County
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