Frederick, MD Public Conduct: Loud Party Ordinance (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code Sec. 15-46
- Residential warning threshold
- 3 qualifying calls / 12 months
- Residential probation threshold
- 5 qualifying calls / 12 months
- First charge after probation
- $100.00
- Escalating charge, 3rd+ call
- $500.00
- Appeal window
- 30 days to Excessive Use of Police Services Board
Summary
Frederick tracks repeat police calls for noise, alcohol, and disorderly conduct at a property and puts it on "probationary nuisance status," charging the owner up to $500 per call once the property crosses the threshold.
(5)Disturbance. "Disturbance" means any of the following conduct, when engaged in by a property owner, operator, manager, resident, occupant, tenant, guest, visitor, or invitee...(A)alcoholic beverage violation, including but not limited to public consumption...(C)disturbing the peace, as defined in Title 10, Subtitle II of the Criminal Law Article;(D)excessive noise, as prohibited by Section 15-21.2 of this Code...(e)Assessment of charges.(1)Amount of charges. Once a property is placed on probationary nuisance status, the Department shall assess a charge against the property in accordance with the following: First Qualifying Call (after placement on probationary nuisance status)-$100; Second Qualifying Call...-$250; Third or Subsequent Qualifying Call...-$500.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Land Management Code: Supplement 13 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 112).
Full Breakdown
2, when caused by an owner, tenant, guest, or invitee on private property. A qualifying call is one that responds to a disturbance originating on the property, results in officer dispatch, and results in an officer's determination that a disturbance actually occurred. For a residential property, five qualifying calls in any 12-month period trigger a written warning, and a residential property is placed on probationary nuisance status after five (the table lists nonresidential/mixed use at ten and multifamily at twelve for full probationary status, with three, five, and six respectively as the warning threshold).
Once on probationary status, the city assesses escalating charges directly against the property owner: $100 for the first qualifying call after placement, $250 for the second, and $500 for the third or any subsequent call, functioning as direct financial liability on the property owner for repeated loud or disorderly gatherings. Owners can appeal both the probationary designation and any assessed charge to the Excessive Use of Police Services Board within thirty days, with further judicial review available to the Circuit Court for Frederick County.
Violations & Fines
There is no criminal fine for a single loud party under this section; instead, the city assesses civil charges against the property owner once probationary nuisance status is reached: $100 for the first qualifying call after placement, $250 for the second, and $500 for the third or any subsequent qualifying call, collectible in the same manner as municipal taxes under Section 1-9.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Frederick property owner be fined for a tenant's loud party?
How many noise or party-related police calls trigger a charge in Frederick?
Can a property owner appeal a nuisance property charge?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Frederick
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