Washington County, MD Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Solid Waste Collection Licensing Ordinance § 4.5
- Scope
- County solid waste facilities only
- Rule
- No possession or consumption of alcohol
- Related bans
- Firearms (§4.8), reckless driving (§4.6) at facilities
- First violation fine
- Up to $1,000 civil fine
- Criminal exposure
- Up to 6 months, Washington County Detention Center
Summary
Washington County bars alcohol at its solid waste sites entirely. Section 4.5 of the Solid Waste Collection Licensing Ordinance states that no person shall possess or consume any alcoholic beverage at any County facility, a flat rule that applies at the landfill, convenience centers, and other county-run waste facilities.
No person shall possess or consume any alcoholic beverage or beverages at any County facility.
Full Breakdown
5 of the Solid Waste Collection Licensing Ordinance flatly bans possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages at any County facility, meaning the county landfill, its convenience centers, and any other solid waste acceptance site the county operates. 8 bars discharging a firearm or other weapon onto county facility property. 2. The alcohol ban does not extend to parks, roads, or other public property outside these solid waste sites; it is confined to property the county operates for waste collection and disposal. 3 layers on misdemeanor exposure of up to $1,000 and up to six months in the Washington County Detention Center for a knowing violation. 7 if their conduct is a nuisance or unsafe.
Violations & Fines
Possessing or consuming alcohol at a Washington County solid waste facility violates Section 4.5 and is enforced under the Ordinance's general penalty scheme: a civil fine of up to $1,000 for a first violation and up to $5,000 for each later one under Section 9.1, plus misdemeanor exposure of up to $1,000 and up to six months in the Washington County Detention Center under Section 9.3.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink a beer while dropping off trash at the Washington County landfill?
Does the county's alcohol ban apply anywhere besides waste facilities?
What is the penalty for having alcohol at a county facility?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Maryland public conduct overview
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