Baltimore County, MD Public Conduct: Skateboarding Rules (2026)

Section 18-2-603 draws a bright line for skateboarders: riding on a public highway is prohibited outright, no posting required, while riding on public property or commercial property is only prohibited once the owner has conspicuously posted a sign against it. The section does not define 'public highway,' but the term carries the same broad meaning used throughout Article 18 of the Code, covering county roads, streets, and highways generally. Because the restriction on public and commercial property depends on posted signage, a shopping center or municipal lot without a visible no-skateboarding sign is not automatically off-limits under this section, even though riding in traffic on the adjoining public highway always is.

The provision dates to the 1988 Code, Section 21-5, and was renumbered into Article 18 by Bill No. 56-01 and Bill No. 66-01 during the county's 2001 and 2004 code recodifications. Enforcement rests with the Baltimore County Police Department, which can issue a citation to a skateboard rider on a public highway or on posted property. The fine range set in subsection (b), not less than $10 and not exceeding $50, gives a court discretion within a narrow band rather than a fixed penalty amount.