Howard County, MD Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Howard County Code § 18.402
- Repair deadline
- 60 days from written notice
- Appeal window
- 30 days to Board of Appeals
- County exception
- Tree-root or utility-project damage
- Snow removal deadline
- 48 hours after snowfall
- Payment plan
- 5 years at 6% annual interest
Summary
Howard County Code § 18.402 puts the duty to maintain sidewalks, driveway aprons, and abutting sod on the property owner, not the County, except where tree roots from the County right-of-way or a County utility project caused the damage. Owners who ignore a repair notice face a County-ordered fix billed at full cost.
(a)It shall be the duty and obligation of the owner of property abutting a public right-of-way to maintain the abutting sidewalk, driveway apron and sod or grass within the public right-of-way in such condition as to be safe for public use. However, if the sidewalk has been damaged solely by the roots of trees in the County right-of-way or by a County water or sewer construction project, then it shall be the responsibility of the County to replace or repair the sidewalk damaged by the tree roots or by the County water or sewer construction project.The notice shall advise the property owners that they have a 60-day period from the date of notice in order to repair the sidewalk, driveway apron or sod.The Director of the Department of Public Works shall order the work done and shall bill the owner of the property an amount equal to 100 percent of the cost of labor and material.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 91 | Zoning: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
402(a) makes it "the duty and obligation of the owner of property abutting a public right-of-way to maintain the abutting sidewalk, driveway apron and sod or grass within the public right-of-way in such condition as to be safe for public use," with one carve-out: if the sidewalk "has been damaged solely by the roots of trees in the County right-of-way or by a County water or sewer construction project," the County itself must repair it. When the Director of Public Works finds an unsafe sidewalk, driveway apron, or sod strip, subsection (d) requires a registered letter to the owner of record giving a 60-day window to make repairs, notice of the right to appeal to the Board of Appeals within 30 days, and a warning that the Department will do the work at the owner's expense if the owner fails to act.
" Owners who choose County-performed sidewalk work may pay within 30 days or spread the cost plus six percent annual interest over five years under subsection (g), though the balance accelerates and becomes due immediately if the property is sold or transferred. Subsection (h) separately requires the abutting owner (or a multiunit building's lessor, unless a tenant has been contractually assigned the job) to clear snow from the sidewalk within 48 hours of a snowfall, and "property owner" expressly includes condominium and homeowners' associations under subsection (i).
Violations & Fines
Missing the 60-day repair deadline lets the Director order the work done and bill the owner for 100 percent of labor and material costs, with a right to appeal the Director's order to the Board of Appeals within 30 days. Separately, failing to clear snow from an abutting sidewalk within 48 hours is a misdemeanor under § 18.402(h), carrying a $25-$50 fine or civil enforcement as a Class E offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to fix a broken sidewalk in Howard County?
What happens if I ignore a Howard County sidewalk repair notice?
Does Howard County require homeowners to clear sidewalk snow?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Howard County
Compare Howard County to another location·View the Maryland sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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