Property Maintenance in Maryland (2026)

In Baltimore County, an owner may not create or allow a nuisance on their property that is detrimental to public…

City Code § 5-11 lets the City of Bowie condemn and placard any building found damaged, decayed, unsanitary, unsafe, or…

Prince George's County enforces exterior property-maintenance standards countywide under County Code Subtitle 13…

Washington County's Code Official may condemn, placard, or order the vacating of any structure found unsafe or unfit…

Chapter 475 lets Allegany County's Codes Inspector declare a vacant, structurally unsound building an 'unsafe…

Annapolis condemns dwellings as unfit for human habitation when they're hazardously damaged, unsanitary, or lack…

The Health Officer can declare a vacant, deteriorating property a nuisance property and force the owner to board it up…

Calvert County's Minimum Livability Code lets the Code Official condemn any structure found 'unsafe or unfit for human…

Under the Livability Code, Carroll County can condemn and placard any premises or building its officials find unsafe or…

Cecil County Code § 157-8 lets the Code Official condemn any structure found unsafe or unfit for human occupancy, order…

Charles County treats a rundown building exterior as a public nuisance under Code § 85-2: broken windows, flaking…

Frederick's code official can condemn any structure found unsafe, unlawful, or unfit for human occupancy, posting a…

Gaithersburg's local amendment to the state-adopted International Residential Code, City Code § 5-5(23), lets the…

Under Harford County Code § 162-6, the Livability Code Official can recommend that a dangerous, decayed or structurally…

Howard County's Health Officer can declare a property a public-health nuisance under County Code Section 12.110 for…

Montgomery County code makes it illegal to store trash, unused vehicles, scrap building material, or abandoned…

In unincorporated Queen Anne's County, § 15-13 lets the Code Official condemn, placard and vacate a residential…

Rockville declares any building meeting its dangerous-building criteria, structural failure, fire damage, unsafe…

In unincorporated Wicomico County, any building the Housing Official finds dangerous or a threat to public health or…

In unincorporated Worcester County, Maryland, a dilapidated, burned-out, fallen-down or decayed structure that is…

In Baltimore County, vacant lots must be kept free of overgrown weeds and dumped material. The 8-inch weed limit and…

Prince George's County requires vacant and unimproved lots to be kept free of litter, debris, and overgrown weeds…

Anne Arundel County bans rank vegetation and noxious weeds over 12 inches tall on most vacant and improved property…

The City of Bowie bans dumping refuse, brush or grass clippings on any vacant lot, easement or open space under § 10-1…

In Calvert County outside Chesapeake Beach and North Beach, even an unimproved lot in a listed zoning district may not…

Cecil County can order a property owner, including the owner of a vacant lot, to clear trees, bushes, vines, weeds…

Charles County's adopted Building Code sets a 12-inch cap on weeds and plant growth under § 224-1.8, amending…

Harford County Code § 161-8 bars anyone from throwing, placing or depositing litter on any public or private lot…

Howard County regulates vacant lots through its Health Code nuisance rule. A vacant parcel that harbors vermin…

Montgomery County bans generalized weed growth and any plant growth over 12 inches tall within 15 feet of a property…

In unincorporated Queen Anne's County, Maryland, no one can allow junk, garbage, refuse or rubbish to sit on any…

Rockville's solid waste code doesn't stop at occupied buildings. Chapter 20 makes the owner of any vacant lot…

In unincorporated Wicomico County, leaving unscreened appliances or construction debris out in the open on a vacant or…

In unincorporated Worcester County, Maryland, a vacant lot becomes a public nuisance if rubbish, household trash or…

In unincorporated Allegany County, owners of property abutting a public sidewalk must keep the surface clear of leaves…

Annapolis property owners must clear sidewalk snow, sleet, or ice within three hours of it stopping, or by 11 a.m. the…

Anne Arundel County gives property owners 24 hours to clear sidewalk snow or ice under three inches, and 48 hours for…

In the City of Bowie, every owner or lessor of residential or commercial property abutting a paved sidewalk or driveway…

Carroll County gives the owner, tenant, or occupant of a property 12 hours to clear ice or an accumulation of snow off…

Frederick declares snow-covered sidewalks a public nuisance and gives property owners just 12 hours after snow stops…

Gaithersburg bans leaving snow or ice on a sidewalk abutting your property. If it's reported, the city manager gives…

Montgomery County property owners, tenants, and managers must clear sidewalk snow and ice within 24 hours after…

Prince George's County property owners and lessors must clear snow and ice from sidewalks abutting their land within 48…

In unincorporated Queen Anne's County, abutting property owners are responsible for sidewalk surface maintenance…

Rockville property owners must clear sidewalk snow and ice within 24, 48 or 72 hours depending on how much fell, or the…