Rockville, MD Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Covers
- public AND private property
- Also bans
- dumping from vehicles onto roads
- Unknown occupant
- vehicle owner presumed liable
- Default penalty
- up to $400 municipal infraction
Summary
Rockville makes it unlawful to dump, deposit, throw or leave litter, including refuse, trash, debris and garbage, on any public or private property or waters in the City unless the owner or tenant consents or it's a designated disposal site.
Litter means all rubbish, waste matter, refuse, garbage, trash, debris, dead animals or other discarded materials of every kind and description.(2)Public or private property means:a.The right-of-way of any road or highway;b.Any body of water or watercourse or the shores or beaches thereof;c.Any park, parking facility, playground, public service company property or transmission line right-of-way, building, refuge or conservation or recreation area, any residential or farm properties, timberlands or forest.(b)It shall be unlawful for any person to dump, deposit, throw or leave, or to cause or permit the dumping, depositing, placing, throwing or leaving of litter on any public or private property in this City, or any waters in this City, unless
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 13-62 bans illegal dumping citywide. 'Litter' is defined broadly to include rubbish, waste matter, refuse, garbage, trash, debris, dead animals and other discarded materials of every kind and description. Subsection (b) makes it unlawful for anyone to dump, deposit, throw or leave litter, or cause or permit someone else to, on any public or private property or waters in Rockville, unless the site is officially designated for disposal, the litter goes into an installed receptacle, or the person is the owner or tenant (or has their consent). A separate clause in the same section bars throwing trash from a vehicle onto a highway, and presumes the vehicle's owner responsible when the specific occupant who littered cannot be identified.
Violations & Fines
Illegal dumping under § 13-62 is punishable as a municipal infraction under City Code § 1-9, with a fine up to $400, and each day of a continuing violation counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on someone else's private lot illegal in Rockville?
What if trash is thrown from a moving car in Rockville?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockville
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Montgomery County handle illegal dumping.