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Noise complaints › Baltimore County
How to file a noise complaint in Baltimore County
For a loud party, music or other household noise happening now, call Baltimore County Police at the non-emergency number, 410-887-2222, or 911 for an emergency; the Police Department's page lists 410-887-2222 for non-emergencies, and the Maryland Department of the Environment's list of local noise contacts names Baltimore County Police at the same non-emergency number.
Last updated:
Documenting this? A dated log of when the noise started, when it stopped and how loud it got is what Baltimore County acts on. Log noise levels for a complaint — free, runs in your browser, records no audio.
| Quiet hours | No general quiet hours in the County Code; Maryland's standard sets night as 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. |
|---|---|
| How it is enforced | Decibel limits for some sources, audibility for others |
| Emergencies | 911 |
| Ordinance | Baltimore County Code and COMAR 26.02.03 |
Where to file in Baltimore County
For a loud party, music or other household noise happening now, call Baltimore County Police at the non-emergency number, 410-887-2222, or 911 for an emergency; the Police Department's page lists 410-887-2222 for non-emergencies, and the Maryland Department of the Environment's list of local noise contacts names Baltimore County Police at the same non-emergency number. Under § 17-3-104 a police officer investigates domestic noise complaints and files a written report when a violation of § 17-3-103 has occurred, and those reports are what later allow a citation to the owner or landlord (§ 17-3-106). Police also enforce the unruly social gathering rule (§ 13-7-135) and deal with public nuisance alarms, first trying to reach the owner and then, if that fails, seeking a court order to enter and silence the alarm (§ 13-11-103). For barking dogs and other animal nuisances, contact Baltimore County Animal Services online or at 410-887-PAWS (7297), option 4; its page says citations are issued based on the information received from the complainant, who may be directed to complete an Affidavit of Complaint (a signed, notarized first-hand statement that is public information), and that complainants and witnesses must attend a hearing if the owner appeals. BaltCo 311 (dial 311, or 410-887-0311 from outside the county) monitors service requests only Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and noise is not among the issues listed on its page. Sources: https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/police, https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/Marylander/PublicHealth/Pages/noise.aspx, https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/animal-services/animal-complaints and https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/report-problem.
From the county's official pages and code, verified 2026-10-27. Numbers and departments change; if a line does not answer, the county's main switchboard or 311 can redirect you.
Before you call
- Log it. Date, start and end time, what the noise was and where you heard it from. Three dated entries carry more weight than one angry call.
- Measure it if you can. Baltimore County sets measured limits, so a reading near the limit is direct evidence. The free noise log runs in your browser, records nothing, and saves a dated report.
- Check the rule. Quiet hours in Baltimore County: No general quiet hours in the County Code; Maryland's standard sets night as 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. The Baltimore County noise ordinance page quotes the code verbatim, so you can cite the section.
- Try the source once. A neighbour, landlord or venue manager often fixes it faster than the county does, and telling them first strengthens a later complaint.
What happens after you file
Non-emergency noise reports are queued, not dispatched, so a first call rarely ends the noise that night. What it does is start a record against the address. Repeated reports, a dated log and a reading are what move a case from a warning to a citation. Where the county needs an officer to witness the noise, as most audibility rules require, file while it is happening rather than the next morning.
How loud is Baltimore County in general? The Baltimore noise map shows the federal transportation-noise data for every neighbourhood, and the apartment quiet hours page compares every city's night rule.
Who do I call for a noise complaint in Baltimore County?
For a loud party, music or other household noise happening now, call Baltimore County Police at the non-emergency number, 410-887-2222, or 911 for an emergency; the Police Department's page lists 410-887-2222 for non-emergencies, and the Maryland Department of the Environment's list of local noise contacts names Baltimore County Police at the same non-emergency number.
What are the quiet hours in Baltimore County?
No general quiet hours in the County Code; Maryland's standard sets night as 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.. The full rule, quoted from the code, is on the Baltimore County noise ordinance page.
Should I call 911 for noise in Baltimore County?
Only if there is danger, a threat or a crime in progress. For ongoing noise use 311 or the non-emergency police line; repeated calls build an official record tied to the address, which is what code enforcement acts on.
What evidence helps a noise complaint in Baltimore County?
Baltimore County uses both decibel limits and audibility rules, so keep a dated log and take readings when you can; which rule applies depends on the source of the noise.
This page is a plain-language guide to the reporting route, not legal advice. Ordinances and contact numbers get amended; check the linked official sources before relying on a specific provision.
