Fire codes

Maryland Fire Code & Departments

Mid-cycle adoption (2021) on the International Fire Code (IFC) track - 276 departments in the HIFLD roster.

International Fire Code (IFC) Adopted 2021

Maryland Fire Prevention Code (IFC based)

Maryland adopts the IFC with Maryland amendments. The State Fire Marshal has statewide jurisdiction and authority.

International Fire Code (IFC) · fires rank #19 of 51

Maryland adopts International Fire Code (IFC) (2021), shared by 33 of 51 states in this extract. 276 fire departments; the state ranks #19 of 51 nationally by annual fires (USFA).

  • Annual-fires rank #19 of 51 nationally
  • 33 of 51 states share this code type
  • 19 career / 159 volunteer depts
276
Fire Departments
34,910
Total Personnel
159
Volunteer Depts
19
Career Depts

Largest Fire Departments in Maryland

#1
Baltimore County Fire Department
Towson
6,545 personnel
#2
Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association
Frederick
2,807 personnel
#3
Prince Georges County Fire Department
Largo
1,981 personnel
#4
Baltimore City Fire
Baltimore
1,752 personnel
#5
Howard County Fire Department
Columbia
982 personnel
View all 276 departments in Maryland →

Maryland: mid-cycle code desk

Mid-cycle vintage (2021) on the International Fire Code (IFC) track. 33 of 51 states share the family. Expect comments citing both the state floor and newer local amendments.

Enforcement capacity is volunteer-dominant: 159 volunteer vs 19 career departments (11% career among typed orgs), with 34,910 personnel on HIFLD. In this mix, statewide code language matters most where the state fire marshal or county inspector fills gaps rural companies cannot staff full-time. Largest roster in-state: Baltimore County Fire Department (6,545 personnel, 18.7% of the state total).

USFA annual-fires rank for Maryland is #19 of 51 (~32,800 fires/year ; 67 fire deaths; 394 injuries). Pair that incident load with the adoption vintage above when judging how hard the code is tested in the field. Figures: HIFLD Open Data ( FEMA / U.S. Fire Administration ), USFA published statistics, and state code-adoption records in this portal's extract.

Same International Fire Code (IFC) family: nearest adoption peers

  • AL · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • AR · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • CO · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • DC · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • GA · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • IL · adopted 2021 (same model year)

Frequently Asked Questions

What fire code does Maryland use?
Maryland adopts the Maryland Fire Prevention Code (IFC based) (adopted 2021). Maryland adopts the IFC with Maryland amendments. The State Fire Marshal has statewide jurisdiction and authority.
How current is Maryland's adopted fire code?
Maryland shows adoption year 2021 in this extract (mid-cycle band, 2019–2021). Local amendments can still tighten sprinkler or wildland rules beyond the statewide floor.
How many fire departments are in Maryland?
Maryland has 276 fire departments registered in the HIFLD database, including 19 career departments and 159 volunteer departments with 34,910 total personnel.
How does Maryland's fire load compare nationally?
USFA ranks Maryland #19 of 51 by annual fires (~32,800 fires/year in this extract). Pair that load with the adoption vintage and department mix on this page, high-load states stress code enforcement differently than low-load peers on the same code family.
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFireData

Keep reading: Methodology (HIFLD + USFA join notes for this extract).