Form 9-209 is the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) application for a temporary exemption from the maximum permissible sound levels in the Baltimore City Health Code. It is meant for a private event that may exceed those levels and disturb the community. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the application itself goes to the BCHD Bureau of Environmental Health by mail or fax, as described below.
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What is 9-209?
BCHD Form 9-209, Application for Temporary Exemption from Maximum Permissible Sound Levels (Health Code §9-209), is the form a person or organization uses to ask the Baltimore City Health Commissioner for permission to exceed permissible noise levels at a private event.
The form is issued by the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD), Bureau of Environmental Health, Environmental Inspection Services. An approved Temporary Exemption allows sound to exceed the permissible levels by 25 decibels. The levels that apply to the area of your event are set in Baltimore City Health Code §§ 9-206 to 9-207. The exemption does not allow more than that 25-decibel increase: the form warns that a citation may be issued or other legal action pursued for sound above it.
The application asks for the date, times and exact location of the event, the equipment that will produce the sound, the person in charge of that equipment, the type of event and expected attendance, and the reason the exemption is needed. It also asks whether the event is in a City park or needs a street closed. The Health Commissioner marks the "For Official Use Only" block Approved or Disapproved.
Form 9-209 is for private events. For a public event, the instructions direct you to BCHD Form 9-303.
Who needs to file 9-209?
Anyone planning a private event who believes the sound may exceed permissible levels and disturb other members of the community may request a Temporary Exemption with this form. The instructions describe the request as an option ("you may wish to request"), not a duty for every event.
- Private events: use Form 9-209. The form is signed by the applicant, who may be an individual or an organization.
- Public events: do not use this form. The instructions say to use Baltimore City Health Department Form 9-303.
- Block parties: the City's block party page says a block party that will use amplified sound or play music that will disturb the community must request a Temporary Noise Exemption from the Health Commissioner. For a private event not open to the general public, it points to Form 9-209.
A given location can receive a Temporary Exemption no more than 3 times in any 1 calendar year. The holder must also follow the Baltimore City Code and other applicable laws, rules and regulations.
When to file 9-209
Complete the application at least 15 days before the scheduled activity. That is the deadline stated in the instructions on Form 9-209.
A Temporary Exemption may be granted no more than 3 times in any 1 calendar year for a given location, so check how many exemptions the address has already had this year before you apply. If your event is in a City park or needs a street closed, the form tells you to make sure you have applied for the related permit (a Special Events Permit from the Department of Recreation and Parks, or a Street Event Permit from the Department of General Services); those permits have their own timing, which the agencies set. The form prints no processing time.
Documents you need
- Community support document(s): required with the application. Letters of support from adjacent residences or from the Community Association for the area are the examples the instructions give.
- Special Events Permit from the Department of Recreation and Parks: the form tells you to make sure you have applied for it if the activity will take place in a City park.
- Street Event Permit from the Department of General Services: the form tells you to make sure you have applied for it if the activity requires a street to be closed.
How to fill out 9-209
Enter applicant name and date
Write the Name of Applicant/Organization and the date you complete the form.
Add address and contact details
Enter the Applicant Address, Telephone, Cell and E-mail.
Give the event date and times
Enter the Date of Event, the Start Time and End Time with am or pm, and mark the Day of the week (M, T, W, TH, FR, SAT or SUN).
List the sound equipment
Describe the instruments, equipment or devices that will produce the sound. Then enter the name of the individual in charge of the equipment and a contact number for that person.
Describe the event
Enter the exact location of the event, the type of event and the expected number of persons attending.
Answer the park and street questions
Mark Yes or No for whether the activity will take place in a City Park and whether it requires a street to be closed. If Yes, make sure you have applied for the permit the form names.
State the reason for the exemption
Under Reason the Exemption is Needed or Appropriate, explain why the event needs to exceed permissible sound levels.
Read the certification and sign
Read the statement that sound may not exceed the permissible levels in Health Code § 9-206 – 9-207 by more than 25 decibels, then sign on the Applicant Signature line. Leave the For Official Use Only block blank.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check the dates, times and location, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Add your community support document(s) and send the package as described under How to submit.
How to submit 9-209
You can return Form 9-209 to the Baltimore City Health Department by mail or by fax. Send the completed application together with your community support document(s).
- By mail: Baltimore City Health Department, Bureau of Environmental Health, 1001 E. Fayette Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.
- By fax: (410) 396-5986.
Submit it at least 15 days before the event. For questions about the application, call the Baltimore City Health Department at (410) 396-4427. The form names no online submission channel and no fee. The "For Official Use Only" block is completed by the Baltimore City Health Commissioner. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Submitting the application fewer than 15 days before the scheduled activity.
- Sending the application without community support documents, such as letters from adjacent residences or the Community Association.
- Using Form 9-209 for a public event, when the instructions say to use Form 9-303.
- Applying for a location that has already received 3 Temporary Exemptions in the same calendar year.
- Assuming the exemption covers any volume: it allows only 25 decibels above the permissible level, and louder sound can bring a citation.
- Answering Yes to the City Park or street-closure question without having applied for the Special Events Permit or Street Event Permit.
- Leaving the applicant signature blank, or writing in the For Official Use Only block.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form 9-209 in Baltimore?
Form 9-209 is the Baltimore City Health Department application for a Temporary Exemption from maximum permissible sound levels. It is for private events and, if approved by the Health Commissioner, allows sound to exceed permissible levels by 25 decibels.
How far ahead do I need to apply for a noise exemption?
Complete the application at least 15 days before the scheduled activity. The instructions on Form 9-209 state this deadline, and the form prints no processing time, so allow more than the minimum where you can.
How many times can a location get a Temporary Exemption?
No more than 3 times in any 1 calendar year for a given location. The instructions on the form print this limit in capital letters, so count earlier exemptions at the same address before you apply.
Where do I send Form 9-209?
Mail it to Baltimore City Health Department, Bureau of Environmental Health, 1001 E. Fayette Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, or fax it to (410) 396-5986. Include your community support document(s). For questions, call (410) 396-4427.
What documents must I include with the application?
Community support documents. The instructions say you must obtain documents evidencing community support of your event, and give letters from adjacent residences or from the Community Association for the area as good examples.
Can I exceed the sound limit by any amount with the exemption?
No. A Temporary Exemption allows only a 25-decibel increase over the permissible levels in Health Code §§ 9-206 to 9-207. Sound above that can lead to a citation or other legal action against you.
What is the difference between Form 9-209 and Form 9-303?
Form 9-209 is for private events. For a public event, the instructions say to use Baltimore City Health Department Form 9-303 instead.
Does a block party need a noise exemption?
If a block party will use amplified sound or play music that will disturb the community, the City's block party page says you must request a Temporary Noise Exemption from the Health Commissioner. For a private event not open to the public, it points to Form 9-209.
Can I fill out Form 9-209 online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not send the application to the health department; you mail or fax it yourself.
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