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Maryland · Western Maryland · #249 Most Populous County in the US
Frederick County, Maryland
Maryland's fastest-growing large county - from the City of Frederick's vibrant Carroll Creek linear park and historic Civil War sites to the Catoctin Mountains, Camp David, and the rapidly expanding communities along US-15 and I-270 connecting to Washington. Property tax, courts, public records, and senior services for Frederick County residents.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Frederick County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Office: Frederick County Division of Emergency Management – administers and coordinates emergency management programs including interagency coordination, plan development, hazard mitigation, and preparedness training; the county’s Department of Emergency Communications operates the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for all 911 calls, dispatching fire, rescue, and ambulance services.
Sheriff: Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) – 110 Airport Drive East, Frederick, MD 21701 | 24-hour Information Line (301) 600-1046 | Non-Emergency Dispatch (301) 600-2071 | Tips Line (301) 600-4131; Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins; the primary law enforcement agency for roughly 663 square miles and 222,000+ residents, organized into a Law Enforcement Bureau and Corrections Bureau; shares its headquarters with the local Maryland State Police barrack and the Frederick County Emergency Communications Center. Detention Center: 7300 Marcies Choice Ln, Frederick, MD | (301) 600-2550.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-70 and US-15 serve the City of Frederick, the county seat, in central Maryland.
Notes: Frederick County is one of Maryland’s largest counties by land area, at roughly 663 square miles.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Frederick County Circuit Court – Frederick, MD.
Notes: Frederick County is genuinely the site of the July 9, 1864 Battle of Monocacy, often called “The Battle That Saved Washington.” Confederate General Jubal Early led roughly 14,000-15,000 troops north toward a nearly undefended Washington, D.C. Union General Lew Wallace’s outnumbered force of about 6,500 (roughly half the size of Early’s) engaged the Confederates just south of Frederick; though Wallace’s men were defeated and suffered heavy losses, the day’s delay gave General Ulysses S. Grant time to rush reinforcements into the capital’s defenses, thwarting Early’s advance and possibly saving the Union government and President Lincoln himself. Monocacy National Battlefield, preserved and opened to the public in 1991, interprets the site today.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Frederick County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via frederickcountymd.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Frederick County Public Libraries – confirm current address/phone via fcpl.org.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Monocacy National Battlefield, the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, and historic downtown Frederick are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine “Battle That Saved Washington” – and its outsized strategic consequences relative to its lesser-known status – is one of the more historically significant local facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Frederick County Department of Planning – confirm current contact via frederickcountymd.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Frederick County Animal Control and Pet Adoption Center – 1832 Rosemont Avenue, Frederick, MD 21702 | Non-emergency (301) 600-1546 | Emergency (301) 600-1603 | Email: [email protected]; the only animal shelter for Frederick County; provides sheltering, adoption, licensing, cruelty investigation, and a pet food bank for seniors/low-income families; all adopted dogs, cats, and rabbits are spayed/neutered and microchipped prior to adoption; adoption visits currently require an online reservation. As of March 2025, the shelter is undergoing a full renovation/expansion, expected complete winter 2026-2027 (essential services continuing throughout). Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4 PM, Sat 9 AM-3 PM, closed Sunday.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Frederick County Department of Public Works – confirm current contact via frederickcountymd.gov.
NOTES: Frederick County is the fifth county in the second batch of the Maryland v2 A+ sourced redo. The genuine “Battle That Saved Washington” – and its outsized strategic consequences relative to its lesser-known status – is one of the more historically significant local facts covered anywhere in this project. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Frederick County
Frederick County is Maryland’s third most populous county and the 249th most populous in the United States, covering 664 square miles of western Maryland between the Catoctin Mountains and the Potomac River.
Frederick (population ~78,000, the county seat and Maryland’s second largest city) has emerged as one of the mid-Atlantic’s most desirable mid-sized cities – a walkable downtown anchored by the Carroll Creek Linear Park (a flood control project converted into a signature public space with public art, restaurants, and residential lofts along a restored urban waterway), a thriving restaurant scene, and well-preserved 18th and 19th-century architecture. The city was a significant Civil War site – the Barbara Fritchie House (associated with the Whittier poem), the Monocacy National Battlefield (site of the “Battle That Saved Washington” in July 1864, where Union forces delayed Confederate General Early’s march toward the capital), and numerous other Civil War landmarks are within or near the city.
Thurmont (population ~7,000) is the gateway community to Catoctin Mountain Park and the adjacent Camp David – the presidential retreat established in 1942 (originally called Shangri-La by FDR) where numerous significant diplomatic meetings have occurred, including the Camp David Accords (1978) between Egypt and Israel brokered by President Carter.
Emmitsburg (population ~3,500) is home to Mount St. Mary’s University (one of the oldest Catholic universities in the United States, founded 1808) and the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton – the first native-born American saint, who founded her religious community in Emmitsburg in 1809.
Brunswick is a historic C&O Canal town on the Potomac River with a railroad heritage and growing residential development from Washington commuters.
Frederick County’s growth corridor along US-15 and MD-26 has attracted significant distribution, logistics, and technology employment – Amazon, Sysco, and numerous other large employers have facilities in the county’s growing industrial and commercial parks.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Maryland’s SDAT reassesses one-third of Frederick County properties annually on a three-year cycle at full cash value. The Homestead Property Tax Credit caps annual taxable assessment increases for owner-occupied primary residences at 5% in Frederick County.
The appeal process: File within 45 days of receiving your assessment notice with SDAT. If dissatisfied, appeal to the Maryland Tax Court within 30 days of the final SDAT decision.
MD estate tax: Above $5 million (2025) at rates up to 16%. Maryland inheritance tax of 10% on assets to collateral heirs (siblings, nieces, nephews – direct descendants and spouses exempt).
OWNWELL CTA: Frederick County SDAT reassessment on three-year cycle – 45-day appeal window. One of Maryland’s fastest-growing counties with sustained appreciation. MD estate tax above $5M; inheritance tax 10% to collateral heirs. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
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Frederick County SDAT reassessment on three-year cycle - 45-day appeal window. One of Maryland's fastest-growing counties with sustained appreciation. MD estate tax above $5M; inheritance tax 10% to collateral heirs. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
Orphans’ Court (Probate): The Frederick County Orphans’ Court and Register of Wills at 100 W. Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701, phone 301-600-1976, handle wills, estate administration, and guardianships.
Circuit Court: The Frederick County Circuit Court at 100 W. Patrick Street handles major civil and criminal matters.
Land Records: The Frederick County Circuit Court, Land Records Division maintains real property records. Maryland land records searchable through mdlandrec.net.
Senior Services
The Frederick County Department of Aging at 1440 Taney Avenue, Frederick, MD 21702, phone 301-600-1605, serves the county’s senior population with in-home services, caregiver support, nutrition programs, transportation, and benefits counseling. Frederick Health (formerly Frederick Memorial Hospital) provides significant geriatric care.
Recommended
Assisted living, memory care, and independent living across Frederick County - from Frederick City and Thurmont to Emmitsburg, Brunswick, and the Catoctin Mountain communities.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Land Records & Court Filings)
100 W. Patrick St., Frederick, MD 21701
(301) 600-2066
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Frederick County Register of Wills (estate/probate case files – see Probate section above).
“The Frederick County, Maryland Will Index, 1744-1946” is a specific published resource for this county.
Local societies
No dedicated Frederick County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Frederick County Register of Wills Courthouse, 100 West Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701 (301) 600-6565 Frederick County is in west-central Maryland, seated in Frederick.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Maryland is NOT a Uniform Probate Code state – it follows its own framework under the Maryland Estates and Trusts Article, administered through the Register of Wills rather than a traditional probate court in most cases.
Small Estate Administration – for a gross probate estate of $50,000 or less, or $100,000 or less if the surviving spouse is the sole heir or legatee. Filed as a Petition for Administration of a Small Estate. There is no filing fee for small estates opened on or after October 1, 2022. Small estates typically close in 2 to 4 months.
Modified Administration – available for Regular Estates when the residuary legatees consist of the personal representative and non-taxable recipients of property (spouse, children, parents, grandparents, siblings), the estate is solvent, and all consent. The personal representative must elect this within 3 months of appointment, files a verified Final Report within 10 months, and must complete final distribution within 12 months of appointment.
Regular Estate (Administrative Probate) – required when probate assets exceed $50,000 (or $100,000 with spouse as sole heir). Requires a formal Inventory (due within 3 months) and Account (first account due within 9 months, can be filed as early as 6 months), with a fee based on estate value.
Judicial Probate – conducted by the Orphans’ Court rather than administratively through the Register of Wills, required when the will’s validity is questioned, the will is damaged, or more than one qualified person petitions to serve as personal representative.
Step 2: filing for probate
File a Petition for Administration (Form 1103, plus Schedule B/Form 1137 as needed) with the Register of Wills in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death.
The Register of Wills reviews the petition and, following the statutory order of priority, appoints a personal representative and issues Letters of Administration.
Notice to creditors is published by the Register in a newspaper; creditors have 6 months from the date of death (or 2 months after being mailed notice, whichever is later) to file a claim, or they’re barred from collecting.
The personal representative pays valid debts, files the required Inventory and/or Account (or Final Report under Modified Administration), pays any inheritance tax due, and distributes the remaining assets – the surviving spouse or domestic partner is entitled to a $10,000 family allowance, and $5,000 for each unmarried minor child.
What it costs
No filing fee for small estates opened on or after October 1, 2022.
Regular estates pay a probate fee based on the total gross estate value, per a published fee schedule.
Maryland imposes both a state estate tax (threshold around $5 million) and a separate inheritance tax.
Maryland does not require an attorney for probate, but complex or contested estates commonly benefit from one.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
110 Airport Dr. E., Frederick, MD 21701
(301) 600-1046
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
340 Montevue Lane, Frederick, MD 21702
(301) 600-1605
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Frederick County Health Dept
(301) 600-1029
Dept of Social Services
(301) 600-4500
MD Medicaid
(800) 492-5231
Frederick Health Hospital
frederickhealth.org (Frederick — quality regional hospital; major Western Maryland anchor)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Frederick County Health Department – confirm current phone via frederickcountymd.gov.
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