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Maryland Department of Agriculture

Current Quarantine Area in Maryland 

All Maryland counties are under a spotted lanternfly quarantine: 

  • Allegany County
  • Anne Arundel County
  • Baltimore County
  • Baltimore City
  • Calvert County
  • Caroline County
  • Carroll County
  • Cecil County
  • Charles County
  • Dorchester County
  • Frederick County
  • Garrett County
  • Harford County
  • Howard County
  • Kent County
  • Montgomery County
  • Prince George's County
  • Queen Anne's County
  • Saint Mary's County
  • Somerset County
  • Talbot County
  • Washington County
  • Wicomico County
  • Worcester County

What Does The Quarantine Mean For You?

Spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula, is a threat to Maryland and the United States. It lays egg masses of 30-50 eggs wherever it chooses, especially on flat surfaces. All other life stages of this insect, from nymphs to adults, can fly, hop, or drop into a vehicle – meaning that vehicles and equipment can easily and quickly help it spread. 

As a result, if an area is found to be infested with the spotted lanternfly, it is placed under quarantine. This means that any material or object that could harbor the pest cannot be moved out of the area without taking precautions to prevent the pest's spread. These materials and objects are called regulated articles.

What Quarantine Rules Apply To

Examples of regulated articles include:

  • Any life stage of the spotted lanternfly 
  • Landscaping, remodeling, or construction waste 
  • Packing material (e.g. wood crates, boxes) 
  • All plants and plant parts, including: logs, stumps, firewood, yard waste, or any tree parts 
  • Outdoor household items like lawn mowers, chairs, grills, tarps, tile, stone, or deck boards/material 
  • Trucks, RVs, or other vehicles not stored inside

How To Move A Regulated Article

General Public

Complete a residential compliance checklist indicating that you inspected your property and vehicle(s) for the spotted lanternfly. Please be sure to check for the specific life stage(s) for the time of year you are doing your inspection.

Business, Municipalities, Government Agencies

Any person conducting business requiring the movement of a regulated article within or from the quarantine must have a permit. 

To Obtain A Permit

  • A designated individual from an organization must receive training and pass an online test to demonstrate a working knowledge and understanding of the pest and quarantine requirements. Training of other employees, inspection of vehicles and products, and removal of living stages of spotted lanternfly must be completed. The permit demonstrates that you have the understanding to identify the pest and can ensure the item(s) you transport are not carrying the insect. 
  • Managers, supervisors, or person with authority for your business work group must receive approved training. 
  • Presently training is available through the PennState Extension website: extension.psu.edu/slfpermit-training-md.• A designated manager or supervisor taking the multiple choice exam must receive a passing grade of at least 70%. The business name, number of vehicles and/or conveyances, address, and contact information is required to register for the exam. 
  • The manager or supervisor taking the exam agrees to train all employees in the work group to identify the pest and prevent it from movement on products, vehicles, and other methods of conveyance. 
  • The permit will be issued by the Maryland Department of Agriculture upon successful completion of the training and exam. This permit will be valid for one year. 

Ongoing Requirements

  • Recordkeeping of training, inspections of vehicles, incoming and outgoing shipments of regulated articles, and control measures taken (such as vehicle washes, destruction of living life stages of spotted lanternfly, etc.) must be maintained for a minimum of two years, and may be requested from the department.
  • Contractors and subcontractors must possess their own permit indicating they have completed training, if they are working within, or traveling through the quarantine zone.
  • The permit must be kept inside the business vehicle when working within the quarantine zone.

About Movement of Regulated Articles 

All regulated articles, including vehicles and conveyances, shall be inspected, and all life stages of the spotted lanternfly shall be removed and destroyed prior to movement within or out of the quarantine area. Regulated articles, other than vehicles and conveyances, must be packaged and safeguarded prior to shipping (such as in a closed container, shrink wrapped, tight tarp, or similar covering) to maintain isolation from the environment during storage or transportation. 

If any life stage of the spotted lanternfly is found during an inspection, those effected items will remain within the quarantine area, be placed in a separate area away from other regulated articles, and will be processed, treated, burned, or buried in accordance with all federal, state, or local laws. 

A regulated articles, including vehicles and conveyances, may be shipped through the quarantine area if it originates outside of the quarantine area and the destination is outside of the quarantine area, including the quarantine areas of other states. This must be designated on the waybill accompanying the regulated items. As long as the item has been stored, packed, or handled only at locations outside the quarantine area, the item, including vehicles and conveyances, may move through the quarantine zone without stopping (except for refueling, traffic control devices, or emergency conditions). 

If any other area, inside or outside of Maryland, is determined to have spotted lanternfly present, movement from that area into the state will require a permit issued either under Maryland’s quarantine and regulations, a department approved permitting process, or other programs carried out by the state of origin.

Get the Regulated Article Inspection Template - PDF - 64.05 KB​​​

See a Spotted Lanternfly? Report it.

Help protect Maryland's crops, trees, and natural resources by reporting spotted lanternfly sightings. Your report helps us track and manage the spread of this invasive pest. We are taking reports from every county in Maryland.​​​ A picture is required when submitting a report.

Please note: Submitting a report does not generate a response from our team or serve as a request for more information.

Report spotted lanternflies

Additional Information 

For more information, visit the Spotted Lanternfly Identification & Management. For questions related to the quarantine, permitting or treatment, please call 410-841-5920 or email [email protected].