Frequently Asked Questions

Please do NOT contact the Department of Public Works outside of normal operating hours of 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Monday thru Friday.  All calls outside of the normal Public Works hours should be directed to 410-479-2222 OR 410-479-2223.  Thank you!

Applications are accepted online only by visiting our Career Website. Apply before the closing deadline if applicable and be sure to attach all required documents. If you don't have computer access, we recommend visiting a public library or stopping by our Human Resources Office to use a computer kiosk. First-time users will need to create an online account with a username and password. Your information will be saved, so you can log in for future applications. If you encounter any difficulties, please contact the HR Office via email at hrstaff@carolinemd.org or by phone at 410-479-4105. If other accommodations are needed, please contact the HR Office.

You can become an EMT by attending a class at a community college or the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute. Becoming an EMT requires 175 hours of classroom training and 100 hours of clinical internship prior to licensure. Upon successfully obtaining a license to practice, the EMT then undergoes a clearance process with the county for medical director approval to render care.

You do not have to be affiliated with a department to obtain an EMT license, however, an EMT must either volunteer or become employed by a local department in order to provide care.

An EMT and a Paramedic both perform similar job functions and usually work together to crew an ambulance. The main difference between an EMT and Paramedic is education and training. Becoming an EMT requires 175 hours of classroom training and 100 hours of clinical internship prior to licensure. To become a paramedic, an individual must be an EMT for at least 12 months first, and undergo a training program of approximately 1,100 hours of classroom instruction and clinical rotations. 

Please, visit the Jobs Center for a listing of current openings within the Emergency Medical Services division.

Emergency management is the prevention of, protection from, mitigation of, response to, and recovery from disasters and emergencies that threaten or cause widespread loss of life, injury, or other health impacts, property damage or destruction, social or economic disruption, or environmental degradation from natural, technological, or human-caused sources.

You can sign up for emergency alerts by registering for Smart911 here.

Be sure to download the app to make managing your account simple:

Download the Smart911 app for Apple.

Download the Smart911 app for Android.

A weather watch is when conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop, while a weather warning is issued when conditions are expected in the specified area of the warning.

A disaster supply kit should be stocked with the necessary items for your family's unique needs. Here are some suggested items to get you started:

• Credit card or cash
• Emergency tools
• battery powered or hand crank radio, NOAA Weather Radio if possible
• Extra set of car keys
• First aid kit, including prescription medicines
• Flashlight and plenty of extra batteries
• One blanket or sleeping bag per person
• One change of clothing and footwear per person
• Special items for infant, elderly, or disabled family members
• Three-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and food that won't spoil
• Sanitation and personal hygiene items
• Dust masks for all family members
• Glasses and contact lens solution
• Important family documents such as family and emergency contact information and copies of insurance policies.
• Pet supplies such as food, extra water, leash, crate, and medications

If you need to evacuate your home, having some essential supplies on hand will make you and your family more comfortable:

Prepare a disaster supply kit in an easy-to-carry container such as a duffel bag or small plastic trash can. Include the following:

• Battery powered radio and extra batteries
• Bottled water
• Change of clothing for each person
• First aid supplies (including prescription medications)
• Food
• Sleeping bag or bedroll for each
• "Special needs" items for any household member (infant formula or items for people with disabilities or older people)
• Tools

It is also a good idea to include some cash and copies of important family documents (birth certificates, passports, and licenses) in your kit.

Please, call the non-emergency line at (410) 479-2222 to schedule a controlled burn.

In an emergency, the more information responders have, the better they can help. The actual dispatch of emergency services has already happened as soon as the location of the emergency is known. The 9-1-1 call taker relays the information that they receive to first responders in the field and remains on the phone with the caller to obtain additional information and provide instructions. The 9-1-1 Center utilizes a state-of-the-art network of computers, telephones and radios to communicate and dispatch information to others even while they are on the phone with you. The 9-1-1 call taker will use this time to confirm the name, address, and ask any additional questions. For example:

Suspect or vehicle information for crimes in progress.

Age of patient and are they conscious and breathing?

What is on fire and are there any other dangers?

Visit the Jobs Center for current openings within the Emergency Communications division.

Visitation normally occurs on the weekend and times are based on the inmate’s last name. Go to the visitation section to see exact times, requirements, and rules of visitation. Longer or alternate visitation hours may be arranged for persons who need to travel more than two hours to the jail. Please contact Support Services at 410-479-4126 to get more information. Visiting is a privilege and can be suspended or terminated if inmates or visitors violate the rules and regulations. Visitors who violate rules may be prohibited from future visits.

Taxes can be paid by check, money order, cash, or credit card. All checks should be made payable to Caroline County Tax Office. Payments by mail should be addressed to Caroline County Tax Office, PO Box 459, Denton, Maryland 21629. If you are over-nighting payment, the address is 109 Market Street, Room 133, Denton, Maryland 21629. When making payments by mail, please be sure to include your 8-digit property tax account number on all checks or money orders and attach the annual or semi-annual stub from your tax bill to insure all remittances are made properly. Walk-in payments may be made at the Caroline County Tax Office at 109 Market Street, Room 133, Denton, Maryland 21629. The online system is available on this site. The Tax Office is open Monday through Friday (except holidays) 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

Caroline County accepts credit card payments for property taxes through Tyler Payments either online or at the counter. Tyler Payments charges a fee for using the service, currently 3.5% for credit and debit cards and $1.95 for e-check online. For more details, contact the Caroline County Tax Office at 410-479-0410 or use this site to make a payment.

Partial payments are not accepted. Tax payments must be made in full, or the full amount of a semi-annual installment must be paid. Failure to make full payment by April 1 will result in your property being included in our May tax sale process.

All bills are mailed to the property owner. The address for the property owner is supplied by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation. Please contact your mortgage company to see if they need your tax bill for payment of your taxes. Mortgage companies usually use a tax service to collect all the payments owed to the counties. We provide a file to the tax services, so you may not need to provide a copy of the bill.

The name, address, property description, and assessment shown on the property tax bill were certified to us by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation. Any questions you may have with regard to your name, address, property description, or assessed value should be directed to the supervisor of assessments for Caroline County at 207 South Third St, Denton, Maryland 21629. The phone number is 410-819-4450.

Any changes to your mailing address should also be sent to the supervisor of assessments for Caroline County. Address changes may also be submitted to the Caroline County Tax Office by using the back of the payment stub on your tax bill. The Tax Office will then forward the address information to the supervisor of assessments for Caroline County. Other property tax inquiries can be made to the Caroline County Tax Office at 410-479-0410.

Bills are mailed in early July. If you do not receive a bill by mid-month of the mailing date contact the Caroline County Office at 410-479-0410 or use this website to obtain a duplicate bill.

Annual bills and the first installments of semi-annual bills are due on or before September 30 and become delinquent on October 1. The second semi-annual installment is due on or before December 31 and becomes delinquent January 1. Delinquent taxes are subject to interest and penalty at the rate of 1% per month of interest and a 3% penalty on county and municipal taxes as of January 1. Interest and penalties are applied to the net amount of the bill after any credits are applied.

Taxes which remain delinquent on March 1 of each year receive a final legal notice. Town assessments for water and sewer and other fees approved as tax liens by the town code are added to this notice and must be paid to the town in order to not be sold at tax sale. Payments made after end of March must be in the form of cash, money order or certified check. Credit card payments may be made through Tyler Payments until the day before the date of sale. Delinquent taxes will result in the sale of the property tax lien through public tax sale.

The tax sale is held annually each year in May as determined by the Director of Finance. On this date the county will sell its first lien on the property to a tax sale purchaser. To remove this lien or "redeem the property," the owner or other person with a legal interest in the property may pay all outstanding fees and charges at any time until the right of redemption has been finally barred by decree of the circuit court in which the foreclosure proceeding is filed.

For more information regarding property redemption and tax sale, contact the Caroline County Tax Office at 410-479-0410.

The State Homeowner's Property Tax Credit Program provides property tax credits for homeowners of all ages who qualify on the basis of a comparison of their tax bill to their income. Anyone whose combined gross household family income is below $60,000 should consider filing an application. Applications are primarily submitted online at https://onestop.md.gov/tags/5d28c76eb7039400faf44adb or can be picked up at the Caroline County Tax Office at 109 Market Street Room 133, Denton, Maryland 21629 or the State Department of Assessments for Caroline County at 207 South Third Street, Denton, Maryland 21629 at 410-819-4450. The cutoff for this credit for taxpayers under age 70 is October 1.

The Homestead Credit is a credit against state, county, and municipal property taxes. It is designed to decrease the tax liability for owner occupied properties that experience rapidly increasing assessments. There is a cap of 10% on state-taxable assessment increases from one year to the next. There is a 5% cap on county-taxable assessment increases from one year to the next. You must apply to the state department of assessments for a one-time application for this credit. It is no longer automatically calculated. If you would like additional information on the Homestead Credit, please visit their website at https://dat.maryland.gov/Pages/Tax-Credit-Programs.aspx.

This credit is for seniors 70 and over who have owned property in Caroline County for 15 years. You can download the senior credit form from our site /DocumentCenter/View/88. If you currently receive a Homeowners Credit from the state you will also receive the senior credit without having to fill in the county form. Once you have filed a form with the county, you do not need to file again.

The State of Maryland provides for other exemptions including those for disabled veterans and blind persons.  If you would like additional information on available exemptions, please visit their website at https://dat.maryland.gov/realproperty/Pages/Property-Tax-Exemptions.aspx.

Caroline County collects recordation taxes of 5% per $500. We collect on property transfers and on Deeds of Trust. If you have any questions, please click the link with more detailed information /DocumentCenter/View/859 or you can call Caroline County Tax Office at 410-479-0410.