Prince George's County, MD Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- 2020 NEC, NFPA edition
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Permitting, Inspections & Enforcement
- Device-swap exemption
- Up to 5 devices, once per structure
- Permit expires
- 6 months with no work or inspection
- Unpermitted work fee
- $180 residential / $300 commercial + 10%
- Reinspection fee
- $66 plus 10% technology fee
Summary
Prince George's County adopts the 2020 National Electrical Code by reference and requires a permit before any electrical work begins. The permit must be posted at the job site, and the work must be supervised by a licensed Master Electrician, Master Electrician Limited, or licensed HVAC contractor.
No person shall perform electrical work until a permit has been obtained and a copy has been posted at the job site or presented to the owner or occupant. The work must be done under the personal and technical supervision of a licensed Master Electrician or Master Electrician, Limited, or a licensed Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and/or Heating Contractor. No permit shall be required for in-kind/in-place replacement of existing receptacles, switches or lighting fixtures not exceeding a combination of five (5) devices per structure.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2026 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 9-101 adopts the National Electrical Code, 2020 Edition, published by the National Fire Protection Association, "with the same force and effect as though set out in full herein as the Official Electrical Code of Prince George's County," subject to the local amendments in Subtitle 9. " Section 9-113 requires written applications on the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement's prescribed form, accompanied by plans, specifications, and the required fee, and limits issuance to a duly licensed Master Electrician, Master Electrician Limited, or licensed HVAC contractor except for the homeowner exception in Section 9-117.
That exception lets an owner-occupant of a single-family dwelling pull a permit and do limited work personally, but Section 9-117(c) bars homeowner permits for new service installations, service heavy-ups, panel changes, panel or meter relocations, service drop or lateral relocations, and subpanel installations. Section 9-118 sets every permit to expire if work is not started within six months of issuance or if no inspection occurs within a six-month period, and work must otherwise track the permit's technical supervision requirement. Section 9-121 leaves permit and inspection fees to a Council-adopted resolution following a public hearing.
Violations & Fines
The Director revokes an electrical permit without refunding the fee immediately upon discovering "any false statement or misrepresentation of fact" in the application or plans, per Section 9-120. Starting work before obtaining a required permit triggers a special investigation under Section 9-122(b): a $180 investigation fee plus a 10% technology fee for residential work, or $300 plus the technology fee for commercial work, on top of the regular filing and permit fees. Concealing or partially completing work without the required inspection triggers the same special-investigation fee. A missed inspection appointment for incomplete work draws a $66 reinspection fee plus the 10% technology fee under Section 9-122(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to swap a light fixture in Prince George's County?
Can I pull my own electrical permit as a homeowner?
What happens if I start electrical work without a permit?
Who supervises electrical work under a Prince George's County permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
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