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Prince George's County, MD Code Violation Reporting: How to Report (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Report through
County 3-1-1 call system
Handled by
Environmental Crimes Unit
Coordinating agency
Department of the Environment
Covers
Litter and illegal dumping
Tip rewards
Up to $500 or 10%

Summary

Prince George's County channels environmental-code complaints, including illegal dumping and litter, through a dedicated hotline inside the County's 3-1-1 call system. Sec. 13-277 directs the Environmental Crimes Unit to run this hotline alongside informational pamphlets and community presentations, so a resident does not need to know which department handles a violation before calling it in.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Prince George's County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

"Outreach and Education. An integral part of combating environmental violations is through outreach and education. External outreach includes, but is not limited to: creation and dissemination of informational pamphlets; establishment of an environmental enforcement hotline within the current 3-1-1 call system; dissemination of violator identity; and community presentations. Internal outreach includes, but is not limited to: creation of an enforcement quick reference guide and development of an internal training component."

View official code

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

The Environmental Crimes Unit, created by Sec. 13-272, is coordinated by the Department of the Environment working with the Department of Public Works and Transportation, the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement, and the County Police Department, operating in Northern, Central, and Southern enforcement areas under Sec. 13-274. Sec. 13-277 makes outreach and education the Unit's method for reaching residents: it directs the County to create and distribute informational pamphlets, run community presentations, and, most directly, establish an environmental enforcement hotline within the current 3-1-1 call system so complaints about litter and illegal dumping funnel to one number.

Sec. 13-273 defines what counts as an Environmental Crime a resident can report through that hotline: litter violations under Sections 13-261 through 13-271, illegal dumping under Sections 23-150 through 23-151, and other violations of the Antilitter and Weed Ordinance or the County's Road Ordinance that endanger public health or safety. Site assessments described in Sec. 13-275 draw on resident complaints, along with visual and aerial surveys performed by the Unit's own enforcement teams, to prioritize which reported locations get investigated first, and the Unit can pay a reward, capped at 10 percent or $500 of the resulting fine, to a tipster whose information leads to a citation under Sec. 13-274(e).

Violations & Fines

Reporting itself carries no penalty; the ordinance instead penalizes the underlying environmental crime. A person who commits litter or illegal dumping identified through a 3-1-1 report can face the civil fines set out in Sec. 13-271, including escalating commercial fines up to $5,000 for repeat offenses, and the Police Department may issue a criminal citation in lieu of a civil one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What number do I call to report illegal dumping in PG County?
Sec. 13-277 directs the County to run its environmental enforcement hotline inside the existing 3-1-1 call system, so residents dial 3-1-1 rather than search for a department-specific number. The call reaches the Environmental Crimes Unit, which is coordinated by the Department of the Environment together with Public Works, DPIE, and County Police.
Can I report a violation anonymously?
The ordinance does not require callers to identify themselves, and Sec. 13-274(e) authorizes the Unit to pay a reward, capped at 10 percent or $500 of the collected fine, for information leading to a citation, which functions as an incentive for tips regardless of whether the caller stays anonymous.
What kinds of problems count as an "Environmental Crime" I can report?
Sec. 13-273 defines Environmental Crimes as litter violations under Sections 13-261 through 13-271, illegal dumping under Sections 23-150 through 23-151, and other Antilitter and Weed Ordinance or Road Ordinance violations that create a danger to public health, safety, or welfare.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Prince George's County

All Prince George's County rules

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