Prince George's County, MD Ordinances (2026)

Prince George's County sets countywide nighttime noise limits under the Subtitle 19 Noise Control ordinance. Nighttime runs 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., when residential areas drop to a 55 dBA cap versus 65 dBA during the day.

Prince George's County caps noise from industrial-zoned property at 75 dBA both day and night at the receiving property. Sound crossing from an industrial area into a residential area must meet the lower residential limit.

Prince George's County allows louder construction noise only during daytime work hours. From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. construction may reach 75 dBA, or 85 dBA with an approved noise-suppression plan; at all other times the standard residential limits apply.

Prince George's County sets numeric dBA noise limits by land-use category and time of day. Residential areas are capped at 65 dBA during the day and 55 dBA at night, measured at the receiving property.

Prince George's County treats a barking or noisy animal as a potential noise disturbance under the Subtitle 19 Noise Control ordinance. Allowing an animal to create a noise disturbance is listed as an example of a prohibited noise-producing act.

Prince George's County regulates amplified sound under its Subtitle 19 Noise Control ordinance. Operating a device that produces, reproduces, or amplifies sound is an example of a prohibited act if it exceeds the decibel limits or creates a noise disturbance.

Motor vehicles on public roads are exempt from Prince George's County's noise ordinance because that noise is governed by state law. The county does regulate off-road recreational vehicles and vehicle horns on private property.

Prince George's County does not ban leaf blowers or set a special decibel cap for them. Lawn-care equipment is exempt from the objective noise limits when used during daytime hours of 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and maintained per manufacturer specifications.

Prince George's County exempts non-amplified sound from permitted sporting, entertainment, and public gatherings between 7 a.m. and midnight. Electronically amplified outdoor music is not exempt and must meet the full decibel limits.

Prince George's County does not regulate aircraft noise. The county ordinance exempts aircraft and airport operations, and aviation noise near Joint Base Andrews is governed by federal and military authorities, not local law.

Prince George's County requires a countywide short-term rental license, issued by the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE), before renting a dwelling for 30 days or fewer. The program was enacted by CB-11-2018 and codified in Subtitle 5, Division 8 of the County Code.

Short-term rental stays in Prince George's County owe the county hotel/motel occupancy tax, currently 7% of gross room charges (up to a 10% ceiling), under Subtitle 10, Division 8. Hosts also pay a $150 initial DPIE license fee plus a $150 annual fee; platforms remit the tax quarterly.

Prince George's County caps short-term rentals at 90 days per calendar year when the property is unoccupied by the owner and 180 days per year when owner-occupied, and no single rental may exceed 30 consecutive days. Hosts cannot combine time frames to exceed the permissible days.

Registering a short-term rental with DPIE requires proof of ownership, a homestead tax credit copy, insurance and safety attestations, a list of hosting platforms, and written notice of intent to adjacent neighbors and any HOA. Licenses expire annually and must be renewed 30 days before expiration.

Prince George's County limits every short-term rental to a total of eight guests at any one time, and no more than three guests per bedroom. Only registered short-term rental guests may use the unit. These caps are set in the host requirements of Subtitle 5, Division 8.

Prince George's County may immediately suspend or revoke a short-term rental license if operation causes a nuisance or adverse effect on public welfare, including excessive noise. A property with three or more police calls for service in any 30-day period meets the ordinance's nuisance definition.

Whether the host is present sets the annual cap in Prince George's County: an owner-occupied rental (host present the entire time) may operate up to 180 days per year, while an unoccupied rental is limited to 90 days. A local emergency contact must be available to respond.

Prince George's County short-term rental hosts must provide at least one off-street parking space for every three overnight guests and prove that off-street parking is available. The requirement is part of the DPIE license application under Subtitle 5, Division 8.

Prince George's County allows short-term rentals only in the host's permanent residence. Applicants must attest the unit is their primary residence and provide proof of ownership plus a homestead property tax credit. Non-owner-occupied second homes cannot be licensed as short-term rentals.

Prince George's County short-term rental hosts must obtain liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 and provide a copy of a current, valid policy. A hosting platform's liability coverage may satisfy this if it is at least $1,000,000 and approved by DPIE.

All consumer fireworks are illegal in Prince George's County, including the sparklers and ground-based sparkling devices that Maryland allows statewide. Only a licensed shooter conducting a permitted public display may use fireworks here.

Prince George's County has no wildfire defensible-space clearance mandate. Cleared brush is treated as yard waste, and burning it is limited by Maryland's open-burning rules and the summer burn ban rather than a fire-district clearance ordinance.

Prince George's County allows fire pits and portable outdoor fireplaces at single-family homes and townhouses under Subtitle 11-268. Fires must stay at least 30 feet from any structure, be attended by an adult, and burn only dry firewood.

Open burning of leaves, brush, and trash is tightly controlled in Prince George's County. Maryland's air rules ban open burning county-wide from June 1 through August 31 and require a permit, with recreational fires the main exception.

Recreational backyard fires are allowed in Prince George's County under Subtitle 11-268 if they stay small, burn only dry firewood, are attended by an adult, and sit at least 30 feet from any structure. No permit is needed for a small recreational fire.

Prince George's County regulates propane under the fire prevention code in Subtitle 11, which adopts the International Fire Code and NFPA standards. Residential grill cylinders are allowed, but larger tanks and indoor storage face limits enforced by the Fire Marshal.

Prince George's County enforces Maryland's smoke-alarm law under Subtitle 11. Every home must have alarms on each level outside sleeping areas, and battery-only units must be replaced with sealed 10-year tamper-resistant alarms with a hush feature.

Prince George's County is not a designated wildfire-hazard region. There are no Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, no defensible-space mandates, and no wildland-urban-interface fire code like fire-prone Western states impose.

Prince George's County restricts heavy commercial trucks (over 10,000 pounds) from parking on County streets overnight under Section 26-123, and bars parking such trucks within 75 feet of a residential property line near commercial or industrial businesses under Section 26-127.04(e).

Prince George's County Code Section 26-127.04 lists where stopping, standing, and parking are prohibited on County streets, including sidewalks, crosswalks, intersections, bike lanes, near fire hydrants, and on unpaved areas of residential lots. Municipalities may add their own rules.

Prince George's County prohibits parking any watercraft on public County streets, roads, highways, or rights-of-way at any time. Boats and RV trailers left on public roadways are subject to warning, fines, and impoundment under County Code Subtitle 26.

Prince George's County has no blanket overnight ban on residential streets, but Section 26-122 prohibits leaving any vehicle on a public street for more than 72 consecutive hours. Commercial trucks, buses, and trailers face an overnight ban from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

Prince George's County Code Section 26-162 prohibits leaving any abandoned vehicle anywhere in the County. A vehicle is abandoned if it is inoperable, unregistered, or left more than 48 hours on public property. Report complaints through the County 3-1-1 system.

Prince George's County Section 26-123 bans parking commercial buses, trailers, and heavy commercial trucks on County streets from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Maryland Transportation Code 21-1010 separately prohibits commercial vehicles in residential zones countywide.

Prince George's County Code Section 26-127.04 bars stopping in front of a public driveway and standing or parking within three feet of a private driveway without the owner's consent. Parking on the unpaved area of a residential lot is also prohibited.

Prince George's County Code Section 26-127.05 reserves signed electric-vehicle charging spaces on public and private property for vehicles actively connected for charging. Parking in a marked EV charging space without charging carries a $100 fine.

Prince George's County restricts parking through official signs and pavement markings rather than a color-coded curb system. The Director is authorized to place roadway markings, and parking is prohibited wherever an official sign or marking says so under Section 26-127.04.

In Prince George's County the Director designates loading zones and passenger loading zones and posts signs stating their hours under Section 26-124. Standing in a loading zone is limited to active loading or unloading of passengers or materials.

Prince George's County's Zoning Ordinance requires fences to stay outside the public right-of-way, keep the finished side out, use uniform style per lot side, and avoid a 25-foot sight triangle at intersections. Fences over 4 feet also need a DPIE building permit.

Prince George's County's 2022 Zoning Ordinance sets countywide fence heights: 4 feet within a required front yard, build-to zone, or corner-lot side yard, and 6 feet in any other required yard. Municipalities like Bowie and Laurel may set their own limits.

Prince George's County's Zoning Ordinance allows fences on the shared property line and requires the finished side to face outward. Fence style, materials, and color must be uniform along a single lot side. Cost-sharing between neighbors is a private matter.

Prince George's County's Zoning Ordinance limits retaining walls to 6 feet in height from finished grade, allowing up to 10 feet only for foundations, driveways, or as expressly permitted. Walls over 6 feet must meet the zone's building setbacks and terraces need landscaping.

Prince George's County's Zoning Ordinance allows fences of masonry, stone, ornamental metal, painted or rot-resistant wood, wood-look composite, wrought iron, welded steel, black aluminum, and vinyl. Transit-Oriented and Activity Center zones require higher-end materials.

Prince George's County requires a building permit to construct any fence taller than 4 feet. Fences 4 feet and under are exempt unless in a historic or protected area or on a corner lot. Permits are issued by DPIE.

Prince George's County's Zoning Ordinance bans barbed and razor wire, chicken wire, corrugated metal, plywood, sheet metal, and electrified above-ground fences in most zones. Agricultural land and approved security plans have narrow exceptions.

Backyard smokers using wood, pellets, or charcoal are allowed at Prince George's County homes for cooking. They are treated as cooking appliances, not open burning, but the fire code keeps them away from balconies and combustible construction at multi-family buildings.

Propane and charcoal grills are allowed at Prince George's County homes, but the adopted fire code restricts grilling on balconies and near buildings at apartments and condos, where open-flame cooking must be kept away from combustible structures.

Prince George's County's Zoning Ordinance caps building height by base zone. In the common RSF-65 single-family zone, the principal structure limit is 40 feet and accessory structures are capped at 15 feet. Tall accessory structures also need extra setback.

Prince George's County's 2022 Zoning Ordinance sets minimum yard depths by base zone. In the common RSF-65 single-family zone, the minimums are 25 feet front, 8 feet side, and 20 feet rear, with a 25-foot street-side setback on corner lots.

Prince George's County's Zoning Ordinance caps lot coverage by base zone as a percentage of net lot area. Single-family lots range from 20% up to about 40%; the common RSF-65 zone allows a 35% maximum for dwellings.

Prince George's County allows responsible feeding of free-roaming cats but restricts practices that attract nuisance wildlife. Food should not be left out more than an hour or overnight, to avoid drawing rodents, raccoons, and coyotes.

Prince George's County permits backyard chickens only in specific residential and agricultural zones with minimum lot sizes. Roosters are barred in residential areas, and larger livestock is generally limited to agricultural-zoned acreage.

Prince George's County treats beekeeping as an agricultural use governed by zoning rather than the animal-control code. Keeping bees is allowed on urban farms and agricultural-zoned land, subject to Planning Department land-use rules.

Prince George's County confines livestock such as horses and larger farm animals to agricultural-zoned land with substantial acreage. Livestock other than fowl and bees is generally not allowed in residential or urban-agriculture zones.

Prince George's County requires dogs to be leashed or confined whenever off the owner's premises. Animals running at large may be impounded, and leashes are capped at ten feet. Retractable leashes and e-collars do not satisfy the requirement.

Prince George's County's 27-year pit bull ban was repealed by CB-97-2025, effective February 2, 2026. Pit bull terriers may now be legally owned and adopted with a county permit, microchip, spay/neuter, rabies proof, and a Pet Parenting certificate.

Prince George's County prohibits keeping unlicensed wild, exotic, vicious, or dangerous animals as pets, for breeding, sale, or display. Native wildlife and non-domestic cats are specifically banned without a director's permit.

Prince George's County requires an animal hobby permit for anyone keeping five or more animals larger than a guinea pig that are over four months old. Kennels, catteries, and similar operations need a separate facility license.

Prince George's County requires cats over four months old to be licensed and rabies-vaccinated. Free-roaming community cats are excluded from the at-large rules, and the county supports trap-neuter-vaccinate-return programs.

Prince George's County limits large accumulations of animals through the hobby-permit cap and prohibits animal cruelty and neglect. Keeping five or more animals without a permit or in poor conditions can trigger seizure and penalties.

Prince George's County caps grass and weeds at twelve inches. County Code Subtitle 13 adopts the International Property Maintenance Code, and Section 302.4 (as amended by Section 13-118) makes any premises with weeds or plant growth over 12 inches a violation enforced by DPIE code enforcement.

Trimming trees on your own private property in Prince George's County generally needs no county permit. But any tree in a public road right-of-way is protected: Maryland's Roadside Tree Law (Natural Resources Article 5-406) makes it illegal to trim a roadside tree without a permit from the DNR Forest Service.

Prince George's County treats overgrown weeds as a property-maintenance violation. Subtitle 13 (Section 13-118, adopting IPMC 302.4) bans weeds and plant growth over 12 inches, and the county's Clean Lot program abates high grass, weeds, trash and debris on vacant lots in the unincorporated county.

Rainwater harvesting is legal and actively encouraged in Prince George's County. Rain barrels and cisterns are Rain Check-approved practices eligible for county rebates, and Maryland counts rainwater harvesting as an accepted Environmental Site Design (ESD) stormwater practice.

Prince George's County has no ordinance banning or specifically regulating residential artificial turf. Because Maryland is humid, turf is not a mandated drought measure. Installation is governed by general grading, stormwater and impervious-surface rules, and any large clearing still triggers Subtitle 25 tree conservation.

Removing a single tree on your own lot usually needs no permit, but clearing over 5,000 square feet requires a grading permit, and woodland clearing on a site of 40,000+ square feet with 10,000+ square feet of woodland triggers Subtitle 25's Woodland and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Ordinance.

Prince George's County has no permanent lawn-watering schedule. Water is supplied by WSSC Water, and in humid Maryland outdoor watering is unrestricted in normal conditions. Watering limits apply only when the State declares a drought, when Level One rules can prohibit lawn watering.

Prince George's County encourages native and conservation landscaping rather than restricting it. The Rain Check Rebate Program offers a conservation landscaping rebate for native plantings, and the weed ordinance's exemption for cultivated gardens protects intentional native beds from height enforcement.

Prince George's County actively supports composting. Through the PGC Composts program, the County offers weekly curbside collection of food scraps and yard trim, runs an Organics Composting Facility, and provides a residential drop-off center. Backyard composting is allowed within property-maintenance limits.

Prince George's County requires tree-conservation approval for larger clearing. A grading permit is needed to clear over 5,000 square feet, and under Subtitle 25's Woodland and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Ordinance a Tree Conservation Plan is required on sites 40,000+ square feet with 10,000+ square feet of woodland.

Prince George's County enforces the International Residential Code pool-barrier standard through DPIE. Outdoor residential pools must be surrounded by a barrier at least 48 inches high, with no opening passing a 4-inch sphere and self-closing, self-latching gates opening away from the pool, per IRC Section AG105.2.

Prince George's County requires a DPIE building permit to install any residential pool, spa or hot tub, plus an electrical permit for equipment. The County enforces the International Residential Code adopted under the Maryland Building Performance Standards and amended by County Code Subtitle 4.

A permanently installed hot tub or spa in Prince George's County needs DPIE building and electrical permits. Under the International Residential Code the barrier is waived for a spa or hot tub with a safety cover complying with ASTM F1346; otherwise the 48-inch pool barrier standard applies.

Residential pool safety in Prince George's County follows the International Residential Code pool appendix, enforced by DPIE. Beyond the 48-inch barrier, house doors with direct pool access need alarms or self-closing hardware, and pools need anti-entrapment drains. Public and HOA pools also need a Health Department permit.

A permanent above-ground pool in Prince George's County needs a DPIE building permit and must meet the same 48-inch IRC barrier standard as an in-ground pool. Where the pool wall is 48 inches high it can serve as the barrier if the ladder is removable or securable when unattended.

A home occupation in Prince George's County may show no exterior evidence of the business other than a single permitted sign, under Zoning Ordinance Section 27-5203(b)(6)(D). The dwelling must keep its residential character, so large, illuminated or freestanding commercial signs are not allowed.

Family child care in a Prince George's County home is licensed by the Maryland State Department of Education, Office of Child Care under COMAR 13A.15. A provider must hold a certificate of registration and may care for no more than eight children, no more than four under age 2.

Prince George's County allows home occupations as an accessory use under Zoning Ordinance Section 27-5203(b)(6). The business must stay within the dwelling, use no more than 25 percent of the floor area or 5,000 square feet, have no more than two nonresident employees, and not change the home's residential character.

Selling homemade food from a Prince George's County home follows Maryland's cottage food law (COMAR 10.15.03), overseen by the Maryland Department of Health. A cottage food business makes non-hazardous foods at home, may earn up to $50,000 a year, needs no license, but must label products and follow County zoning.

All home occupations in Prince George's County require a use and occupancy permit from DPIE under Zoning Ordinance Section 27-5203(b)(6)(A). The permit confirms the home business meets the accessory-use standards - indoor operation, the 25 percent floor-area limit, and the two-nonresident-employee cap - before it may operate.

Prince George's County requires residents to place carts curbside no earlier than 6 p.m. the day before collection and to remove them from the curb on the collection day after service. Carts left out draw a DPIE notice and, if still out after 48 hours, are taken by the County.

Prince George's County provides curbside trash collection to about 180,000 homes through the Department of the Environment's Sustainable Waste Management Division. Containers may go out after 6 p.m. the day before collection, and all collections occur between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Prince George's County collects bulky trash curbside for households on County service. Residents may set out up to four acceptable bulky items on their regular collection day; appliances, white goods, scrap metal, and electronics require a scheduled appointment through PGC311.

Prince George's County prohibits dumping, depositing, or leaving solid waste or recyclable material on public or private property. County Code Section 21-103.01 makes illegal dumping unlawful, and DPIE and the Police Department issue citations, with related litter dumping enforced under Subtitle 13.

Prince George's County runs a countywide recycling program under County Code Subtitle 21, Division 4. The County collects recyclables curbside from single-family and multifamily homes, and rental facilities, condominiums, and commercial and industrial properties have mandatory recycling duties enforced under Section 21-152.

Prince George's County requires refuse to be stored in approved covered containers and limits when curbside trash and recycling carts may sit out. County Code Section 21-113 governs storage; carts must be pulled back from the curb on the scheduled collection day after service is completed.

Prince George's County does not run a special garage-sale permit program for the property-standards code, but sale signs may not be placed in the public right-of-way and post-sale leftovers must be cleared. Illegal signs are litter and unsold bulky items must be disposed of through County collection.

Prince George's County enforces exterior property-maintenance standards countywide under County Code Subtitle 13, Division 7. Property that is unclean, littered with rubbish or garbage, has uncontrolled weed growth, junked appliances, or abandoned vehicles is a public nuisance that DPIE Code Enforcement can order abated.

Prince George's County requires vacant and unimproved lots to be kept free of litter, debris, and overgrown weeds. DPIE's Enforcement Division investigates unimproved lots (no structure) and can clean them at the owner's expense, recording the cost as a tax lien.

In Prince George's County, grass or weeds over 12 inches tall is a violation of the County Code. Owners get a written notice and 10 calendar days to cut before DPIE has the property mowed at the owner's expense, with the cost added to the tax bill as a lien.

Temporary yard sale signage is exempt from a sign permit under the 2022 Zoning Ordinance (Sec. 27-61502(c)(6)). No dedicated size or duration is set, so signs should stay on private property and not obstruct traffic; the garage sale itself is allowed by right with no permit.

Political campaign signs are exempt from a sign permit but must sit at least 10 feet behind the street line and 50 feet from the nearest intersection corner. They may go up no more than 45 days before the election and come down within 10 days after (Sec. 27-61502(c)(16)).

The 2022 Zoning Ordinance limits light spillover across property lines. Illumination measured at a lot line abutting residential use or vacant land in Rural, Agricultural, and Residential zones may not exceed 0.5 foot-candles; higher limits apply for commercial and industrial neighbors (Sec. 27-6706(c)).

The 2022 Zoning Ordinance requires all exterior luminaires, including security lighting, to be full cut-off fixtures directed downward, with no light directed above a horizontal plane through the fixture (Sec. 27-6706(b)). Fixtures must produce at least 80 lumens per watt.

Under the 2022 Zoning Ordinance (Sec. 27-5202), a shed or detached accessory structure may not sit in a required front yard. It may go in a side or rear yard, but any structure over 10 feet tall needs an extra foot of setback for every foot above 10.

A carport is an accessory structure under the 2022 Zoning Ordinance. Per Sec. 27-5202, it cannot sit in a required front yard or corner-lot side yard, may go in a side or rear yard, and must meet the underlying zone's setback and height limits, plus any DPIE building permit.

Accessory dwelling units are not currently permitted in Prince George's County. The 2022 Zoning Ordinance allows only a guest house (no separate dwelling). Under Maryland's ADU Act of 2025 (HB 1466), the county must adopt an ADU-authorizing law by October 1, 2026.

Converting a garage into living space in Prince George's County requires DPIE building permits and must meet the 2022 Zoning Ordinance. Because accessory dwelling units are not permitted, a converted garage cannot become a separate, independent dwelling with its own kitchen.

The 2022 Zoning Ordinance has no 'tiny house' use, and a manufactured home, recreational vehicle, or travel trailer may not be used as a dwelling except a limited transient use. A movable tiny home on wheels cannot serve as a permanent residence or accessory dwelling.

M-NCPPC park property and facilities in Prince George's County are open daily from sunrise to sunset, unless posted otherwise. Paved trails stay open 5:00 a.m. to midnight for bicycles, and parkways remain open 24 hours for motor traffic. Rules are enforced by the Park Police.