Prince George's County, MD Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)

Sec. 11-263, in Subtitle 11's Fire Prevention Code, regulates liquified petroleum gas from bulk storage plants down to household cylinders. At bulk plants, every space where LP-gas is transferred or stored, including connections to storage tanks, must be segregated with a fence the Fire Chief or an authorized representative approves, and gates must stay locked whenever no responsible person or agent is present. Tanks that supply individual customer installations must sit outside of buildings, with valves and connections protected by an approved enclosure; once an installation's aggregate water capacity passes 2,000 gallons, the tank and its appurtenances must be enclosed by at least a six-foot industrial-type fence unless the Fire Chief accepts another form of protection, and the gate must be kept locked when unattended.

For bulk storage of 2,000 gallons or more in heavily populated or congested areas, Sec. 11-263(c) gives the Fire Chief discretion over individual tank capacity, total storage, distance to property lines, underground storage, fixed fire-suppression systems, and any other protective measure needed. Inside a residential building, storage is far more limited: Sec. 11-263(d) caps LP-gas containers at two ICC-DOT cylinders with a water capacity not exceeding two and one-half pounds each, and only when they are part of an approved, self-contained hand torch assembly or similar appliance, ruling out larger cylinders such as standard 20-pound grill tanks from being stored inside a home.