Prince George's County, MD Parking Rules: Snow Removal Parking Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Snow emergency route parking fine
- $30 per violation (Sec. 26-157(d))
- Tire requirement
- Snow tires or chains required on posted routes
- Odd/even parking fine
- $50 per violation (Sec. 26-157.01(e))
- Notice method
- TV and radio broadcast is legally sufficient
- Reporting duty
- 24-hour Council report for major snow operations
Summary
Once the Director of Public Works designates a road as a snow emergency route and posts it, parking there is banned during the emergency and every vehicle using it must run snow tires or chains. A violation draws a $30 fine and the vehicle can be towed and impounded.
Sec. 26-157. - Authority to designate snow emergency routes. (a)The Director is hereby authorized to designate County roads as snow emergency routes, along which parking shall be prohibited during snow emergencies, and any vehicle using such prescribed routes shall be required to use snow tires or snow chains during such emergency. The Director shall adequately post such emergency routes with proper signs to warn the public of the provisions of this Section...(b)No person shall park a motor vehicle or drive a motor vehicle without snow tires or snow chains during the emergency period on emergency routes designated by the Director...(d)Any person issued a citation for a violation of this Section shall be subject to a fine of Thirty Dollars ($30.00) for each violation.
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 26-157 lets the Director designate County roads as snow emergency routes; parking is prohibited on those routes during snow emergencies, and any vehicle using them must use snow tires or snow chains for the duration. Vehicles parked in violation, or stalled on a route without the required tires or chains, can be towed and impounded, with towing and storage charges standing as a lien against the vehicle until paid. 01, lets the Director restrict on-street parking during snow, ice, or other emergency conditions on any County-maintained street where parking is allowed on both sides: vehicles must sit on the even-numbered side until the odd-numbered side is cleared, then move to the odd side.
The County only has to announce that restriction over metro-area television and radio broadcasts to make it enforceable; no individual notice is required. Violators there are cited, and their vehicles can be towed and impounded by police. 02 requires the Director of the Department of Public Works and Transportation to send the County Council a situational awareness report within 24 hours of any anticipated Modified, Full, or Blizzard snow operation, detailing the storm forecast, road conditions, dispatched vehicles, and salt supply.
Violations & Fines
Parking on a posted snow emergency route, or driving one without snow tires or chains, draws a $30 citation under Section 26-157(d) and exposes the vehicle to towing and impoundment with a lien for the towing and storage cost. Violating the odd/even-side restriction under Section 26-157.01 during a snow or ice emergency draws a $50 citation and the same towing exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Prince George's County notify drivers of a snow emergency parking rule?
What happens if I park on a designated snow emergency route during a storm?
Do I have to move my car during a snow emergency even if I'm not on a posted route?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
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