Prince George's County, MD Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)
Key Facts
- Clearing deadline
- 48 hours after snow/ice
- Enforcing agency
- Police Dept. or County agency
- Snow/ice/weed fine
- up to $100 per offense
- Litter fine
- $1,000 per offense
- Weed height limit
- cut to 6 inches or less
Summary
Prince George's County property owners and lessors must clear snow and ice from sidewalks abutting their land within 48 hours after snow falls or ice forms. The Police Department or other County enforcement agency enforces the rule, and failing to clear a sidewalk carries a civil fine of up to $100 per offense.
It shall be the duty of the owner or lessor, as the case may be, of a residential dwelling unit or commercial property, unless such duty has been delegated to a lessee in actual possession, to remove snow and ice from any sidewalk abutting the subject property within forty-eight (48) hours after snow has fallen or ice has formed as a result of inclement weather or runoff from abutting surfaces. ... The Police Department or other appropriate County enforcement agency shall be responsible for enforcing the provisions of this Section. ... Any person primarily responsible for the removal of snow, ice, weeds, or debris who breaches said duty shall be subject to a civil fine not to exceed One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for each separate offense.
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 23-150(b) puts the duty squarely on the owner or lessor of a residential dwelling or commercial property: 'It shall be the duty of the owner or lessor... to remove snow and ice from any sidewalk abutting the subject property within forty-eight (48) hours after snow has fallen or ice has formed as a result of inclement weather or runoff from abutting surfaces.' That duty shifts to a lessee only where it has been specifically delegated to a tenant in actual possession.
The same section reaches beyond snow: Section 23-150(c) requires owners to clear litter and debris from the property line out to the curb and gutter on an urban roadway, or to the edge of the paved surface on a rural roadway, and Section 23-150(d) requires weeds in that same strip to be kept cut to six inches or less, as defined in Section 23-102.
Section 23-150(e) assigns enforcement to 'the Police Department or other appropriate County enforcement agency.' Section 23-150(g) carves out an exception so the duty does not apply to debris left in the right-of-way from a lawful eviction or from bulky trash dumped illegally by someone else.
'Commercial property' is defined broadly in Section 23-150(a) to include any property used for a trade or business providing goods or services, plus zoned industrial, commercial, residential, rural, agricultural, Transit-Oriented/Activity Center, or planned-development property used for that purpose, so the 48-hour snow rule applies to a wide range of Prince George's County properties, not just houses.
Violations & Fines
Section 23-150(f) sets the fine for missing the 48-hour snow, ice or weed deadline at a civil penalty of 'not to exceed One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for each separate offense.' Litter violations under the same section carry a steeper civil fine of $1,000 per separate offense. Because each day of noncompliance can be cited separately, an uncleared sidewalk can generate a new $100 citation for every 24-hour period the snow or ice remains.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to clear snow off my sidewalk in Prince George's County?
What's the fine for not shoveling my sidewalk?
Am I responsible for weeds and litter along the sidewalk too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
Compare Prince George's County to another location·View the Maryland property maintenance overview
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