Prince George's County, MD Rental Property Rules: Rent Increase Notice (2026)
Key Facts
- Public notice deadline
- May 1st each year, Sec. 13-144(c)
- Allowance effective date
- July 1st through following June 30th
- Direct landlord notice deadline
- Within 15 days of new cap, Sec. 13-147.3(b)
- Public lookup portal
- Required by January 1, 2026
- Penalty for Subdivision violation
- $1,000 first, up to $5,000 subsequent
Summary
Each year, Prince George's County's DPIE must publish the countywide annual rent increase allowance by May 1st, ahead of its July 1st effective date, under Code Sec. 13-144(c). The allowance sets the maximum percentage landlords of regulated units may add to rent for the coming 12-month cycle.
(b)Duration. A rent increase allowance under Subsection (a) remains in effect for a 12-month period, beginning July 1st of each year and ending on June 30th of the following year.(c)By May 1st of each year, DPIE shall provide notice to the public of the annual rent increase allowance under Subsection (a), above, that will become effective on July 1st of that year.
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
Sec. 13-144(b) fixes the rent-stabilization calendar for regulated rental units in Prince George's County: the Director calculates a new annual rent increase allowance that remains in effect for a 12-month period, beginning July 1st of each year and ending on June 30th of the following year. Subsection (c) is the notice duty: by May 1st of each year, DPIE must provide notice to the public of the annual rent increase allowance that will become effective on July 1st of that year. That is a countywide public notice of the percentage cap, not an individualized notice DPIE sends to each tenant; landlords still deliver their own lease-renewal notices directly to tenants, and the countywide allowance simply sets the ceiling those individual increases cannot exceed.
The related notice duty in Sec. 3(a) goes further: by January 1, 2026, DPIE must stand up a public web portal that lets any tenant or landlord look up whether a specific rental property is subject to the Sec. 13-144 allowance at all, since Sec. 13-147 exempts many unit types outright. Sec. 3(b) separately requires DPIE to email and post notice to license holders of the per-annum limits on rent increases within 15 days of the limits taking effect, so licensed landlords get direct notice of the new cap on top of the general public posting.
Because these notice duties sit inside the 2023-2024 Rent Stabilization framework (CB-007-2023, CB-055-2024), they apply only to 'regulated rental units' as defined in Sec. 13-138 and Sec. 13-147, not to exempt properties.
Violations & Fines
DPIE's enforcement authority for the rent-stabilization Subdivision, including its notice duties, runs through Sec. 13-147.3(c): a first violation of the Subdivision's requirements carries a civil penalty of $1,000, and any subsequent violation can draw a penalty of up to $5,000. Collected penalties are split evenly between the Prince George's County Rental Assistance Program and DPIE. A landlord who raises rent above the published allowance without qualifying for a capital-improvement surcharge or fair-return increase is enforcing an unauthorized increase, not merely a notice violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Prince George's County publish the annual rent increase cap?
Does DPIE notify my landlord directly about the rent increase cap?
How can I find out if my rental unit is subject to PG County's rent cap?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
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