Prince George's County, MD Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- License required for
- single-family & multifamily rentals
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Permitting, Inspections & Enforcement
- License term
- 1 to 2 years
- Unlicensed operation penalty
- up to $5,000/month
- Late renewal fee penalty
- up to $1,000/month
- Appeal path
- Administrative Hearing Unit, then Circuit Court
Summary
Every single-family and multifamily rental in Prince George's County needs a license from the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement before a landlord can rent it out. Sec. 13-181 bars operating a rental facility, in any capacity, without one. Family-member tenants, active-duty military owners, and job-relocated owner-occupants can qualify for a documented exemption.
No person shall conduct or operate or cause to be operated either as owner, lessee, agent, or in any other capacity within the County any single-family rental facility or any multifamily rental facility as defined in Section 13-138(a) without having first obtained a license as provided in this Division.
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
The license application under Sec. 13-182 must name the owner's authorized agent, resident agent, mortgage holder, and insurer, all posted on DPIE's online searchable database of licensed rentals, and the licensee has a continuing duty to keep that information current. A license runs one to two years at the Director's discretion under Sec. 13-185, with the fee prorated to match the assigned term and reviewable under Sec. 13-189; paying late adds a penalty of up to $1,000 per month. A license doesn't survive a sale: Sec.
13-186 gives a buyer 30 days after settlement to apply for a new one, and failing to do so, or to hold the Subtitle 27 Use and Occupancy Permit, brings a penalty of up to $5,000 for every month the property runs unlicensed. The Director can suspend a license immediately and without a hearing under Sec. 13-187 when violations threaten occupant health or safety; the suspension lifts once the landlord fixes the problem and automatically expires in 30 days unless the Director schedules a revocation hearing.
Revocation itself requires a hearing under Subtitle 13, Division 15 with at least five business days' notice, and a licensee can appeal an adverse decision to the Administrative Hearing Unit and then to the Circuit Court for Prince George's County.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a license, or a new owner missing the 30-day relicensing window, triggers a penalty of up to $5,000 for each month, or portion of a month, the property runs unlicensed (Sec. 13-186(d)). Once a license is suspended or revoked, it is unlawful to let any unit that becomes vacant until DPIE reissues or revalidates the license (Sec. 13-187(c)), and the property must post a notice stating that occupancy of any vacant unit is unlawful until relicensed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is exempt from the Prince George's County rental license?
How long does a Prince George's County rental license last?
What happens if a new owner misses the 30-day relicensing deadline?
Can Prince George's County suspend a rental license without a hearing?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
Compare Prince George's County to another location·View the Maryland rental property rules overview
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