Prince George's County, MD Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitting agency
- Dept. of Public Works and Transportation
- Governing law
- County Code § 23-601 et seq.
- Permit status
- Revocable license, not a right
- Illegal object removal fee
- $50 minimum per item
- First-offense fine
- $100
- Repeat-offense fines
- $500, then $1,000, per violation
Summary
Prince George's County requires a Department of Public Works and Transportation permit before any sign, structure, or private object goes into the county right-of-way. County Code Section 23-603 makes the permit mandatory except for items the code exempts outright, and the application must include scaled plans, sketches, or photographs showing size, design, and how the object will be installed.
(a)Except as provided in this Division, signs or objects shall not be placed within the County right-of-way unless a permit has been issued by the Department.(b)An application for a permit shall be submitted on forms provided by the Department.(c)Each application shall be accompanied by plans, sketches, or photographs which indicate the following:(1)Size and location of the sign or object;(2)Design of the sign or object;(3)Method of erecting or placing the sign or object; and(4)Other information the Director may require to insure compliance with this Division and other regulations of the County.
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
Division 6 of Subtitle 23 governs private encroachments into the public right-of-way. Section 23-601 makes the division applicable to "the placement of all signs, objects, and other private property within the County right-of-way," though items required by County, State, or federal law and street-address displays fall outside it. Before placing a sign or object, Section 23-603 requires an application to the Department of Public Works and Transportation on department forms, accompanied by plans, sketches, or photographs showing size and location, design, method of erection, and any other information the Director needs to confirm compliance.
Section 23-604 limits issuance to proposals that meet the Division's standards, and Section 23-605 requires the assigned permit number to be displayed on the sign or its support structure. The permit itself is only a revocable license: Section 23-606 lets the Director pull it any time the holder fails to meet the Division's requirements, exposing the owner to the penalties in Section 23-610. 5 square feet and 4 per property. Anything placed without a permit is deemed abandoned and illegal at the moment it goes up under Section 23-608, and the Department can remove it without notice at the owner's cost, a minimum of $50 per item.
Violations & Fines
Placing a sign or object in the right-of-way without a permit triggers removal at the owner's expense, a minimum of $50 per item under Section 23-608. Civil fines under Section 23-610 run $100 for a first violation, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for a third or later violation, accruing daily until the sign or object is removed, plus the County's removal costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put a sign in the Prince George's County right-of-way?
Can the county revoke an encroachment permit?
What happens if I place a sign without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
Compare Prince George's County to another location·View the Maryland sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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