Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup

Prince George's County, MD Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Density bonus
20% above zone maximum, for-sale units
Base MPDU requirement
10% of market-rate units
Fee waiver
up to 50% on site plan/subdivision/permit fees
Expedited review
final plat and building permit
Alternative payment
3% of sale price to CHOICE Fund
Enacted
CB-075-2025

Summary

Developers who sign a Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit agreement in Prince George's County can build 20% more for-sale housing than their zone otherwise allows, plus get fee waivers and faster permit review, under the Building Incentives set out in Sec. 13-254 of the county's MPDU Program.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Prince George's County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Density Bonus. An applicant who agrees to comply with the requirements of the MPDU Program shall be eligible for a density bonus for for-sale housing of twenty percent above the maximum amount permitted in a zone, provided that the development complies with all of provisions of Title 27 of the County Code.

View official code

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 base trade-off comes first: Sec. 13-250 requires an MPDU agreement providing moderately priced units equal to at least 10% of the market-rate units in the development, built on-site at the same pace as the market units unless the Director approves an alternate location, and no preliminary subdivision plan, final plat, or building permit can be approved without that signed agreement. In exchange, Sec. 13-254(b) grants a density bonus for for-sale housing of 20% above the maximum otherwise permitted in the zone, conditioned on the development complying with all of Title 27, the Zoning Ordinance.

Sec. 13-254(c) adds a waiver of up to 50% of the detailed site plan, preliminary subdivision plan, and single-family building permit fees, and Sec. 13-254(d) provides expedited review of the final plat and building permit applications. Sec. 13-251 offers an alternative path: the Director can approve paying 3% of each market-rate unit's sale price into the CHOICE Special Revenue Fund instead of building some or all of the MPDUs, but only after finding that high common ownership community fees would make the required units unaffordable to eligible buyers, or that building off-site elsewhere better serves the county's housing goals. Sec. 13-254 was rewritten by CB-075-2025.

Violations & Fines

No preliminary subdivision plan, final plat, or building permit may be approved for an MPDU-covered project without a signed MPDU agreement (Sec. 13-250(b)). Because the agreement runs with the land for the entire occupancy period and must be recorded on the final subdivision plat, failing to meet its staging schedule or unit-mix terms puts the project's recorded approvals, and the incentives tied to them, at risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much extra density does Prince George's County's MPDU program allow?
Sec. 13-254(b) grants a 20% density bonus above the maximum otherwise permitted in the zone for for-sale housing, as long as the development complies with all of Title 27, the Zoning Ordinance, and the applicant has signed the MPDU agreement required under Sec. 13-250.
What do developers give up to get the density bonus?
They must sign an MPDU agreement committing to build moderately priced units equal to 10% of the market-rate units, built on-site at the same pace as market units, with matching architecture and floor area, under Sec. 13-250. That agreement runs with the land and is recorded on the final subdivision plat.
Can a developer pay cash instead of building the affordable units?
Sometimes. Sec. 13-251 lets the Director approve an alternative payment of 3% of each market-rate unit's sale price into the CHOICE Special Revenue Fund, but only after finding that high common ownership community fees would make the required units unaffordable to eligible buyers anyway.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Prince George's County

All Prince George's County rules

Compare Prince George's County to another location·View the Maryland zoning overlays & bonuses overview

Get notified when Density Bonus Law in Prince George's County, MD changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.