Prince George's County landlord license: full requirements

Last updated 2026-07-26

Does Prince George's County require a landlord license?

Yes. Prince George's County requires anyone renting out a dwelling unit, single family house, condo, apartment, or accessory unit, to hold a valid Rental Unit License before leasing it to a tenant. The requirement comes out of the County Code's licensing and inspection provisions for rental facilities, administered by the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE) ^[1]. This isn't a one-time registration you file and forget. Licenses are tied to a specific unit address and owner, they expire on a cycle set by the county, and they require a passed inspection before DPIE issues or renews the license. If you own a duplex, each unit typically needs its own license number, not one license for the whole building. Confirm the exact per-unit versus per-building rule with your local rental licensing office, because multi-unit buildings sometimes have different application paths than single family rentals. If you're renting a room in your own owner-occupied house, some jurisdictions carve out an exception for owner-occupied properties with a small number of boarders. Prince George's County has historically drawn distinctions around owner-occupancy and number of units, so don't assume you're exempt just because you live on site. Call DPIE and ask about your specific situation before you list the unit.

How do I apply for a rental license in Prince George's County?

You apply through DPIE, either online through the county's permitting portal or in person, and the application asks for the property address, owner information, unit count, and often a local agent if you don't live in Maryland. Expect to submit proof of ownership, pay the license fee, and schedule the required inspection as part of the process ^[1]. Most mandatory-licensing counties in Maryland follow a similar shape: apply, pay, get inspected, get your license number, then renew before it lapses. Prince George's County's exact fee schedule, application form, and renewal interval change periodically, so treat any number you see online (including this one) as needing a live check against DPIE's current fee page before you budget for it. As a general rule of thumb across Maryland's licensing counties, expect renewal cycles that run one to two years, but confirm the current cycle with your local rental licensing office ^[1]. If you own property out of state or out of county, many jurisdictions require you to name a local resident agent who can accept legal notices and respond to code enforcement. Prince George's County has had this kind of requirement in various forms, so don't skip that section of the application even if it feels like paperwork for paperwork's sake. An unreachable owner is exactly the situation these rules exist to prevent.

What does the rental inspection check for?

A rental licensing inspection in Prince George's County typically covers structural safety, working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, functioning heat and hot water, electrical safety, and the absence of hazards like exposed wiring or unsafe stairs. Inspectors are checking whether the unit meets the county's minimum livability standard, not doing a cosmetic walkthrough ^[1]. Common items that get flagged and delay licensing: missing or expired smoke detectors, GFCI outlets missing near water sources, peeling paint in a pre-1978 unit (see the lead section below), broken window locks or screens, plumbing leaks, and inadequate egress from bedrooms. If you've never had your unit inspected before, walk through it yourself with a flashlight and a checklist before the inspector shows up. It's the cheapest hour you'll spend in this whole process. What can a landlord look at during an inspection, versus what the inspector is looking at, are two different questions worth separating. A landlord conducting their own walkthrough (before tenancy, at move-in, at move-out, or as part of routine maintenance) can generally look at the condition of the unit, check for damage beyond normal wear, verify smoke detectors work, and note maintenance needs. A government rental-licensing inspector is checking code compliance specifically: things tied to the county's housing and building code, not personal preferences about cleanliness or decor. Landlords doing their own pre-inspection walkthrough should still give proper notice to any current tenant before entering, typically the same notice period required for routine access under Maryland law and your lease. If you want a structured way to get ready before DPIE shows up, a rental license checklist built for licensing counties can help you catch the predictable stuff (detectors, egress, GFCIs) before you pay for an inspection that fails on something fixable in twenty minutes.

Who is responsible for a rental property walkthrough inspection in California?

This question comes up a lot because California has its own separate set of rules that often get confused with local licensing inspections like Prince George's County's. In California, the landlord is responsible for conducting a move-out inspection if the tenant requests one, under California Civil Code Section 1950.5. The law gives tenants the right to request an initial inspection before they move out, so they can fix issues themselves and avoid deductions from their security deposit ^[2]. California Civil Code 1950.5(f) requires the landlord to notify the tenant of this right and, if the tenant requests it, conduct the inspection no earlier than two weeks before the end of the tenancy, then give the tenant an itemized list of what needs fixing ^[2]. That's a very different animal from a county rental-licensing inspection like Prince George's County's, which is a government code-compliance check tied to whether you're legally allowed to rent the unit at all, not a security deposit process. If you're a Prince George's County landlord who also owns California property, don't mix these two systems up. Maryland's licensing counties (including Prince George's) don't have a statewide move-out inspection statute like California's; Maryland's security deposit rules live in a different part of its code and don't require the same pre-move-out inspection offer.

How does lead paint certification factor into licensing?

If your rental unit was built before 1978, Maryland's Reduction of Lead Risk in Housing law almost certainly applies to you, and Prince George's County ties lead compliance to rental licensing. You generally need a valid lead paint risk reduction certificate on file with the Maryland Department of the Environment before DPIE will issue or renew your rental license ^[3]. Maryland's lead law (Environment Article, Title 6, Subtitle 8) requires owners of "affected property" (built before 1978) to register the unit with MDE, perform an inspection or a full risk reduction treatment, and get a certificate before renting to a new tenant ^[3]. Registration and inspection have separate fees paid to MDE, on top of whatever Prince George's County charges for the rental license itself. If you skip this and try to license anyway, expect DPIE to bounce the application until you produce a current lead certificate. This is one of the most common reasons a first-time rental license application in Prince George's County stalls out. Owners buy an older rowhouse or bungalow, apply for the county license, and get stuck because nobody registered the property with MDE first. Do the lead registration early, because MDE inspections get scheduled separately from your county inspection and the two calendars don't always line up conveniently.

What happens if I rent without a license in Prince George's County?

Operating a rental without a valid license in Prince George's County exposes you to civil citations and fines under the county's code enforcement process, and unlicensed status can also complicate or block your ability to pursue an eviction in court. Maryland district courts in licensing jurisdictions have, in various cases, required landlords to show proof of a valid rental license before proceeding with failure-to-pay-rent or other eviction actions ^[1][4]. The fine amounts and the exact enforcement mechanism change from year to year and get updated in county code amendments, so don't rely on a specific dollar figure you find in an old blog post or forum thread, confirm the current fine schedule with DPIE code enforcement directly. What doesn't change is the basic exposure: no license generally means no standing to evict for nonpayment in a licensing jurisdiction, and that's often the more expensive problem in practice, because a landlord who can't evict a non-paying tenant loses far more in unpaid rent than any citation would cost. If you got a notice of violation or a fine, the fastest path back to compliance is usually to apply immediately, pay any reinstatement or late fees, and get the inspection scheduled rather than disputing the citation. Contesting it rarely saves money once you count the rent you lose while the property sits unlicensed.

How do rental licensing counties in Maryland compare?

Prince George's County	Yes, per unit [1]	Yes, on renewal cycle [1]	Yes, if pre-1978 [3]
Montgomery County	Yes, per unit	Yes	Yes, if pre-1978 [3]
Baltimore City	Yes, per unit	Yes	Yes, if pre-1950 disclosure differs [3]	Maryland's statewide lead law under Environment Article Title 6, Subtitle 8 applies regardless of which county you're in, so that piece is consistent even when local licensing fees and cycles aren't [3]. The practical lesson: never assume your Montgomery County process maps cleanly onto Prince George's County, or vice versa. Call the specific county's rental licensing office for that county's numbers.

Prince George's County isn't unique in Maryland. Baltimore City, Montgomery County, and several other Maryland jurisdictions run their own mandatory rental licensing programs, each with different fees, inspection cycles, and lead paint enforcement tie-ins. If you own rentals in more than one Maryland jurisdiction, don't assume the rules transfer. | Jurisdiction | License required | Inspection required | Lead cert tied to license |

What is landlording and what does a landlord actually do?

Landlording is the ongoing work of owning and operating a rental property for someone else's use in exchange for rent. It's more than collecting a check. A landlord is legally and practically responsible for maintaining a habitable unit, following local licensing and inspection rules, handling repairs, managing the lease relationship, and following state and local law around notices, deposits, and evictions. In a mandatory-licensing place like Prince George's County, landlording also means staying current on a government compliance calendar: license renewal dates, inspection windows, lead certification, and any code enforcement notices. That's a meaningfully different job than landlording in a county with no licensing requirement at all, where the main obligations come from the lease and state landlord-tenant law rather than a local permitting office. Most small landlords with one to ten units learn this job by doing it, often making a few expensive mistakes along the way (missing a renewal date, skipping a lead registration, not knowing about a licensing requirement until a fine notice arrives). If you're new to this, treat licensing and inspection deadlines as seriously as you'd treat a mortgage payment, because in a licensing county, they can end up affecting your ability to collect rent or evict a nonpaying tenant.

How do you become a landlord, step by step?

Becoming a landlord in a licensing county like Prince George's County generally follows a specific order, and doing the steps out of order is the single biggest cause of delays and rejected applications. 1. Confirm zoning allows the rental use (some accessory units and short-term setups need separate approval). 2. Register the property for lead paint compliance with MDE if it was built before 1978, and get the certificate or schedule the inspection ^[3]. 3. Apply for the rental license through DPIE, providing ownership proof, unit details, and a local agent if you're an out-of-state owner ^[1]. 4. Schedule and pass the county rental inspection. 5. Get your license number and keep it current on whatever renewal cycle DPIE assigns. 6. Screen tenants, sign a lease that complies with Maryland landlord-tenant law, and collect a security deposit within the state's legal limit. 7. Set up a system for renewal reminders, because a lapsed license is treated the same as never having one at all. This is also where a landlord basics guide is worth a look if you've never done any of this before, because steps 1 through 4 above are exactly the sequence that trips up first-time owners in every mandatory-licensing county, more than Prince George's. If managing this timeline yourself feels like a lot to track, our $79 Rental Packet Builder puts together a city-specific prep packet, application checklist, and inspection prep list so you're not guessing at the order of operations. It doesn't replace DPIE's own forms or guarantee a passed inspection, but it saves the hours of figuring out what order things happen in.

What rights do tenants have without a lease?

A tenant without a written lease in Maryland still has legal protections, they're just governed by month-to-month tenancy rules instead of a fixed lease term. Under Maryland law, a periodic tenancy (commonly month-to-month) still requires proper notice before termination, still requires the unit to be kept in a livable condition, and still gives the tenant the right to withhold rent or pursue rent escrow remedies if the landlord fails to maintain the property ^[5]. Without a written lease, the tenancy generally defaults to whatever period rent is paid on, usually month-to-month if rent is paid monthly. Maryland's notice requirements for ending a month-to-month tenancy require written notice, and the length of notice depends on the jurisdiction and the reason for termination; check current requirements with a landlord-tenant attorney or the district court self-help center for the county involved, since notice periods have been amended in recent years. A lack of a written lease also doesn't remove the landlord's licensing obligation in Prince George's County. You still need the rental license and inspection regardless of whether the tenant has a signed lease, a month-to-month verbal agreement, or anything in between. The county's licensing rule attaches to the unit and the act of renting it out, not to whether paperwork exists.

Why do landlords require renters insurance?

Landlords require renters insurance mainly to shift liability and personal property risk away from themselves. If a tenant's belongings are damaged in a fire, flood, or theft, the landlord's own property insurance typically covers the building and the landlord's fixtures, not the tenant's furniture, electronics, or clothing. Without renters insurance, a tenant with no coverage may look to the landlord to cover their losses, or file a claim the landlord's own policy wasn't built to absorb. Renters insurance also usually includes liability coverage, which matters if a tenant's guest gets hurt in the unit or the tenant accidentally causes damage (a kitchen fire, an overflowing bathtub that damages the unit below). That liability coverage can protect the landlord indirectly, since it reduces the odds the landlord's own liability policy gets pulled into a claim. Requiring it is legal in most states as long as it's disclosed in the lease and applied evenly to all tenants. It doesn't replace the landlord's own dwelling policy, and it has nothing to do with Prince George's County's rental licensing requirement, that's a separate government-facing obligation, not an insurance mandate. Some landlords require proof of renters insurance as a lease condition; others don't bother. It's a landlord's business choice, not something DPIE checks during a licensing inspection.

How much notice does a landlord have to give before entering a unit?

Notice requirements before a landlord enters an occupied rental unit vary by state, and Maryland doesn't have one single statewide statute spelling out a specific number of hours for routine entry the way some states do. Many leases in Maryland specify 24 or 48 hours notice for non-emergency entry, and that lease term becomes the operating rule between landlord and tenant. For rental licensing inspections specifically, Prince George's County or its inspection contractor typically schedules a specific appointment window with the tenant and owner in advance, rather than showing up unannounced. If you're the owner and you want to do your own walkthrough before the official inspection, treat it the same as any other non-emergency entry and give the notice your lease requires, generally 24 to 48 hours is standard practice even where state law doesn't set an exact number. Emergencies (a burst pipe, a gas leak, a fire) are the standard exception to any notice requirement, in Maryland and essentially everywhere else. If you smell gas or get a call about flooding, you don't wait 24 hours to go look.

What can't a landlord do in Ohio?

This question shows up in Prince George's County searches because Ohio and Maryland tenant protections get confused online, but Ohio's rules are governed by a completely separate statute, Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5321, the Ohio Landlords and Tenants Act ^[6]. Ohio landlords cannot shut off utilities, change the locks, or remove a tenant's belongings to force them out, that's illegal self-help eviction under Ohio law, and Ohio courts have consistently required landlords to go through the formal eviction (forcible entry and detainer) process instead ^[6]. Ohio Revised Code 5321.04 also requires landlords to keep the unit in compliance with building and health codes, make repairs, keep common areas safe, and maintain working plumbing, heating, and hot water. A landlord who fails to do this can be sued by the tenant, and Ohio law gives tenants remedies including rent escrow deposits with the local court. None of this changes what Prince George's County requires. If you own property in Ohio and Maryland, the two states have different landlord-tenant statutes, different notice periods, and different self-help eviction bans, and Prince George's County's rental licensing rules sit entirely on top of Maryland's separate state landlord-tenant law, not Ohio's.

What is a landlord, legally speaking?

A landlord is the person or entity that owns a rental property and leases it to a tenant in exchange for rent, taking on legal responsibilities for habitability, repairs, and following state and local law. The landlord-tenant relationship is defined by a lease (written or verbal) and layered with statutory protections that exist whether or not the lease mentions them. In Prince George's County, being a landlord specifically also means being a licensee of the county, subject to DPIE's rental licensing and inspection authority, and subject to Maryland's lead paint law if the property predates 1978. That's on top of the general landlord obligations that exist everywhere: maintaining habitability, returning security deposits properly, giving required notice before entry or termination, and not retaliating against tenants who exercise legal rights like reporting code violations. If you're weighing whether to self-manage or hire a property manager, understanding this full stack of obligations (state landlord-tenant law, plus county licensing, plus federal lead disclosure rules under 42 U.S.C. 4852d for pre-1978 housing) is the real answer to what the job requires ^[7]. It's more administrative than most new landlords expect going in.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Prince George's County rental license cost?

Fees change periodically and vary by unit type and count, so confirm the current fee with DPIE's rental licensing office before budgeting. Don't rely on older blog posts or forum figures, DPIE's own current fee schedule is the only reliable source.

How often do I need to renew my rental license in Prince George's County?

Prince George's County runs a renewal cycle for rental licenses, but the exact interval (commonly one to two years in Maryland licensing counties) should be confirmed with DPIE directly since cycles and renewal procedures get updated periodically ^[1].

Do I need a lead paint certificate for every rental unit?

Only if the unit was built before 1978. Maryland's Reduction of Lead Risk in Housing law requires registration, inspection or risk reduction treatment, and a certificate from MDE for pre-1978 rentals before you can lease or license the unit ^[3].

Can I rent out a room in my own house without a license?

Owner-occupied properties sometimes have different rules than fully rented units, but Prince George's County has specific thresholds around unit count and occupancy. Don't assume you're exempt; confirm your specific situation with DPIE before listing the room.

What happens if my rental license expires while a tenant is living there?

The tenant can keep living there, but you're operating without a valid license, which exposes you to fines and can block your ability to file an eviction for nonpayment in Maryland district court until the license is reinstated ^[1][4].

Does Prince George's County inspect every unit or just new applications?

Both. New rental license applications require an initial inspection, and renewals typically require a follow-up inspection on the county's set cycle. Confirm the current cycle and whether random or complaint-based inspections also apply in your case with DPIE.

What is landlording, in plain terms?

Landlording is the day-to-day and long-term work of owning and renting out property: maintaining it, following licensing and lead rules where they apply, managing leases, handling repairs, and staying compliant with state and local landlord-tenant law.

What rights does a tenant have without a signed lease?

A tenant without a written lease in Maryland still has a legal tenancy, typically month-to-month, and retains rights to habitability, proper notice before termination, and remedies like rent escrow if the landlord fails to maintain the unit ^[5].

Why do some landlords require renters insurance?

To shift liability and personal property risk off the landlord's own policy. Renters insurance covers a tenant's belongings and includes liability coverage for accidents the tenant causes, reducing the odds a claim falls back on the landlord's dwelling policy.

How much notice does a landlord have to give before entering an occupied unit?

Maryland doesn't set one statewide number for routine entry; most leases specify 24 or 48 hours. Rental licensing inspections in Prince George's County are typically scheduled with advance notice to both owner and tenant rather than done unannounced.

Who does a rental property walkthrough inspection in California?

Under California Civil Code Section 1950.5(f), the landlord conducts the move-out walkthrough inspection if the tenant requests one, and must give the tenant an itemized list of deficiencies so they can fix issues before move-out ^[2].

What can't a landlord do in Ohio?

Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5321, landlords cannot shut off utilities, change locks, or remove belongings to force a tenant out; they must go through formal eviction. They must also keep the unit code-compliant and make timely repairs ^[6].

Sources

1. Prince George's County, MD Code of Ordinances, Subtitle 13, Housing and Property Standards (Rental Licensing): Prince George's County requires a Rental Unit License, inspection, and renewal cycle administered by DPIE
2. California Civil Code Section 1950.5: Landlord must conduct an initial move-out inspection if requested by tenant and provide an itemized list of needed repairs
3. Maryland Department of the Environment, Reduction of Lead Risk in Housing Program: Pre-1978 rental units must be registered and certified under Maryland's lead risk reduction law before renting
4. Maryland Environment Article, Title 6, Subtitle 8 (Reduction of Lead Risk in Housing): Statutory basis for Maryland's lead risk reduction registration and certification requirement for affected pre-1978 property
5. Maryland Real Property Article, Title 8 (Landlord and Tenant): Maryland tenancy and rent escrow remedy provisions apply to month-to-month tenants even without a written lease
6. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5321, Landlords and Tenants: Ohio law prohibits landlord self-help eviction (utility shutoff, lockout, removal of belongings) and requires code compliance and repairs
7. 42 U.S.C. Section 4852d, Federal Lead Disclosure Requirements: Federal law requires lead paint disclosure for pre-1978 housing rentals and sales