1220 Caraway Court
Suite 1050
Largo, Maryland 20774
Tel: (301) 883-6022
TDD: (301) 985-3894
Our Mission
To make Prince George’s
County livable and beautiful by enforcing property maintenance
standards and ensuring that communities are free of litter and
abandoned vehicles.
The Property Standards Group (PSG) works
to improve the quality of life for all Prince Georgians by providing
citizens and businesses with enforcement services that keep every
community in the County clean and safe. As part of County Executive
Jack B. Johnson's Livable Communities Initiative (LCI), a Property
Maintenance Section (PM) was established within CSG, which further
enhances the level of deliverable services to our customers. The
PM work schedule runs from Tuesday through Saturday. If a Sunday
inspection should become necessary, arrangements will be made to
accommodate the request. CSG is committed to providing the highest
quality of services possible to every citizen and resident of Prince
George's County.
Property Maintenance Section (PM)
(301) 883-6080
The Property Maintenance Code sets minimum standards
for improved and unimproved commercial and industrial properties.
It is applicable everywhere in Prince George's County, including
all incorporated municipalities, with the exception of the Cities
of Bowie and Hyattsville. Inspectors conduct on-site inspections
of existing structures to ensure buildings are properly maintained
and protected against fire hazards.
The Prince George's
County "Clean Lot" Code addresses violations concerning
high grass and weeds over 12 inches in height, as well as trash
and debris on vacant property not located within an incorporated
area (municipality).
Issues associated with vacant lots within a
municipality should be addressed to the City or Town office.
The Code is not applicable to land over one acre in size that does
not abut other parcels less than one acre in size.
The Zoning Ordinance
regulates land use within various zoning categories and controls
illegal land use, i.e., commercial activities in residential
neighborhoods. This Ordinance addresses private property only
and includes all
incorporated municipalities, with the exception of the City
of Laurel.
A Certificate of Occupancy
or Use and Occupancy Permit is issued by the Department of
Environmental Resources to officially state that the business identified
meets
local zoning requirements, may legally operate, and that the
building meets basic safety requirements. A Use and Occupancy
Permit is
required when a change of tenant or use occurs at a business
property and no construction is required. It is applicable Countywide,
with
the exception of the City of Laurel.
The Sign Ordinance regulates
the placement of signs on private property in Prince George’s
County, the issuance of sign permits, and governs the size and
location of signs, with the exception of the City of Laurel. Compliance
is monitored through on-site inspections.
Single Family Housing (SFH)/ Multifamily Housing (MFH)
(301) 883-6100
The
Single Family Housing/Multifamily Housing Unit (SFH/MFH) ensures
that all residential dwellings are maintained in a safe, secure
manner, in compliance with the Prince George's County Housing
Code. The Code applies to all residential property and includes
both
single family and multifamily structures, occupied, vacant
or rented.
SFH/MFH is responsible for the inspection of over 600
multifamily
projects
containing 75,000 dwelling units, 20,000 condominium units,
10,500 licensed single family rental properties, and all owner-occupied
or vacant dwellings. A rental license is required from the
County
to rent a single family dwelling to anyone who is not a member
of the owner's immediate family.
SFH/MFH also identifies distressed
properties, monitors and maintains the condition of residential
dwellings, and initiates condemnation procedures on abandoned,
uninhabitable structures.
Code Enforcement Process
An inspection is made in response to citizen
complaints, official referrals, scheduled inspections, or as
part of an overall departmental "cleanup" strategy in communities.
Should violations be found during the inspection, the Code Official
will issue a Notice of Violation to the owner or responsible person
for the property. The owner has a specified amount of time to correct
the violations.
Minimum Requirements for Dwelling Units
All exterior property
and premises should be maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary
condition.
All exterior walls should be free from holes,
breaks, and loose or rotting materials.
Exterior wood surfaces should be painted or covered with a protective treatment.
Peeling, flaking and chipped paint should be removed and surfaces repainted.
All surfaces with rust or corrosion should be coated with a protective treatment.
The exterior property should
be free from weeds, grasses, annual plants, and vegetation in excess
of 12 inches.
Plant growth must not obstruct walkways,
sidewalks, streets, adjoining driveways and/or the house
numbers identifying the address of the dwelling.
All
structures and exterior property should be free from rodent infestation.
Open
storage of any household appliance, motor vehicle parts,
building materials, furniture, weeds, dead trees, garbage or
similar item
is prohibited.
All sidewalks, walkways, stairs,
driveways and parking spaces should be kept free of unsafe
and hazardous
conditions.
It is unlawful to have more than one
motor vehicle that is wrecked, dismantled, inoperable or
unlicensed on
your premises. The one vehicle that is allowed must be
inside a closed garage.
The property must be maintained
free of graffiti.
Gutters and downspouts must
be maintained in good repair and free from obstructions.
Firewood
stored on a property must be neatly stacked and a minimum
of 18" above
the ground or 6" above an approved weed-free surface.
Swimming
pools on the property must be maintained in good working
order.
Fences
must be maintained in good condition and fence gates
must be operational.
Yards
must be stabilized (grass or other approved cover) and
graded to prevent accumulation of water.
Stairway,
decks and/or balconies must be maintained in a safe condition.
All
glass windows and doors must be free of cracks or voids.
Windows
that can be opened must be operable and be able to remain
open by the window hardware.
How to File a Complaint
To file a complaint, please call the Community
Services Group at (301) 883-6100 or fax requests to (301)
883-6050. When calling, you will be asked to provide the address
of the property
in question, and a brief description of the alleged violation.
Written
complaints should be submitted to:
Property Standards Group
1220
Caraway Court,
Suite 1050
Largo, Maryland 20772
Hours of Operation:
Monday through
Friday - 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Closed on all weekends, holidays,
and public
auction days
Abandoned Vehicle Team
The Abandoned Vehicle Team of the Department of Environmental Resource’s Property Standards Group is responsible for the identification and removal of abandoned vehicles within the County.
The Maryland Vehicle Law defines an abandoned vehicle as a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer:
(a) That is inoperable or unattended on public property for more than 48 hours;
(b) That has remained illegally on public property for more than 48 hours;
(c) That has remained on private property for more than 48 hours without the consent of the owner or person in control of the property; or
(d) That has remained on public property for more than 48 hours and:
(i) Is not displaying currently valid registration plates; or
(ii) Is displaying registration plates of another vehicle.
Further definitions of an abandoned vehicle appear in the Maryland Vehicle Law, at Section 25-201 of the Transportation Article of the Maryland Annotated Code.
Complaints
If you observe a vehicle that meets the criteria for an abandoned vehicle and the vehicle is located on the public right-of-way, you should contact the
Abandoned Vehicle Team (AVT) at (301) 952-1873. Your complaint can be filed anonymously, but requires basic vehicle information such as exact street location, make, model, color, violation and condition of the vehicle. If you have a vehicle that is located on private property and meets the above criteria, you will need to contact the Property Standards Group at (301) 883-6100.
Once AVT receives a report of an abandoned vehicle on the public right-of-way, an inspector will investigate the complaint. When investigating complaints, the inspector will group them according to geographical areas. Where applicable, a vehicle will be tagged with an abandoned vehicle sticker for a minimum of 48 hours before its impoundment. Please keep in mind 48 hours is a minimum waiting period. We ask that if the vehicle is not impounded within a ten-day period, you contact the
AVT for a status update.
Property Owners Request
The Abandoned Vehicle Team (AVT) will remove a vehicle that is no longer wanted by its owner. To request removal, the owner may either complete an "Owner Request Form," available from
AVT, or send a written request (via fax or mail) to AVT granting specific permission for
AVT to enter the property and remove the vehicle. The written request must include the vehicle description, and be signed and dated by the property/vehicle owner. The vehicle must be kept accessible for removal at all times.
If You Have a Vehicle Impounded by Abandoned Vehicle Team
If your vehicle is impounded, you may contact the AVT at (301) 952-1873 for assistance. When calling, please be ready to provide the staff with either the vehicle's license plate number or the Vehicle Identification Number.
To reclaim a vehicle, you must respond in person to AVT with a clear title (not signed over) or a current registration in the vehicle owner's name only. You will also need a valid State issued picture I.D. and will be required to satisfy all towing, storage and notification fees. Fees will be accepted only in the form of cash, certified check, money order or Discover Card. (There is a fee applied by Discover for any transactions.)
Current Fees:
Towing Fee: $125 per vehicle up to one ton
Towing Fee: $250 per vehicle one ton and over
Storage Fee: $25 per day (including weekends, holidays, and auction days)
Notification Fee: $20 certified letter
Once the above conditions have been satisfied, the owner must remove the vehicle from the Impound Facility that day. Failure to do so will result in additional storage fees and, after 21 days, subject the vehicle to re-impoundment and sale at public auction.
If the vehicle is operable and the registration and license plates are current, it may be driven from the Impound Facility. If the vehicle is inoperable, the owner may remove the vehicle with either a tow bar, tow dolly, a legally licensed trailer attached to a legally licensed towing vehicle, or the owner may have the vehicle removed by a towing company that has a current Prince George's County towing license.
AVT conducts public auctions on site. The auctions are held on Fridays and begin at 9:30 a.m. Registration is between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. You will need a valid State issued driver's license and must be a minimum of sixteen years of age to enter the facility. No one will be permitted to enter the facility after 9:30 a.m. All vehicles must be paid for in cash or with a Discover Card by 2:00 p.m. that day. After purchasing a vehicle, you have five working days from the date of the auction to remove the vehicle by the same means as described above in the "Impoundment Section". Failure to remove the vehicle will result in additional storage fees and, after 21 days, subject the vehicle to re-impoundment and sale at public auction.
Disclaimer: The County attempts to provide a description of how it handles abandoned vehicles as a public service, but cannot guarantee its completeness or accuracy. The County reserves the right to change the content of this web page without prior notice.
The information provided on this web page is not a substitute for legal advice. The County assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use of the information contained on this web page.
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