Quick answer: College Park homeowners need to track two layers of approval. Prince George’s County controls the core zoning and County permit process, while the City of College Park requires its own building permit after the County permit is issued. If the ADU will be rented, City occupancy and inspection rules can also apply. Properties in the Old Town College Park Historic District face an additional historic-review layer.
As of September 18, 2026, Prince George’s County’s ADU framework is still moving through legislation. The County has an ADU zoning bill, a separate non-zoning ADU bill, and a resolution intended to address the timing gap around Maryland’s October 1 deadline. Those measures are important, but homeowners should treat them as pending legislation until enacted.
Who controls ADU zoning in College Park?
College Park sits inside Prince George’s County, so the core ADU zoning framework comes from the County rather than a standalone city zoning ordinance. The most important current County proposal is CB-074-2026, the County zoning bill for accessory dwelling units.
CB-074-2026 would add ADU definitions, identify where ADUs are permitted and establish zoning standards. The County Council record shows the measure was presented and referred in July, reviewed by planning staff and the Planning Board, and remained in the legislative process in September 2026.
A second measure, CB-092-2026, addresses non-zoning issues such as rental requirements, short-term rentals, impervious surface, woodland/tree-canopy rules and individual sewage disposal systems. It was before the Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee on September 15, 2026.
The County also introduced CR-095-2026, a resolution aimed at filling a potential gap between the State’s October 1 deadline and the effective date of County ADU legislation.
For the Countywide picture, also read our Prince George’s County ADU rules guide.
Maryland’s October 1, 2026 deadline still matters
Maryland Land Use § 4-504 requires covered local legislative bodies to adopt a local law authorizing qualifying ADUs on or before October 1, 2026. The statute also sets statewide limits on some local restrictions while leaving public-health, safety and building-code review in place.
You can read the current statute directly at the Maryland General Assembly.
Because Prince George’s County’s implementation package is still active in September, homeowners should verify the enacted version before relying on any proposed size, parking, rental or design rule.
College Park requires its own building permit after the County permit
This is the biggest city-specific practical difference.
The City’s Residential Permits & Licenses page says the process starts with Prince George’s County. Homeowners first apply through the County and obtain the County permit. After that, they apply for a City of College Park building permit and upload the County-issued permit plus the County-stamped approved plans.
For an ADU project, the practical sequence is:
- Confirm that the parcel and proposed ADU comply with the enacted Prince George’s County ADU rules.
- Prepare the site plan and construction drawings required for County review.
- Obtain the Prince George’s County building permit and approved plans.
- Apply for the City of College Park building permit using the County approvals.
- Complete any City or County variance/departure process if required.
- Complete construction and inspections.
- If the unit will be rented, complete the applicable City occupancy/rental requirements.
Our Maryland ADU permits-to-completion guide explains the broader approval sequence.
College Park proposed its own ADU safeguards — but they are not law yet
College Park’s Mayor and Council sent recommendations to the Prince George’s County ADU Task Force in April 2026. These recommendations are useful because they show the City’s policy concerns, but they should not be confused with adopted ADU rules.
In that April 2026 communication, College Park recommended concepts including:
- owner-occupancy protections in some rental situations;
- a two-space off-street parking standard, subject to a parking study and possible departure relief;
- no more than one detached ADU per lot;
- a suggested 13,000-square-foot minimum lot size for detached ADUs;
- no blanket amnesty for unpermitted rental ADUs without inspection/code compliance; and
- a suggested ADU size cap of 1,000 square feet, 50% of the primary dwelling footprint, or 10% of lot area, whichever is smaller.
The City Council agenda packet containing the letter is available from the City of College Park.
Important: these were City recommendations to the County task force. The enforceable rules will depend on the final County legislation and any valid City requirements that remain after the State law is implemented.
College Park rental and occupancy rules add another layer
If you plan to rent an ADU, do not stop at zoning approval. College Park separately regulates residential occupancy and conducts housing inspections.
The City’s Renting in College Park page says residential properties housing people outside the owner/immediate family can require a Residential Occupancy Permit, and the City performs annual inspections of rental properties for life-safety compliance.
The City’s permit guidance also states that a Residential Occupancy Permit is required for rental homes and certain owner-occupied rental situations. Because occupancy thresholds and ADU-specific County rules can interact, verify the current City requirement before advertising or signing a lease.
For the statewide rental picture, see our Maryland ADU rental and short-term-rental guide.
Short-term rental plans deserve extra caution
Prince George’s County’s pending CB-092-2026 specifically addresses a prohibition on short-term rental of ADUs. College Park also has its own short-term-rental licensing framework under City Code.
That means an ADU that is lawful for long-term occupancy may not necessarily be lawful for Airbnb-style use. Check both the final County ADU legislation and current College Park occupancy rules before planning a short-term-rental business model.
Old Town College Park can add historic-design review
If your property is in the Old Town College Park Historic District, exterior work can require historic review in addition to normal permits.
The City’s Planning & Community Development page explains that Old Town is a locally designated historic district and that changes to the exterior of a house or property — including additions, driveways, fences and tree removal — are regulated. The City directs property owners to the Old Town Historic District Design Guidelines.
A detached ADU, garage conversion with exterior changes, new entrance, enlarged driveway or addition can therefore have an additional design-review question even if the underlying ADU use is allowed.
College Park ADU feasibility checks
Before paying for final plans, check the project in this order:
- Confirm the property is inside College Park. A College Park mailing address does not always answer jurisdiction questions by itself. Use our Maryland ADU Jurisdiction Finder as a starting point.
- Confirm the final Prince George’s County ADU ordinance. CB-074 and CB-092 are still moving as of September 18, 2026.
- Check setbacks and lot coverage. Use our Maryland ADU setback guide and lot-coverage guide.
- Check height. A detached or two-story ADU can be constrained by local accessory-structure standards. See our Maryland ADU height guide.
- Check County and City permits. College Park requires the City permit after County approval.
- Check historic status. Old Town properties may need additional review.
- Check rental licensing and occupancy. Do this before assuming the unit can be rented.
What to watch next
The key items to monitor are the final versions and effective dates of CB-074-2026, CB-092-2026 and CR-095-2026. These will determine how Prince George’s County moves from its prior ADU restrictions to the new State-mandated framework.
We will update this page when the County Council takes final action. You can also use our Maryland ADU Rules Tracker for the broader statewide status.
Bottom line
College Park homeowners should plan for a County zoning layer + County building permit + City building permit, with possible rental-occupancy and historic-district requirements on top. The City has made detailed ADU policy recommendations, but those recommendations are not themselves the governing ADU law.
Until Prince George’s County’s September 2026 legislation is finalized, treat any proposed County size, parking, rental or design standards as provisional and verify the enacted rule before commissioning final construction documents.
Sources checked September 18, 2026: Maryland Land Use § 4-504; Prince George’s County CB-074-2026, CB-092-2026 and CR-095-2026; City of College Park Residential Permits & Licenses; City of College Park Renting; City of College Park Planning & Community Development; Old Town College Park Design Guidelines; College Park April 21, 2026 City Council agenda packet. This page is for planning information and is not legal, zoning or architectural advice.
What to do next
Start by finding the office that reviews your property. A mailing city or a county guide does not establish your parcel’s authority.
- Find Who Reviews My Property.
- Obtain your parcel identifier, survey, floor plans and utility records.
- Ask the reviewing office which current rules, supporting documents and approvals apply.
- Continue to your planning workspace.
Enable JavaScript to prepare a downloadable next-step brief. Planning guidance is not permit approval.