Prince George’s County ADU Rules 2026: Status, Permits & Pending Bills

Quick answer: Prince George’s County enacted CB-074-2026 on September 29, 2026. The County Council record lists November 16, 2026 as its effective date. Enactment does not make the new zoning framework effective immediately. The linked bill PDF contains different effective-date wording, explained below. Companion CB-092-2026 is still listed at Third Reading, with no effective date shown. Before submitting or paying for final plans, ask DPIE and M-NCPPC which rules apply on your application date.

Jurisdiction check: A Prince George’s County mailing address can still sit inside a municipality. Laurel is the major planning-authority exception identified by Maryland Planning, and municipal administrative steps can matter elsewhere even when County/M-NCPPC zoning controls. We now have city-specific guides for Bowie, College Park, Greenbelt and Hyattsville, Mount Rainier, New Carrollton, District Heights and Cheverly, in addition to Laurel and Capitol Heights. Check the property address in the Maryland ADU Jurisdiction Finder →

Enacted and effective are different stages. The zoning bill has passed, while its commencement date and application instructions still need attention. The separate rental, septic and other provisions in CB-092 must not be presented as enacted merely because CB-074 passed. For statewide comparison, use our Maryland County ADU Rules Tracker.

Legislative status checked October 8, 2026 against both Council bill records and the Council-linked CB-074-2026 DR-2 PDF. The earlier adoption-status discrepancy is resolved: the CB-074 record now says Enacted. Effective-date discrepancy: Legistar lists November 16, while PDF Section 5 says 45 calendar days after adoption and identifies September 29 as the adoption date. Confirm commencement with the Clerk or DPIE; this guide does not substitute a calculated date for the Council’s listed date.

Prince George’s County ADU status at a glance

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From Task Force to county legislation: 2025–2026

Prince George’s County did not jump directly from Maryland HB 1466 to a finished local ordinance. The County created an Accessory Dwelling Units Task Force under CR-091-2025 to study implementation, hear from residents and stakeholders, and develop recommendations before the zoning and non-zoning bills moved forward.

1. November 5, 2025: The Task Force held its first listed meeting.
2. January 7, February 18, April 27 and May 14, 2026: The Task Force continued public meetings. The County’s official archive publishes meeting videos, minutes, agendas and presentations for this process.
3. June 3, 2026: The Clerk of the Council transmitted the legislative proposal that became CB-074-2026.
4. June 17, 2026: M-NCPPC Technical Staff supported the proposed legislative amendment with amendments.
5. July 2, 2026: The M-NCPPC Planning Board supported the proposed legislative amendment with amendments.
6. July 7, 2026: The County Council presented and referred CB-074-2026.
7. September 1, 2026: CB-092-2026 was presented as a companion non-zoning ADU bill. The same Council agenda also included a proposed letter to Maryland DHCD requesting an extension of the statewide implementation timeline.
8. September 3, 2026: PHED considered CB-074-2026. The official meeting record does not establish final enactment.
9. September 29, 2026: the County Council held the public hearing and enacted CB-074-2026. The Council record lists November 16 as the effective date. CB-092-2026 was introduced the same day.

CB-074 has moved beyond committee review to enactment. We retain Transition: enacted, not yet effective for planning purposes until commencement and implementation are confirmed. This label does not imply that the Council has failed to adopt the zoning bill.

What CB-074-2026 is intended to do

The official bill record describes CB-074-2026 as an ordinance concerning accessory dwelling units. Its stated purpose is to add definitions, designate areas for ADUs consistent with Maryland law, set regulations for permitted ADUs, address prospective application of the new provisions, and include a severability clause.

The official record identifies proposed changes in several zoning-code sections, including Sections 27-2201, 27-2500, 27-4403, 27-5201, and 27-5203. The county also published supporting materials including a bill summary, Planning Board recommendation, technical staff report, testimony, and a policy/fiscal analysis.

Official bill record: Prince George’s County — CB-074-2026.

A second ADU bill now matters: CB-092-2026

Prince George’s County presented and referred a separate companion bill, CB-092-2026, on September 1, 2026; the official history records introduction on September 29. This is important because CB-074-2026 is primarily the zoning vehicle, while CB-092 addresses several non-zoning implementation issues.

The official CB-092 title specifically covers proposed ADU requirements, a prohibition on short-term rental of ADUs, rental requirements, Woodland and Wildlife Habitat Ordinance treatment, Tree Canopy Coverage Ordinance treatment, impervious-surface requirements, and individual sewage-disposal-system requirements. If your property uses private systems, use our Maryland ADU Septic & Well Readiness Guide to identify records and Health Department questions while the county legislation remains pending.

Checked October 8: the CB-092 record lists Third Reading, with introduction on September 29 and no effective date shown. Its rental, short-term-rental, impervious-surface and sewage-disposal provisions remain separate from the enacted zoning bill. We have not verified CB-092 as enacted law.

Official source: Prince George’s County Council — CB-092-2026.

What homeowners should not treat as final yet

At this stage, homeowners should not rely on draft summaries for a final ADU size cap, approval route, parking rule, owner-occupancy rule, setback standard, rental restriction, or effective date unless that provision appears in the final enacted ordinance and current county implementation guidance.

This is especially important because the official legislative history already shows that both technical staff and the Planning Board supported the proposal with amendments. The final text can therefore differ materially from the original draft.

How Maryland’s statewide law fits into the transition

Maryland HB 1466 became effective October 1, 2025 and requires counties and municipalities with planning and zoning authority to adopt a local law authorizing ADUs by October 1, 2026. The state definition allows an ADU up to 75% of the size of the primary single-family detached dwelling, while Maryland Department of Planning recommends measuring the primary dwelling using finished living area above grade unless the local ordinance or implementation guidance establishes a different lawful method. Use our Maryland 75% ADU Size Calculator & Measurement Guide for the statewide planning method and counties where a local measurement basis is verified.

That statewide framework does not tell a Prince George’s County homeowner exactly what permit path, dimensional details, parking treatment, or local administration will apply after CB-074-2026. Those details need to come from the final local ordinance and county implementation materials.

For the statewide baseline, read our Maryland ADU Guide 2026.

Deadline resolution adopted September 29

Checked October 8, 2026: the official CR-095-2026 record now says Adopted, with adoption and an effective date of September 29, 2026. The resolution concerns the potential gap around the State’s local ADU legislation deadline. Its adoption is separate from CB-074’s commencement date and does not by itself establish a parcel’s permit approval or show that CB-092 is enacted.

What this means for your project: continue gathering property records and ask the responsible zoning office which rules apply to your address today. Do not treat this proposal as permission to build; confirm the controlling rules before committing to design or construction.

Planning an ADU: what can you do now?

You can gather a survey, existing permits, floor plans and utility records now. Ask the county which rule set applies to an application submitted before or after commencement. Keep CB-074’s enacted zoning provisions separate from pending CB-092 requirements. CB-074 record · CB-092 record.

1. Confirm who reviews your property.

Start with the Maryland ADU Jurisdiction Finder. A mailing address alone does not establish the boundary or reviewing authority. Laurel has a separate planning and zoning framework; other municipalities may also require their own permits or reviews. Maryland Planning’s authority overview, County municipal permitting guidance.

2. Assemble a simple property folder.

For an initial conversation, gather what you already have: the property address, an existing survey or plat, prior permit records, photos of the space, and any water, sewer, well or septic records. Add a short description of your idea: an interior conversion, garage conversion, attached addition or separate building. Mark missing information as unknown. This is our preparation checklist, not an official application checklist; ask the reviewing office which documents your project actually needs.

3. Ask for the applicable requirements in writing.

Use this question with the appropriate zoning and permitting offices:

“For this property and proposed ADU type, which rules and application path apply today? Please identify the controlling code sections, size measurement method, setbacks, parking and occupancy requirements, and any municipal or utility reviews. If a pending bill would change the answer, please distinguish it from the requirements currently being administered.”

County guidance separates zoning review, building permits and health or utility reviews. Confirm the agencies involved in your case through the DPIE permitting-process guide.

4. Check the utility questions early.

Record whether the property uses public water, public sewer, a well or septic; these are separate questions. Use the Septic & Well Readiness Checker to organize unknowns and questions. The County identifies health review for private systems and WSSC responsibilities for relevant water/sewer work. A planning checklist does not establish capacity or approval. County review-agency guidance.

5. Turn the answers into your next property checks.

Continue with the Property Feasibility Checker. Keep unresolved answers visible, and confirm the applicable rules before buying a prefab unit, commissioning final drawings or committing to construction. Do not treat a proposed bill’s dimensions as an approved design envelope.

For changes in legislative status, see the Maryland County ADU Rules Tracker. Before comparing vendor prices, use the ADU Cost Escalation Guide to identify work that may sit outside a headline quote.

Primary sources used for this guide

• Prince George’s County Council — CB-074-2026 zoning bill
• Prince George’s County Council — CB-092-2026 non-zoning ADU bill
• PHED Committee — September 3, 2026 meeting record
• Prince George’s County Council — September 1, 2026 proposed implementation-extension letter
• Prince George’s County Accessory Dwelling Units Task Force
• Maryland Department of Planning — HB 1466 FAQ

Maryland ADU Guide is maintained by Gijo John as an independent research publication. Source-backed corrections can be sent to gijo.j@marylandaduguide.com.