Unincorporated only: This page covers the unincorporated area of Prince George's County — parcels outside any city, regulated by the County Planning / Land Use Services Department. If your address is inside a city (the incorporated cities), use that city's ADU page instead.
Prince George's County does NOT permit accessory dwelling units as of September 20, 2026: the Zoning Ordinance (Subtitle 27) lists no zone where an ADU is allowed, so DPIE cannot issue an ADU permit in Accokeek, Fort Washington, Clinton, Bowie, Laurel, Oxon Hill or anywhere else in the County. Maryland's ADU Act (Chapter 197 of 2025, Land Use § 4-504) requires the County to adopt an authorizing law by October 1, 2026; the Council's zoning bill CB-074-2026 (introduced Sept 8, 2026) would permit one ADU by right on any lot whose principal use is a single-family detached house, capped at 75% of the house's gross floor area and 22 ft in height, with owner-occupancy required. The Council has asked the State for a few extra weeks and introduced CR-095-2026 to bridge the gap, so expect enactment in late 2026 with a 45-day effective date. Re-check this page after the bills pass.
Zoning & Size Requirements [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Not yet — unincorporated Prince George's County does not currently allow ADUs. The current Zoning Ordinance permits ADUs in no zone (M-NCPPC staff report, June 17, 2026). The County Council's ADU zoning bill CB-074-2026 was introduced Sept 8, 2026 and its companion CB-092-2026 cleared committee Sept 15, but neither is enacted; the Council has told the State it will miss the Oct 1, 2026 deadline by a few weeks and adopted-bill standards take effect 45 days after adoption.
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| Where ADUs Are Allowed | None today: the 2022 Zoning Ordinance (Subtitle 27) permits ADUs in no zone (M-NCPPC Technical Staff Report on LDR-142-2026, June 17, 2026). Pending CB-074-2026 would list 'Accessory Dwelling Unit' as permitted by right (P) in every base, planned-development and overlay zone except the Military Installation Overlay Clear Zone, but only where the principal use is a single-family detached dwelling (proposed Table 27-5201 and Sec. 27-5203(b)(19)(A)). |
| Max Size (Detached) | Proposed: gross floor area up to 75% of the principal house's gross floor area (CB-074-2026, Sec. 27-5203(b)(19)(C)); state law fixes the same 75% ceiling in the ADU definition (Land Use § 4-501(b)). On a 2,000 sq ft house that is 1,500 sq ft. Not in force until the bill is enacted. |
| Max Size (Attached) | Same proposed 75%-of-house cap; an attached ADU is an addition to, or a unit inside, the same building as the house (proposed Sec. 27-2500 definition). Not yet in force. |
| Max Size (JADU) | No JADU category in Maryland law or in CB-074-2026; a unit carved out inside the house is simply an attached ADU under the 75% cap. |
| Max Height | Proposed: 22 ft maximum regardless of the zone's accessory-structure height limit, and never taller than the principal house (CB-074-2026, Sec. 27-5203(b)(19)(D)). Not yet in force. |
| Max Units | Proposed: one ADU per lot, only where the principal use is a single-family detached dwelling, with a maximum of four occupants in the ADU (CB-074-2026, Sec. 27-5203(b)(19)(A), (B) and (G)). Not yet in force. |
Setback & Parking Requirements [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Because unincorporated Prince George's County does not yet permit ADUs, there are no ADU-specific setback or parking standards; the accessory-structure rules below are what a future unit would start from. Owner-occupancy is set by local rules (confirm with the County).
| Rear Setback | CB-074-2026 sets no ADU-specific setback, so the zone's existing accessory-structure rear setback would apply; state law bars the County from requiring more than that (Land Use § 4-504(d)). Confirm the figure for your zone with M-NCPPC before designing. |
| Side Setback | Same as rear: the zone's existing accessory-structure side setback, which state law makes the maximum (Land Use § 4-504(d)). County staff told the PHED Committee on Sept 3, 2026 that ADUs must meet the existing side and rear yard rules. |
| Front Setback | Not addressed by CB-074-2026 or by state law; the base zone's front setback for accessory structures would apply. Confirm with M-NCPPC. |
| Parking Required | No ADU parking requirement is proposed. CB-074-2026 contains none because state law lets a county impose ADU parking rules only after completing a parking study and creating a waiver process (Land Use § 4-504(e)), and the County has done neither. The 0.75-mile transit and one-space caps in HB 1466 as introduced were struck before enactment and are not law. |
| Owner Occupancy | Proposed: required. The owner must live in either the house or the ADU as a principal residence (CB-074-2026, Sec. 27-5203(b)(19)(F)); companion CB-092-2026 (proposed Sec. 4-368) adds an affidavit and a recorded covenant before the use-and-occupancy permit, with suspensions of up to 24 months for military service, estates and up to 12 months while the home is for sale. Not yet in force. |
| Min Lot Size | No ADU-specific minimum is proposed: the lot only has to meet the zone's minimum for the house. CB-092-2026 would bar an ADU on a lot without public sewer unless the Health Officer confirms the septic system has capacity for both units or will be upgraded (proposed Sec. 22-125(g)). |
Permit Process & Fees [8][9][10][11][12][13]
Unincorporated Prince George's County cannot issue an ADU permit under current zoning. The fees and timelines below are the general building-permit terms that would apply once the rules change.
| Approval Process | No ADU permit exists today; DPIE cannot issue one until CB-074-2026 is enacted and takes effect (45 days after adoption). Once in force: a standard DPIE building permit with M-NCPPC zoning review, permitted by right with no variances allowed (proposed Sec. 27-5203(b)(19)(K)); CB-092-2026 would add an owner-occupancy affidavit and recorded covenant, notice to adjoining owners, an impervious-surface declaration and a County rental licence before leasing. |
| Review Timeline | Not published: no ADU permit type exists yet. Maryland's enacted ADU law sets no review deadline (the 90-day ministerial clause was struck before passage), so DPIE's normal residential review times will apply once ADUs are legal. |
| Permit Fees | No ADU fee category yet. DPIE's schedule (effective Mar 2, 2025) prices a residential addition at $1.17/sq ft plus $66 admin, $53 grading, $112 U&O and $5 M-NCPPC, plus a 10% technology fee: about $1,030 for a 600 sq ft unit. |
| Impact Fees | Unresolved. Maryland's enacted ADU law has no impact-fee exemption (the 750 sq ft clause was struck before passage). Whether the County's school facilities surcharge ($20,500 per dwelling unit outside Transportation Service Area 1 at the FY2025 rate, indexed yearly) and public safety surcharge ($9,680 per building) will be charged on ADUs has not been published; ask DPIE before budgeting. |
| Plan Check | Standard DPIE residential plan review; the new plan-review fee, when charged, is $120 per discipline per hour (DPIE schedule, Mar 2025). DPIE has drafted an ADU building-code bulletin (2024 IRC Appendix BC) with distribution planned for about Oct 1, 2026. |
| Pre-Approved Plans | None. Prince George's County has no pre-approved ADU plan program and neither pending bill creates one. |
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Construction Costs [14][15][16][17]
If ADUs become legal in unincorporated Prince George's County, building one would run roughly $150,000-$300,000 ($250-$400 per sq ft) at today's regional rates; a garage conversion about $75,000-$150,000.
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Construction costs in unincorporated Prince George's County track the surrounding metro market. Rural parcels can cost more because of septic, well, access and fire-hazard requirements, so treat these as planning ranges and get local bids.
| Average Build Cost | $150,000-$300,000 |
| Cost per Sq Ft | $250-$400 |
| Garage Conversion | $75,000-$150,000 |
| Prefab ADU (Installed) | $180,000-$300,000 |
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Rental Income Potential [18]
| Avg Rent (1 Bedroom) | $1,800-$2,150/mo |
| Avg Rent (2 Bedroom) | $2,000-$2,400/mo |
| Short-Term Rental | Proposed ban: CB-092-2026 would prohibit any short-term rental of an ADU and bar STR licences for them (proposed Sec. 5-175.11), and require leases of at least 31 days plus a County rental licence (proposed Sec. |
| Est. Annual ROI | Not meaningful until ADUs are legal. |
Recent Law Changes
What's Changed Recently
- September 20, 2026: re-verified. ADUs remain unpermitted. CB-074-2026 (zoning) was introduced Sept 8 after the PHED Committee amended it 3-0 on Sept 3; CB-092-2026 (owner-occupancy covenant, short-term-rental ban, rental licence, septic capacity) was favorably reported with amendments Sept 15; neither bill appears on the Sept 22 Council agenda, so no public hearing is set yet
- September 8, 2026: CR-095-2026 introduced, a resolution 'with the force and effect of law' to fill the gap between the State's Oct 1, 2026 deadline and County enactment 'on or before the last day of the 2026 Legislative Year'; committee-approved with amendments Sept 15, adoption pending
- September 1, 2026: the Council authorized a letter (dated Aug 18) to Maryland DHCD Secretary Jacob Day asking for an extension of the Oct 1, 2026 deadline because the County 'may need a few additional weeks'
- June 17 and July 2, 2026: M-NCPPC technical staff and the Planning Board recommended support with amendments for LDR-142-2026, the draft that became CB-074-2026; the staff report confirms 'the current Zoning Ordinance does not permit ADUs in any zone'
- March 24, 2026: CR-021-2026 extended the ADU Task Force created by CR-091-2025 (adopted Oct 7, 2025); the Task Force met from Nov 5, 2025 to May 14, 2026 and recommended by-right ADUs, one per lot, height and dimensional limits, owner occupancy and an amnesty program for existing unpermitted units
- April 22, 2025: HB 1466 signed as Chapter 197 (effective Oct 1, 2025). The enacted text is narrower than the bill as introduced: the 90-day ministerial review, the 750 sq ft impact-fee exemption, the utility-connection rules and the 0.75-mile transit parking cap were all struck. What is law: the Oct 1, 2026 local-law mandate, the 75%-of-house definition, a ceiling of the existing accessory-structure side and rear setbacks, a parking-study prerequisite for any ADU parking rule, exclusion from density limits, and the HOA/covenant override (Land Use §§ 4-501 to 4-504; Real Prop. § 2-126)
- April 1, 2022: the current Zoning Ordinance took effect with no zone permitting ADUs; the Greenbelt Metro, Gateway Arts and Port Towns overlay zones that had allowed accessory dwellings (2001-2024) were abolished
Tips for Building an ADU in Unincorporated Prince George's County
- Do not submit ADU plans yet: DPIE has no ADU permit type, and the standards in CB-074-2026 can still change at the public hearing. Treat the proposed 75%-of-house, 22 ft and one-per-lot limits as placeholders, not rules
- Owner-occupancy is the sleeper requirement: under the pending bills an owner must live in the house or the ADU, sign an affidavit and record a covenant against the title before the use-and-occupancy permit. Anyone buying a house to add a rental ADU should read CB-092-2026 first
- Planning to Airbnb it? CB-092-2026 would ban short-term rental of any ADU, require a County rental licence and set a 31-day minimum lease
- On septic (much of Accokeek, Brandywine, Croom and Aquasco)? Under CB-092-2026 the Health Officer must confirm your system can serve both units before an ADU is allowed (proposed Sec. 22-125(g)), so budget for a possible system upgrade
- HOA or deed covenant bans ADUs? Since Oct 1, 2025 a restriction that prohibits an ADU outright or by effect is unenforceable under Real Prop. § 2-126, except on property listed in or eligible for the Maryland Register of Historic Properties; HOAs may still limit short-term rentals
- Cost basis: Maryland builder and industry guides dated 2025-2026 put a detached ADU at $120,000-$300,000, a garage conversion at $75,000-$150,000 and typical builds at $180-$400 per sq ft; the $1.17/sq ft DPIE addition fee is the only County fee figure available until an ADU fee category exists
- Watch three things: adoption of CB-074-2026 and CB-092-2026 (each effective 45 days after adoption), DPIE's ADU building-code bulletin targeted for Oct 1, 2026, and whether the $20,500-per-unit school facilities surcharge is applied to ADUs
- Cost basis (2026-09-20 re-verification): short term allowed: Proposed ban: CB-092-2026 would prohibit any short-term rental of an ADU and bar STR licences for them (proposed Sec. 5-175.11), and require leases of at least 31 days plus a County rental licence (proposed Sec. 13-180.04). State law also lets HOAs keep short-term-rental limits on ADUs (Real Prop. § 2-126(b)(2)(ii)). | roi estimate: Not meaningful until ADUs are legal. For planning only: a $200,000 unit renting at the County's median FY2026 one-bedroom fair-market rent ($1,890/mo, about $22,700/yr) implies roughly an 11% gross yield before taxes, vacancy and the required rental licence.
ADU Builders in Prince George's County
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Cities Within Prince George's County
If your property is inside one of these incorporated cities, follow that city's ADU code — not the County rules above:
Sources & References
All data on this page is sourced from official government records and verified market data. View our full methodology.
- CB-074-2026, An Ordinance Concerning Accessory Dwelling Units (Draft 2, introduced Sept 8, 2026) - Legistar record Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- CB-074-2026 bill text (B2026074, Draft 2) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- PHED Committee Report on CB-074-2026 (Sept 3, 2026) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- M-NCPPC Technical Staff Report, LDR-142-2026 Accessory Dwelling Units (June 17, 2026) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Md. Code, Land Use § 4-504 (local ADU laws) - current statute text Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Md. Code, Land Use § 4-501 (ADU definition, 75% of primary dwelling) Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Chapter 197 of 2025 (HB 1466) - enacted text, approved April 22, 2025 Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- CB-092-2026, An Act Concerning Accessory Dwelling Units (owner occupancy, STR ban, rental licence, septic) - Legistar record Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- CB-092-2026 proposed Draft 2 text Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- CR-095-2026, Resolution on the State ADU deadline (introduced Sept 8, 2026) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Council letter to Maryland DHCD Secretary Day requesting an ADU deadline extension (Aug 18, 2026; authorized Sept 1, 2026) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- DPIE Fee Schedule, effective March 2, 2025 (residential building permit fees, surcharges, 10% technology fee) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- DPIE Fee Schedule page (Momentum permit portal) - links the March 2025 schedule as current Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Clarksville Construction - How Much Does It Cost to Build an ADU in Maryland? (2025) industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Steadily - ADU Laws and Regulations in Maryland (cost section, updated June 30, 2026) industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- DC Structures - Maryland ADUs (typical build $250,000-$300,000; $180-$400 per sq ft, 2025) industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Makara ADU - ADU Cost in Maryland, 2026 pricing guide industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents - Washington-Arlington-Alexandria HUD Metro FMR Area (Prince George's County ZIP codes) Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Prince George's County Council - Accessory Dwelling Units Task Force (CR-091-2025) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Maryland General Assembly - HB 1466 (2025) bill page and Fiscal and Policy Note (Third Reader, revised) Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Md. Code, Real Property § 2-126 (HOA and covenant restrictions on ADUs) Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ADU rules in unincorporated Prince George's County?
In unincorporated Prince George's County, ADUs are regulated by the County (not a city) and follow Maryland state ADU law. A detached ADU can be up to Proposed: gross floor area up to 75% of the principal house's gross floor area, attached ADUs up to Same proposed 75%-of-house cap; an attached ADU is an addition to, or a unit inside, the same building as the house. Rear setbacks are CB-074-2026 sets no ADU-specific setback, so the zone's existing accessory-structure rear setback would apply; state law bars the County from requiring more than that, and qualifying ADU applications are approved administratively, with no public hearing.
How much does an ADU permit cost in Prince George's County?
In unincorporated Prince George's County, building and plan-check fees scale with the size and valuation of the ADU, so there is no single flat fee — request the current fee schedule from the County. Unresolved. Maryland's enacted ADU law has no impact-fee exemption (the 750 sq ft clause was struck before passage). Whether the County's school facilities surcharge ($20,500 per dwelling unit outside Transportation Service Area 1 at the FY2025 rate, indexed yearly) and public safety surcharge ($9,680 per building) will be charged on ADUs has not been published; ask DPIE before budgeting.. Total construction typically runs $150,000-$300,000; a garage conversion is cheaper at $75,000-$150,000.
Do I need owner-occupancy for an ADU in Prince George's County?
Proposed: required. The owner must live in either the house or the ADU as a principal residence (CB-074-2026, Sec. 27-5203(b)(19)(F)); companion CB-092-2026 (proposed Sec. 4-368) adds an affidavit and a recorded covenant before the use-and-occupancy permit, with suspensions of up to 24 months for military service, estates and up to 12 months while the home is for sale. Not yet in force..
Is my property in unincorporated Prince George's County or inside a city?
This matters a lot: if your parcel is inside an incorporated city (the incorporated cities), that city's ADU code applies instead of the County's. Only unincorporated parcels follow the County rules on this page. Confirm your jurisdiction with the County before designing.
How many ADUs can I build in unincorporated Prince George's County?
Proposed: one ADU per lot, only where the principal use is a single-family detached dwelling, with a maximum of four occupants in the ADU (CB-074-2026, Sec. 27-5203(b)(19)(A), (B) and (G)). Not yet in force.
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