 Please visit the DPIE website regularly for agency updates during the Coronavirus COVID-19 emergency. Watch our Facebook and Twitter pages for the latest information about Prince George’s County’s mobilization in response to the virus.
 
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DPIE has modified its delivery of services as we all abide by the social distancing directive, however the agency continues to assist our customers through increased online services. Though the building is closed to the public, staffers are responding to phone calls and emails during business hours. Every effort is being made to be as responsive as possible to those who require our services.
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For more information, visit the DPIE website or call us 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays:
• Director’s Office 301-636-2020
• Permitting and Licensing Division 301-636-2050
• Site Road Plan Review Division 301-636-2060
• Building Plan Review Division 301-636-2070
• Inspections Division 301-636-2080
• Enforcement Division 301-883-6168
• Public Information Office 301-636-2053
Due to an increased effort to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, the following inspections will be temporarily suspended:
• Existing family/commercial day care, group home, and board and care facilities
• All existing residential/commercial interior renovation, alterations, and/or additions associated with the project
During this time, contractors/owners/applicants may utilize APPROVED third-party inspections and provide certifications to complete all required inspections including U&O’s. All building final inspections require a WSSC sign off before they will be authorized.
APPROVED Third-Party Inspectors Lists:
• Electrical
• Fire Protection Systems
• Residential Engineering Consultants
• Residential Mechanical/HVAC — Must be inspected by a Maryland-certified trade contractor
• Commercial Mechanical — Must be inspected by a Mechanical Registered Professional Engineer
Also see the temporary Residential Third-Party Inspection Procedures (PDF).
Any deviation from the lists above must be preapproved by the Inspections Division. Please contact Code Enforcement Officer Joseph Busby at JMBusby@co.pg.md.us for any questions or concerns.
The inspection certifications must be e-mailed to the County inspector to upload into ePermits, and the originals mailed to:
INSPECTIONS DIVISION
Prince George’s County
Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement
9200 Basil Court, Suite 307
Largo, MD 20774
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The Inspections Division continues the following:
• All new construction inspections for residential/commercial/industrial properties
• All existing residential exterior inspections without the need for entry, i.e. decks, driveways, foundations, backfill, etc.
We will reevaluate this process in the coming weeks. DPIE management is currently exploring limited virtual inspections for some residential interior projects. Watch the DPIE website for details.
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DPIE urges residents to use this time close to home to bring their properties into compliance.
Backyard Cleanup
Is debris littering your backyard? Do you have broken furniture stacked on your patio? Are there piles of broken branches stacked on your lawn? If so, you are in violation of Prince George’s County Code, and you need to take action! Pick up trash, gather and bundle small branches and put them out for yard trim pickup, straighten furniture on your lawn, deck or patio, etc. Cleaning up your property is a wonderful way to get some exercise outside in the fresh air while still following the social distancing mandate!
Visit DPIE's website for details.
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Fix Vehicle Violations
DPIE Code Enforcement Officer Ronnie Twine, a supervisor in the Enforcement Division, said Prince George’s County Code regulates the proper keeping of vehicles in residential areas.
"Vehicles must be parked appropriately, whether in multi-family dwelling parking lots, in driveways or on the street in neighborhoods comprised mostly of single-family homes," Twine said. "Many communities also have covenants with provisions that address vehicles."
Twine said frequent vehicle-related violations to County Code in residential areas include:
• Parking larger commercial vehicles in driveways or on the street
• Parking wrecked or vehicles with flat tires in driveways or on the street
• Parking unregistered vehicles in driveways or on the street
• Parking vehicles on grassy, unpaved areas
• Parking recreational vehicles inappropriately
• Doing auto maintenance in residential areas — in driveways or on the street
The photo depicts a yard with several violations regarding vehicles, including:
1. The vehicle in the driveway is a flatbed tow truck (commercial vehicle) on private property, a zoning violation.
2. The vehicle parked on the grass is also a violation.
3. If the cover on the vehicle on the grass hides the fact that it is unlicensed, that is also a violation.
4. The boat in the driveway must be covered. Boats must also be parked on hard surfaces, not grassy or unpaved areas.
5. The boat’s trailer must have a current tag. The length of the boat and the trailer may not exceed 20 feet.
For more information, visit DPIE's website.
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 DPIE Mandates Electronic Permitting Submittals through ePlan System for Retaining Walls
Effective Wednesday, April 15, 2020, Building Permit applications for retaining walls must be submitted through the ePlan system. The only exception to this mandatory requirement is for walk-thru retaining wall permits. During the current COVID-19 response, walk-thru permitting has been suspended. Retaining walls that are small enough to be eligible for walk-thru retaining wall permitting can instead be processed through online submissions.
Visit the DPIE website for more information about retaining walls.
To begin an application, access the DPIE online permitting portal.
For more information about using ePlan, you may download the “ePlan User Guide."
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 DPIE has upgraded and enhanced ePlan, the software that allows electronic submittal and review of plans, by updating from ProjectDox to the new ProjectFlow software.
Most recently, DPIE IT and Site/Road Plan Review Division staff have spent months testing the new ProjectFlow software for all case types. This software allows permit applicants to file fully digital permit documents online, which enables agency review and return of revised plans electronically.
Some of the enhancements include:
• Workflow Designer — Allows applicants and staff to view where they are in the process and to understand the overall process flow. (Please see the new Site/Road ProjectFlow Chart on DPIE's website.) Also, workflows can be launched at any time. If a case manager realizes midway through review that the case should have been launched to another process, there is no more waiting until the next review cycle.
• Reporting — Enhanced features allow more detailed reports for both applicants and staff.
• Checklists — Additional features were enhanced to assist applicants to better understand requirements.
• Comments — One of the most substantial changes is that DPIE review comments can be sent back and forth to the applicant, separate from M−NCPPC or other agency review comments, which results in a more time-efficient permit process.
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Note: Old cases will remain in ProjectDox while all new cases are created in ProjectFlow. For new cases, the "ePlan Applicant User Guide 2.0" (PDF) is available online. |
Take a few minutes to complete the 2020 census ASAP online at My2020census.gov or by phone at 1-844-330-2020.
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