Prince George's County, Maryland, USA
Interior Nat Harbor

Residential Building Inspections

Inspection of residential home being built, inspector and builder check for code compliancy


Residential Building Inspection Section

The Residential Building Inspection Section (RBS) provides oversight of construction activities for residential construction and commercial tenant fit-outs. RBS handles building, mechanical, residential, electrical, residential sprinklers and other inspections related to construction activities. It should be noted that the City of Laurel regulates construction and enforcement activities within its municipal boundaries. For issues related to the City of Laurel, call 301-725-5300.

Raze Permits

Raze/Demolition is the tearing-down of the house and other structures on residential property. Before any raze/demolition activities, there are steps that need to take place — including but not limited to performing asbestos abatement, removing hazardous or regulated materials, obtaining necessary permits, submitting necessary notifications, disconnecting utilities, rodent baiting, and development of site-specific safety and work plans. The responsible party should call for an initial inspection PRIOR to demolition using Code 101 (initial inspection) under request code for scheduling an inspection. 

Prepare for Your Residential Inspection

The County uses an automated system to schedule inspections.

This system will provide a confirmation number for your reference. Please write that number down and keep it available throughout the inspection process. Also, the approved County plans and permits must be available for the inspector to ensure a smooth inspection. It is helpful to have an adult on site to answer any questions the inspector may have. However, if an adult contact person is not available on site for inspections of accessory construction ONLY, the plans, permits, contact information, and a note stating what is to be inspected must be placed in a conspicuous location, readily accessible to the inspector, preferably at the front door of the location to be inspected. Please note, NO inspections will be performed inside a dwelling or inside an addition to a dwelling without an adult contact person on location of the requested inspection.

To help prepare for your inspection and know what to expect, view the "Prepare for Your Inspection" presentation.

Prepare for a Virtual Inspection

  • Virtual inspections require a 4G smart phone or tablet.
  • Ensure your inspection location has 4G connectivity and your smart phone or tablet has 4G connectivity.
  • Make sure to have access to FaceTime, Skype or Google Meet.
  • Make sure to have a copy of the permit(s) and plans on site.
  • Make sure to have the necessary tools based on the type of inspection readily available, such as a tape measure, a level, a GFCI tester, a step ladder, etc.
  • Verify the smart phone, tablet or other devices are fully charged and test them to ensure they are in full working order.
  • Turn off phone or tablet notifications during the virtual inspection as notifications can interfere with the video call and delay the inspection.
  • Limit surrounding noise so conversation can be clearly heard between the customer and inspector.
  • Identify job hazards that may present safety issues during virtual inspections.
  • Assist the video operator to safely navigate the site while performing the virtual inspection by holding a flashlight, carrying tools, holding a ladder, etc., if needed. The assistance must be arranged and ready prior to the start of the inspection. 

Scheduling Inspections

To schedule an inspection on DPIE's automated system, visit the Schedule an Inspection page. This system will provide a confirmation number for your reference. Remember to write that number down and keep it available throughout the inspection process.

Inspections are scheduled based on location and volume. Due to varying lengths of time needed and the location of inspections, an exact appointment time is not possible. However, every attempt is made to meet requests for final and concrete inspections on the scheduled day. Unfortunately, due to unpredictable high request volumes, an inspection may be delayed. Should that occur, the assigned inspector will attempt to contact the requester via the phone number provided by the requester. The missed inspection MUST be rescheduled by the requester for the next date that is convenient to the requestor. Every attempt will be made to prioritize missed inspections that are scheduled for the NEXT business day.

All Inspections will be conducted between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. If you have not received your inspection or been contacted by the inspector by 2:30 p.m., you may obtain the inspection status by calling 301-755-9000.

Notice: County Inspector Is Not Responsible for Removal of Equipment Covers
When performing inspections which require you to view equipment where the removal of any covers is necessary, the master electrician and/or his designee shall be present at the time of inspection to perform such tasks and resecure the equipment once completed.

Prince George’s County Inspectors are no longer responsible for the disassembling of any equipment in the performance of their duty.

Third-Party Inspection Program — Residential

Expansion of the Voluntary Third-Party Inspection Program — Residential (TPIP-R) includes new construction, renovation work, building additions and modifications to existing construction.  An approved Third-Party Inspector may be utilized to conduct inspections in the following areas:
• Foundations (allowable bearing capacity) (126)*
• Foundation walls (134)
• Foundation drainage/waterproofing systems (081, 136)
• Below basement slab (4" base course, drain tile, vapor barrier) (162)
• Garage slab (150)
• Areaway (frost footings, walls, stairs, drain) (084)
• Stoops (084)
• Lead walks (150)
• Concrete flat work (084)
• Driveways (150)
• Patios (150)
• Drain tile and backfill (136, 081)
*Numbers in parentheses are inspection request codes.

List of TPIP-R Approved inspectors

TPIP-R in Momentum and Preconstruction Meeting

When applying for a permit in Momentum that utilizes TPIP-R inspections, place TPIP-R in the permit description, and do not select Third-Party Inspections for the inspections type. Once you have obtained your permit, you will schedule a preconstruction meeting with the residential inspections staff. You can contact Darrell Terry or Omobola Sokoya to schedule your preconstruction meeting.

Residential Solar Inspections

Residential solar inspections are performed by Third-Party Inspectors.

Report a Violation

If you would like to report a possible Code violation in a home that is under one (1) year old and under the developer’s warranty, please use the PGC311 service request system to describe the problem. Include your name and daytime phone number if you would like an inspector to contact you.