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

Farmers' Market

Farmers' Markets are one of the categories of Food Service Facility (FSF) Permits. For more information, be sure and visit the FSF Permits page.
 

Applying for a Permit


Farmers’ Market Coordinator

To apply for a Farmers’ Market Permit, use DPIE’s the Momentum portal and select the Building Permit application.

Using the menu for Building Permit, select the "ePlan Requested by the Applicant" option BEFORE the online application is submitted. Include the following information for the Farmer’s Market:  beginning and ending dates of operation, hours of operation (from set up to end), number and sizes of all structures, tents/stages/generators, etc., that will be used at the Farmer’s Market in the WORK DESCRIPTION section of the application.

The following documents are required to be uploaded electronically (via ePlan):

  • Site plan showing the location of all structures that will be on the property that day.
  • A letter of authorization (not a contract) from the property owner.
  • If tents are used, the manufacturer’s flame retardation specifications/certification. Please indicate on the application the number and dimensions of tents that will be used for the event.
  • If generators are used, a master electrician has to obtain the electrical permit. Please indicate on the application the number of generators that will be used at the Farmers' Market.
  • If there are structures i.e., tents/stages/platforms, structural drawings are required. Please indicate on the application the number of structures and dimensions that will be used at the Farmers' Market.

To submit payment, use the online link to Payments.

To schedule inspections, use the link to Third Party Inspections. To determine the requirements for your market, contact the Fire Marshall’s Office, Health Department Inspections and DPIE Inspections. Contact information is provided in the table on the Food Service Facility (FSF) Permits page.
 

Farmers’ Market Vendor

Once you review the Health Licensing’s Food Service Facility (FSF) Permits page, you may start the County application in the Momentum portal.

The following permits are required to operate a Farmers’ Market:

  • A Farmers’ Market must have both Maryland State Department of Agriculture approval AND a Prince George’s County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement Use and Occupancy Permit.
  • Sale of foods other than farm products requires a Prince George’s County Health Department Farmers’ Market Vendor Special Food Service Facility Permit.
  • Contact the Food Protection Program staff at 301-883-7690 for more information.
     

Farmer's Market Operations Procedures


Vendor Requirements

DPIE Application:  Please note that applications should be submitted 45 days prior to the event, but no less than 3 weeks prior to the event to ensure DPIE review and approvals are completed.

  1. Submit a DPIE online Building Permit/U&O Application to be processed. A location site plan will need to be uploaded into ePlan after the Applicant Upload Task is received via email invitation from ePlan. Applicants must also fill out a DPIE Special Event Permit Requirements Application and a Health Department/DPIE Farmers’ Market Vendor/Sampler/Temporary Special Food Service Facility Permit Application.
  2. Sealed surveyor's site plan must show the following:
    • Location of the lot and streets around it
    • Location of all structures that will be on the property during event
    • Lot and structure dimensions must be shown
    • Setbacks from other structures
    • Seating layout, if applicable
    • Location of stages/platforms/risers/play structures, inflatable structures, if applicable
    • Location and sizes of tents/canopies, if applicable
    • Indicate distances between tents/canopies, any cooking tents and their means of protection, i.e., fence, etc., and cooking equipment type
    • Location of food trucks and their distances to the structures, tents/canopies, other food trucks, play equipment, etc. 
    • Occupant load of each large tent
    • Location of food warming equipment, if applicable
    • Location of generators/heaters, if applicable, and their means of protection, i.e., fence, enclosure, etc. 
    • Fence and exit locations
    • Aisles spacing — space between two rows of tents for customers to walk
    • Location of fire extinguishers, if applicable
  3. Submit a signed letter of authorization (not a contract) from the property owner in PDF format during application processing.
  4. If there are structures, i.e., stages/platforms, structural drawings must be submitted.
  5. If tents are used, they are to be erected in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines, noted on the site plan; include a copy of the flame propagation performance certification of each tent/canopy and inflatable structure.
  6. 10x10 canopies/tents must be weighted with at least 24 pounds weight for each anchor for wind loads up to 15 mph and must be taken down if wind speed exceeds 15 mph. Canopies/tents larger than 10x10 must be weighted with at least 50 pounds weight for each anchor of the tent, per International Building Code (IBC) and must be taken down if wind speed exceeds 15 mph. All cooking tents must be NFPA 701 compliant and noted on the site plan.
  7. If generators are used, a master electrician must obtain the electrical permit. Show the location of any generator on the site plan and note on the plan the size of the generator. Generators must have a portable fire extinguisher at each generator and provide some kind of “caution” tape or barrier around the generator.  
     Any generator not required to be grounded would not require an electrical permit.
  8. The number and dimensions of all structures (tents/stages/platforms/inflatables) must be included along with the number of generators.
  9. Job Card is issued up to 3 business days after ALL PLANS (site plan/structural drawings — if applicable) are approved and all fees are paid, if there are no more than 15 - 10x10 tents and no more than 4 County approved food trucks.
  10. Job Card is issued up to 5 business days after ALL PLANS (site plan/structural drawings — if applicable) are approved and all fees are paid, if there are no more than 15 - 10x10 tents and additional tents larger than 10x10 with no more than 10 County approved food trucks.
     

Plans On File Process (POF)

  1. Follow steps #1 through #4 above and indicate in the Online Application Work Description that the Plans-on-File process is requested. 
  2. The plans will be reviewed and assigned a POF Number.
  3. Each year, the Farmers’ Market sponsor will need to create an application, reference the POF Number and upload the updated letter of authorization and approved POF site plan. The Job Card will be issued in 1–3 business days after the application is processed.
     

On-Site Operations Requirements

  1. If the Health Department should have to close the market, it may be: 
    • Permanent; or 
    • Temporary — if the cited vendor can make the appropriate changes required to reopen. If the required measures cannot be implemented, the permit may be revoked.
  2. The Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement may revoke the permit if the use constitutes a nuisance because of noise, traffic, physical activity or other cause.
     

DPIE Inspections

  1. Submit DPIE Inspection requests no less than 3 business days prior to the event to ensure time to schedule an Inspector and coordinate Inspections with the Fire Marshal, Health Department and Third-Party Inspectors.  
  2. Third-Party Inspections may be required for electrical and/or any structures (tents, stages, etc.) before the Temporary Use & Occupancy Permit (U&O) is issued.
  3. To request DPIE Inspections, contact: Brandon Wright at 240-508-9639 / bwright@co.pg.md.us or Larry Long at 240-825-9158 / lalong@co.pg.md.us or Bill Edelen at 240.832.9560 / wkedelen@co.pg.md.us.
     

Fees*

  1. A lesser fee for Farmers’ Market Organizer's Temporary Use and Occupancy Permit, if applied for by April 30th. See the DPIE Fee Schedule.
  2. A higher fee for Farmers’ Market Organizer’s Temporary Use and Occupancy Permit, if applied for after April 30th. See the DPIE Fee Schedule.

 

Link to Temporary Use Code

Sec. 27-261. — Specific temporary uses

Note:  All other requirements specified in the Temporary Use Code and relevant procedures related to Farmers’ Markets are applicable and are not abrogated by the procedures indicated in this document.