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Maryland · DC Suburbs · Greater Washington · #48 Most Populous County in the US
Prince George's County, Maryland
Government offices, property tax appeals, public records, courts, senior services, and local resources for Upper Marlboro and Prince George's County residents
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Prince George's County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
How does Maryland's triennial reassessment work in Prince George's County?
SDAT divides all Maryland properties into three groups, reassessing each once every three years. Notices mail at the end of December. You have 45 days from the notice date to appeal — typically a mid-February deadline printed on the notice. In off-years, file a Petition for Review by the first business day in January if events have caused value to decline. You may also appeal within 60 days of a property transfer between January 1 and June 30.
What is the Homestead Tax Credit and how does Prince George's County compare to neighboring counties?
The Homestead Tax Credit limits annual taxable assessment increases for owner-occupied primary residences. Prince George's County caps increases at 3 percent per year — one of the most protective caps in Maryland. By comparison, neighboring Montgomery County uses 10 percent. For long-term homeowners in areas that have seen strong appreciation, the 3 percent cap can produce substantial savings versus what a new buyer of the same property would pay. Apply once through SDAT — no annual reapplication needed.
What makes Prince George's County's Orphans' Court different from other Maryland counties?
Prince George's County has a traditional three-judge Orphans' Court with separately elected judges — unlike Montgomery County, which has no separate Orphans' Court (Circuit Court judges serve that role). Under Maryland's Constitution, Orphans' Court judges in Prince George's County are required to be licensed attorneys. In most other Maryland counties, Orphans' Court judges are lay citizens. This means contested probate matters in Prince George's County are presided over by attorney-judges, providing more formal legal oversight.
Where do I file for probate in Prince George's County?
File with the Register of Wills at 14735 Main Street, Room D4001, Upper Marlboro (301-952-3250). The New Estates Division is appointment-only — call ahead. Cereta A. Lee has served as Register since 2006. The Orphans' Court at the same location handles contested matters. Maryland has both an estate tax (above $5 million) and an inheritance tax (10% on non-exempt beneficiaries collected by the Register). Filings cannot be accepted by fax or email — mail or drop off in person.
How does Maryland's dual estate and inheritance tax affect Prince George's County estates?
Maryland is the only state with both estate and inheritance taxes. The estate tax applies above $5 million (not indexed to inflation). The inheritance tax — 10 percent — applies to non-exempt beneficiaries: unmarried partners, friends, nieces, nephews beyond the immediate family, and more distant relatives all pay 10 percent on assets they receive, even if no estate tax is owed. For Prince George's County federal employees leaving benefits to non-spouse, non-child beneficiaries, this requires careful planning around FEGLI, TSP designations, and survivor annuities.
Office: Prince George’s County Office of Emergency Management – 7915 Anchor Street, Landover, MD 20785; serves as liaison to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MDEMA), coordinates volunteer/public/private agencies across all phases of emergency management (preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation), and assists municipalities with disaster planning.
Sheriff: Prince George’s County Office of the Sheriff – 5303 Chrysler Way, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 | (301) 780-8600 | Email: [email protected]; Sheriff John D. B. Carr; a $70 million-budget agency with over 600 sworn, corrections, and civilian personnel. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911. Non-emergency dispatch: (301) 352-1200.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-95, I-495 (Capital Beltway), and US-301 serve Upper Marlboro, the county seat, immediately east of Washington, D.C.
Notes: Prince George’s County is one of Maryland’s largest and most populous counties, bordering the nation’s capital.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Prince George’s County Circuit Court – Upper Marlboro, MD.
Notes: Prince George’s County is genuinely home to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt – NASA’s first and oldest space flight center, established May 1, 1959 (originally planned as the “Beltsville Space Center” before being renamed to honor rocketry pioneer Robert H. Goddard). Goddard is the largest combined organization of scientists and engineers in the U.S. dedicated to space-based research of Earth, the solar system, and the universe, employing roughly 10,000 civil servants and contractors; Explorer 6, the first scientific satellite under Goddard’s direction, launched in August 1959, and instruments built at Goddard have since traveled to every planet in the solar system.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Prince George’s County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via princegeorgescountymd.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Prince George’s County Memorial Library System – confirm current address/phone via pgcmls.info.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Visitor Center (Rocket Garden, Astrobiology Walk, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter exhibit), the University of Maryland, College Park, and Six Flags America are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine NASA Goddard Space Flight Center connection – NASA’s very first space flight center – is one of the most nationally significant scientific facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Prince George’s County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement – confirm current contact via princegeorgescountymd.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Prince George’s County Animal Services Division – Animal Services Facility and Adoption Center (ASFAC), 3750 Brown Station Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 | (301) 780-7200; an $11 million, state-of-the-art facility accommodating up to 450 cats and dogs, with an exotic animal room, spay/neuter clinic, puppy/kitten nursery, and a dedicated bereavement room for pet owners after euthanasia; provides sheltering, adoption, field services, and lost/found pet coordination via 24PetConnect. Hours: Tue-Fri 11 AM-7 PM, Sat 10 AM-4 PM, closed Sun-Mon (walk-throughs end one hour before closing).
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Prince George’s County Department of the Environment – confirm current contact via princegeorgescountymd.gov.
NOTES: Prince George’s County is the fifth county in the third batch of the Maryland v2 A+ sourced redo. The genuine NASA Goddard Space Flight Center connection – NASA’s very first space flight center – is one of the most nationally significant scientific facts covered anywhere in this project. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Prince George's County
Prince George’s County is Maryland’s second most populous county and the forty-eighth most populous in the United States, home to Upper Marlboro, College Park, Hyattsville, Bowie, Greenbelt, Laurel, and Landover across 483 square miles southeast of Washington DC, bordering the District of Columbia to the north and west. The county is notable in American demographic history as one of the wealthiest majority-Black counties in the United States – with a median household income substantially above the national average, a large population of federal government employees, military personnel from Joint Base Andrews, Fort Meade, and other installations, and a significant academic and research community anchored by the University of Maryland at College Park. County government is structured around a nine-member County Council and an elected County Executive, with property assessment handled by the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). The Wayne K. Curry Administration Building in Largo is the primary hub for county government services.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Prince George’s County property taxes follow Maryland’s statewide system – assessment is a state function carried out by SDAT on a triennial cycle, dividing all Maryland properties into three groups so that roughly one-third receive new assessments each year. Notices are mailed at the end of December. Property owners have 45 days from the date of the notice to appeal – typically a mid-February deadline. The specific deadline is printed on the notice.
The three-level appeal process mirrors the rest of Maryland. The first level is an informal Supervisor’s Level meeting with an SDAT assessor at the local office, 14735 Main Street, Suite 356B, Upper Marlboro. Call 301-952-2500. The second level is the Prince George’s County Property Tax Assessment Appeal Board (PTAAB), an independent three-member board. The third level is the Maryland Tax Court. Taxes must continue to be paid while an appeal is pending – refunds with interest are issued if the appeal succeeds.
Petition for Review in off-years: file by the first business day in January if events have caused the property to decline in value. You may also appeal within 60 days of a property transfer between January 1 and June 30.
Prince George’s County Homestead Tax Credit cap is 3 percent – one of the most protective in Maryland and significantly lower than neighboring Montgomery County’s 10 percent cap. Long-term homeowners with active Homestead credits are protected from taxable assessment increases exceeding 3 percent per year, regardless of how sharply market values rise. This cap is especially valuable for established residents in communities that have seen strong appreciation near Washington DC. Apply once through SDAT – no annual reapplication. The credit does not apply in the first year after purchasing a home.
The effective property tax rate in Prince George’s County is approximately 1.14 percent – slightly higher than Montgomery County – applied to a median home value around $327,000. The county’s tax bills are consolidated and mailed on July 1 of the fiscal year.
OWNWELL CTA: Are you overpaying Prince George’s County property tax? Maryland reassesses one-third of all properties each year. The 45-day appeal window is short. Ownwell analyzes your assessment and handles the appeal. You only pay if you save.
LINK CLUSTER: How to appeal your Prince George’s County assessment, SDAT triennial cycle explained, Petition for Review off-year appeal, Homestead Tax Credit 3% cap, Homeowners Tax Credit income-based, Senior tax credit Prince George’s County, Pay Prince George’s County property taxes, SDAT property search, Property tax inquiry portal
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Public Records
Maryland’s Public Information Act gives residents access to government records. The Circuit Court Clerk, Mahasin S. El Amin, at 14735 Main Street, Room D-1015, Upper Marlboro (301-952-3318), maintains all recorded property documents – deeds, mortgages, and land records – and all civil, criminal, and family court records. Court records are searchable through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal. The Register of Wills maintains estate and probate records. Arrest records are maintained by the Prince George’s County Sheriff and by municipal police departments.
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Search Prince George's County arrest and court records. TruthFinder aggregates publicly available arrest records, court filings, and background information for Prince George's County residents.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
Prince George’s County is served by the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, part of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, at 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro. Administrative Judge is the Honorable DaNeeka Varner Cotton (301-952-3655). The Circuit Court handles jury and non-jury trials in civil, criminal, and family matters. The Orphans’ Court – a traditional three-judge elected court that handles initial probate proceedings – also sits at the courthouse. Maryland’s Constitution requires Orphans’ Court judges in Prince George’s County to be licensed attorneys – unlike most Maryland counties where the Orphans’ Court judges are not required to be attorneys. Two District Courts serve the county: Upper Marlboro at 14735 Main Street (301-298-4000) and Hyattsville at 4990 Rhode Island Avenue.
Courts Directory
Court
Type
Phone
Address
Circuit Court (7th Judicial Circuit)
Jury trials, major civil, criminal, family
301-952-3655
14735 Main St, Upper Marlboro
Orphans' Court (3 elected attorney-judges)
Probate, guardianship
301-952-3790
14735 Main St, Room D4001, Upper Marlboro
Register of Wills (Cereta A. Lee)
Estate administration, probate filing
301-952-3250
14735 Main St, Room D4001, Upper Marlboro
Circuit Court Clerk (Mahasin S. El Amin)
Court records, land records
301-952-3318
14735 Main St, Room D-1015, Upper Marlboro
District Court — Upper Marlboro
Civil under $30K, misdemeanor, traffic
301-298-4000
14735 Main St, Suite 173B, Upper Marlboro
District Court — Hyattsville
Civil under $30K, misdemeanor, traffic
301-699-2700
4990 Rhode Island Ave, Hyattsville
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Senior Services
Senior services in Prince George’s County are coordinated through the Department of Family Services Aging Services Division, which serves residents 60 and older with home-delivered meals, transportation, in-home care coordination, senior centers throughout the county, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, and SHIP Medicare counseling. Call the Aging Services Division at 301-265-8450. The county operates multiple senior centers across its 27 municipalities.
Prince George’s County’s federal government workforce – concentrated among current and former employees of federal agencies, military installations at Joint Base Andrews and the National Archives, and University of Maryland – creates a distinctive senior population with above-average federal pension income (CSRS and FERS), military retirement benefits, and access to federal healthcare. Many Prince George’s County retirees are former federal employees who settled in the county during their working years and have remained through retirement.
The 3 percent Homestead Tax Credit cap is especially important for Prince George’s County seniors on fixed incomes. In a county where significant neighborhoods – particularly Bowie, Largo, Fort Washington, and communities near the DC border – have seen sustained appreciation, the cap provides much stronger protection than in counties using the state maximum of 10 percent.
Maryland Medicaid funds long-term care for eligible seniors through waiver programs allowing care at home or in community settings. Prince George’s County also provides its own Senior Property Tax Credit for qualifying homeowners – contact the Office of Finance at 1301 McCormick Drive, Largo, for current eligibility details.
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Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Land Records & Court Filings)
14735 Main St., Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
(301) 952-3318
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Prince George’s County Register of Wills (estate/probate case files – see Probate section above).
“Index to Prince George’s County, Maryland Wills, 1695-1777” and “Index to the Probate Records of Prince George’s County, Maryland, 1696-1900” are specific published resources for this county.
Content (Bowling House, c. 1800) in Upper Marlboro, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is one of the oldest buildings remaining in the county seat.
Local societies
No dedicated Prince George’s County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Prince George’s County Register of Wills Prince George’s County Courthouse, 14735 Main Street, Room D4001, Upper Marlboro, MD 20773 (301) 952-3250
Prince George’s County borders Washington, D.C. in central Maryland, seated in Upper Marlboro, one of the state’s most populous counties.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Maryland is NOT a Uniform Probate Code state – it follows its own framework under the Maryland Estates and Trusts Article, administered through the Register of Wills rather than a traditional probate court in most cases.
Small Estate Administration – for a gross probate estate of $50,000 or less, or $100,000 or less if the surviving spouse is the sole heir or legatee. Filed as a Petition for Administration of a Small Estate. There is no filing fee for small estates opened on or after October 1, 2022. Small estates typically close in 2 to 4 months.
Modified Administration – available for Regular Estates when the residuary legatees consist of the personal representative and non-taxable recipients of property (spouse, children, parents, grandparents, siblings), the estate is solvent, and all consent. The personal representative must elect this within 3 months of appointment, files a verified Final Report within 10 months, and must complete final distribution within 12 months of appointment.
Regular Estate (Administrative Probate) – required when probate assets exceed $50,000 (or $100,000 with spouse as sole heir). Requires a formal Inventory (due within 3 months) and Account (first account due within 9 months, can be filed as early as 6 months), with a fee based on estate value.
Judicial Probate – conducted by the Orphans’ Court rather than administratively through the Register of Wills, required when the will’s validity is questioned, the will is damaged, or more than one qualified person petitions to serve as personal representative.
Step 2: filing for probate
File a Petition for Administration (Form 1103, plus Schedule B/Form 1137 as needed) with the Register of Wills in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death.
The Register of Wills reviews the petition and, following the statutory order of priority, appoints a personal representative and issues Letters of Administration.
Notice to creditors is published by the Register in a newspaper; creditors have 6 months from the date of death (or 2 months after being mailed notice, whichever is later) to file a claim, or they’re barred from collecting.
The personal representative pays valid debts, files the required Inventory and/or Account (or Final Report under Modified Administration), pays any inheritance tax due, and distributes the remaining assets – the surviving spouse or domestic partner is entitled to a $10,000 family allowance, and $5,000 for each unmarried minor child.
What it costs
No filing fee for small estates opened on or after October 1, 2022.
Regular estates pay a probate fee based on the total gross estate value, per a published fee schedule.
Maryland imposes both a state estate tax (threshold around $5 million) and a separate inheritance tax.
Maryland does not require an attorney for probate, but complex or contested estates commonly benefit from one.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
1100 Mercantile Lane, Largo, MD 20774
(301) 341-7300
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Prince George's County Health Dept
(301) 883-7879
Dept of Social Services
(301) 909-7700
MD Medicaid
(800) 492-5231
University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center
umcapitalregion.org (Largo — major regional hospital; Level II Trauma)
Dimensions Healthcare
dimensionshealth.org (multiple facilities)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Prince George’s County Health Department – confirm current phone via princegeorgescountymd.gov.
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