Which license each job needs in Prince George's County
| Work | License | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement: "alteration, remodeling, repair or replacement" of a home | MHIC license (since 1 June 2024 with at least $500,000 liability insurance) | Home Improvement Public Query |
| New homes | Home Builder Registration, Attorney General (MHIC "does not cover new home construction") | The Attorney General's unit, (410) 576-6573 |
| Electrical | Maryland master electrician; DPIE takes permits only from master electricians | Electricians search on labor.maryland.gov/pq |
| Heating and air conditioning | Maryland HVACR license plus a Prince George's County HVACR license | HVAC search on labor.maryland.gov/pq; ask DPIE about the county license |
| Plumbing and gas | WSSC Water license and registration | WSSC Permit and Licensee Search, or 301-206-8588 |
DPIE's Electrical Permits page says "Master Electricians are required to apply for electrical permits via the DPIE Online Electrical Process", with a "Scanned copy of the Master Electrician's current State of Maryland License" (read 26 October 2026). The state HVACR board's county page says "Anne Arundel and Prince George's Counties also require individuals to hold a county HVACR license". WSSC's verification page says "Customers must use a licensed journeyman or Master Level plumber who is individually registered or works with a registered firm", and "All gas work, including appliance replacement, must be performed by a registered gasfitter"; the WSSC number (shown as "WSSC-" and three to five digits) "must be printed on all of their paperwork and vehicle".
How to run the lookup in five minutes
- Get three numbers: the MHIC license of the firm you sign with, and the master electrician's or HVACR license of whoever pulls the trade permit. For plumbing, the WSSC number.
- Search MHIC on the Home Improvement Public Query and check the license is current and the name matches the contract.
- Search the trade license on the state's license searches (Electricians, HVAC).
- Plumber or gasfitter: confirm the WSSC registration in WSSC's ePermitting Permit and Licensee Search, linked from its verification page.
- Look up the house in Permit LookSee and the legacy ePermit search, as the Prince George's County building permit search guide shows.
Doing the work yourself
For electrical work DPIE's FAQ answers "Yes, if the work is limited and he or she meets the Prince George's County Electrical Code requirement" (Subtitle 9, Section 9-117). For plumbing, WSSC's homeowner page says "Homeowners are allowed to do some plumbing work on their own", listed in section 106.9 of its code, but "all gas work such as furnace, gas water heater and gas appliance replacements" must be done by a licensed plumber or gasfitter.
What our Prince George's County pages add
The license searches answer "is this person licensed". Our Prince George's County page shows what DPIE permitted, May 2021 to April 2023, the latest the county's open file runs:
| Kind of work | Permits (May 2021–Apr 2023) | May 2022–Apr 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | 32,079 | 15,954 |
| HVAC | 12,659 | 5,891 |
| Solar | 9,331 | 5,193 |
| Garages, sheds and shade structures | 3,826 | 1,957 |
| New homes | 3,787 | 1,999 |
| Fences and walls | 3,242 | 1,685 |
| Remodels and repairs | 3,029 | 1,474 |
Plumbing barely appears (21 permits) because WSSC, not DPIE, issues those. The permit statistics page has months and years, and permits by ZIP code the areas. Local permit rules: electrical, HVAC and solar permits. Statewide rules, insurance minimums and the Guaranty Fund: How to check a contractor's license in Maryland.
What this lookup does not tell you
The county's file stops in April 2023, names no contractor and has no status or final inspection date, so we cannot show who did a job or whether it passed. Municipalities that issue their own permits are not in it. A license says the firm may do the work, not how its last job went.
How we know this
License rules are quoted from the Maryland Home Improvement Commission's home and FAQ pages, the Maryland HVACR board's County License/Permits page, DPIE's Electrical Permits page and homeowner FAQ, and WSSC Water's verification and homeowner pages, read 26 October 2026. Counts are Prince George's County's open permit file, read 19 October 2026: permits issued May 2021 to April 2023.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 19, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- What license does a home improvement contractor need in Prince George's County?
A Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) license, checked on the state's Home Improvement Public Query. MHIC says its license does not cover new home construction; home builders register with the Attorney General's Home Builder Registration Unit.
- Who can pull an electrical permit in Prince George's County?
A master electrician. DPIE says "Master Electricians are required to apply for electrical permits via the DPIE Online Electrical Process", sending a scan of the master electrician's current State of Maryland license. A homeowner may do limited work if it meets section 9-117 of the County's electrical code.
- Does an HVAC contractor need a county license in Prince George's County?
Yes. Maryland's HVACR board says Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties require individuals to hold a county HVACR license in addition to the Maryland HVACR license.
- Who licenses plumbers in Prince George's County?
WSSC Water. It says most plumbing projects in Montgomery and Prince George's counties must be done by a WSSC Water-licensed plumber or gasfitter, and all gas work by a registered gasfitter. Verify the number in WSSC's ePermitting Permit and Licensee Search or by calling 301-206-8588.
- Can a homeowner do their own plumbing in Prince George's County?
Some. WSSC says homeowners who own and occupy may perform a limited amount of plumbing work, listed in section 106.9 of its code, but all gas work, including furnace and gas water heater replacement, needs a licensed plumber or gasfitter.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
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- Maryland Home Improvement Commission — Maryland Department of Labor (2026-10-26)
- FAQs — Do You Need a License to Do That? — MHIC (2026-10-26)
- Home Improvement Public Query (license search) — Maryland Department of Labor (2026-10-26)
- Occupational and Professional Licensing license searches — Maryland Department of Labor (2026-10-26)
- County License/Permits — Maryland HVACR Board (2026-10-26)
- Electrical Permits — Prince George's County DPIE (2026-10-26)
- Can the homeowner perform electrical work on his or her premises? — Prince George's County DPIE FAQ (2026-10-26)
- Finding and Verifying a Plumber/Gasfitter — WSSC Water (2026-10-26)
- Information for Homeowners — WSSC Water Permit Services (2026-10-26)