Which College Park licenses are required?

Chapter 144 requires an occupancy permit before a short-term rental unit is occupied and a short-term rental license before anyone operates or lists the property. Submit the City application to Public Services and obtain both required approvals before advertising, listing, or renting. An occupancy permit is valid for one year and cannot be transferred.

Who must receive notice of the license application?

The host must use the City-approved letter to notify residents and property owners within 300 feet and the neighborhood, homeowners, condominium, common-ownership, and cooperative associations where the property is located. The online code text does not state a delivery method, so obtain current instructions from Public Services. Eligible residents, owners, and associations may challenge a required application statement within 30 days after filing.

Which safety and insurance requirements apply?

Submit evidence of at least $1 million in liability insurance covering the rental use. Chapter 144 requires a working smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm in every bedroom, sleeping area, and habitable floor. It separately requires a maintained fire extinguisher in every bedroom, sleeping area, and habitable floor. Post emergency contacts and escape-route floor plans at the main entrance and in every sleeping room, then submit photographs to Public Services.

How many days and guests are allowed?

A host may rent for no more than 180 days per calendar year, with no more than 90 rental days while the host is absent. Each stay must last 24 hours to 30 consecutive days. Occupancy may not exceed eight guests or three guests per bedroom, whichever limit permits fewer guests.

Which parking and emergency-contact rules apply?

Provide one off-street parking space for one to three overnight guests, two for four to six, and three for seven or eight. Name an emergency contact other than the host who resides within 15 miles of the City. Keep contact details current, post approved guest rules, maintain required trash and recycling containers, and submit the required July-to-June guest log with renewal.

How do I check zoning, permits, and flood risk?

Use the Prince George’s County Planning Department for mapped zoning and planning information and to identify the office that issues the parcel-specific written zoning determination. Obtain County permit and enforcement records from the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement when it holds them and City licensing and enforcement records from College Park Public Services. Review FEMA’s flood map and City or County drainage records before obtaining insurance.

What belongs in the College Park pre-opening file?

Keep both City approvals, tax registrations, ownership and homestead records, insurance evidence, safety photographs, floor plans, neighbor notices, parking calculation, contacts, guest rules, platform list, tax records, renewal guest log, permits, inspections, title documents, survey, and private approvals together. Direct licensing and City records questions to College Park Public Services. Use the Prince George’s County Planning Department for zoning information and the County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement for County permit and enforcement records.

College Park, Maryland Short-Term Rental Buying Checklist

Q: Must a College Park short-term rental be the host’s permanent residence?

Yes. Chapter 144 requires the host to be the dwelling’s legal owner, use that dwelling as the host’s permanent residence for at least 180 days during the year, and satisfy the chapter’s homestead tax credit requirement for that address. The application requires proof of ownership and a copy of the homestead tax credit filing.

Q: Which assessment, deed, and private records matter?

Compare the Maryland property record with the purchase documents, including the owner, parcel identifier, legal description, assessed value, and homestead information. Research recorded deeds and other land instruments through Maryland Land Records. Obtain a title examination and survey, then have a Maryland real-estate attorney review association, deed, lease, and loan restrictions.

Decision point

Confirm City Limits and Owner Residency

Use the City’s official address and map tools to confirm that the parcel is inside College Park. Under Chapter 144 of the College Park Code, the host must be the dwelling’s legal owner, use that dwelling as the host’s permanent residence for at least 180 days during the year, and satisfy the chapter’s homestead tax credit requirement for that address. The application requires proof of ownership and a copy of the homestead tax credit filing. Obtain City confirmation that the buyer and property meet those requirements before purchase.

Local approval

Get the City Rental License

Chapter 144 requires an occupancy permit before a short-term rental unit is occupied and a short-term rental license before anyone operates or lists the property. Submit the signed City application to Public Services, pay the fee, and obtain both required approvals before advertising, listing, or renting. The application must include the Maryland sales-and-use-tax registration number, proof of ownership, a copy of the homestead tax credit filing, host and emergency-contact details, planned booking platforms, insurance evidence, and safety certifications. An occupancy permit is valid for one year and cannot be transferred.

Operating rules

Send the Required Neighbor Notice

The host must use the City-approved letter to give notice of the planned application to residents and property owners within 300 feet and to the neighborhood, homeowners, condominium, common-ownership, and cooperative associations where the property is located. Chapter 144 requires the notice and states that Public Services provides the approved letter. The online code text does not state a delivery method or proof-of-delivery procedure, so obtain those current instructions with the application. A resident or property owner within 300 feet or one of those associations may challenge a required application statement within 30 days after the application is filed. Public Services refers a challenge to the Advisory Planning Commission, which may investigate and may deny or revoke the license after a public hearing if it finds a certified fact false.

Legal eligibility

Complete Safety and Insurance Requirements

Submit evidence of at least $1 million in liability insurance covering the rental use. Chapter 144 requires a working smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm in every bedroom, sleeping area, and habitable floor. It separately requires a maintained, serviced, and charged fire extinguisher in every bedroom, sleeping area, and habitable floor under the Prince George’s Fire Safety Code. Post emergency contacts and escape-route floor plans at the main entrance and in every sleeping room, then submit photographs of those postings to Public Services.

Property screening

Follow Guest and Rental-Day Limits

A host may rent the dwelling for no more than 180 days in a calendar year. No more than 90 of those rental days may occur while the host is absent. Track hosted days, unhosted days, and total rental days separately. Each stay must last at least 24 hours and no more than 30 consecutive days. Occupancy may not exceed eight guests or three guests per bedroom, whichever limit permits fewer guests.

Taxes

Confirm Parking, Contacts, and House Rules

Provide at least one off-street parking space for each group of up to three overnight guests: one space for one to three guests, two for four to six, and three for seven or eight. Name an emergency contact other than the host who resides within 15 miles of the City and can respond to issues requiring immediate attention. Keep contact details current, post City-approved guest rules by the main entrance, and maintain two outdoor trash containers and one recycling container with tight-fitting lids. For renewal, submit a guest log listing total guests for the July-to-June fiscal year, guest count and dates for each rental, and the dates and totals for owner-present and owner-absent rental days.

Costs and safety

Register and File Lodging Taxes

Register with the Comptroller of Maryland for sales and use tax as required by the City application. The Comptroller’s accommodation tax guidance explains Maryland tax duties for hosts and booking intermediaries. Confirm Maryland sales-and-use-tax duties with the Comptroller and Prince George’s County hotel-tax duties with the County Treasury Division. Determine separately whether a booking intermediary collects and remits each tax and what the host must collect, file, and remit for direct bookings.

Underwriting

Review Zoning, Permits, and Flood Risk

Use the Prince George’s County zoning maps for mapped zoning and planning information and to identify the office that issues the parcel-specific written zoning determination needed for the proposed use. Ask College Park Planning and Community Development for City planning guidance and City-held records. Request County building, electrical, plumbing, use-and-occupancy, and related enforcement files from Prince George’s County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement when it holds the record. Request City occupancy-permit, short-term-rental-license, and enforcement files from College Park Public Services. Review FEMA’s official flood map and City or County drainage records before obtaining insurance.

Check Assessment, Deed, and Private Rules

Use the Maryland real property search instructions to compare the owner, parcel identifier, legal description, assessed value, and homestead information. Use the Maryland Land Records user guide to research recorded deeds and other land instruments. Obtain a title examination because access to a recorded document does not establish current ownership, priority, enforceability, or the absence of other title issues. Obtain a survey and have a Maryland real-estate attorney review association, deed, lease, and loan restrictions.

Contacts and support

College Park, Maryland STR Contacts

Keep the City occupancy permit and short-term rental license, tax registrations, ownership and homestead records, insurance evidence, safety photographs, floor plans, neighbor notices, parking calculation, contacts, guest rules, platform list, tax records, renewal guest log, permits, inspections, title documents, survey, and private approvals in one file. Direct Chapter 144 licensing questions and City record requests to College Park Public Services. Use the Prince George’s County Planning Department for mapped zoning and planning information and to identify the office that issues the required written zoning determination. Request County permit and enforcement files from the County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement when it holds the record.

Property selection and setup support: Plan a College Park Property Strategy Call

Sources and review

College Park, Maryland Official Sources

Verify current requirements against the official sources before acquisition or operation.

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