Division 6. Public Safety Plan for Late-Night Night Businesses
Codified through Bill No. CB-018-2026, adopted May 12, 2026, effective July 24, 2026. Source: Municode, Supplement 2026 Update 2. Editorial notes and legislative history omitted.
Division 6. Public Safety Plan for Late-Night Night Businesses
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 5-167 (2026)
Sec. 5-167. DefinitionsLinkCopy Citation
(a)
In this Division the following words and terms shall have the denoted meanings:
(1)
Business means any place of commerce or commercial activity operated by a person and open to the public, including but not limited to: retail, service, entertainment, adult entertainment, professional, food and beverage, cannabis, cigarette or liquor sales establishments.
(2)
Department means the Prince George's County Police Department.
(3)
Late-Night Business means any Business that is open to the public at anytime between 12:00 A.M. and 4:00 A.M.
(4)
Late-Night Safety Plan means a plan approved by the Department in accordance with this Division.
(5)
Person means:
(A)
an individual; or
(B)
a partnership, firm, association, corporation, or other entity of any kinds; or
(C)
a receiver, trustee, guardian, personal representative, fiduciary, or representative of any kind.
(D)
Exclusion: Person does not include, unless otherwise expressly provided, a governmental entity or an instrumentality or unit of a governmental entity.
(5)
Priority Area means one or more police response areas where Late-Night Businesses and the surrounding community would benefit by operating in accordance with a Late-Night Safety Plan as identified and published by the Department, based upon public safety indicators to include, but not limited to:
(A)
crime levels;
(B)
emergency calls; and
(C)
non-emergency calls.
(6)
Relevant Departments mean the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement, Department of Health, and the Board of License Commissioners.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 5-167.01 (2026)
Sec. 5-167.01. Prohibition, authorizationLinkCopy Citation
(a)
A person shall not operate a Late-Night Business without first submitting a proposed Late-Night Safety Plan to the Department.
(b)
A person may only operate a Late-Night Business after the Late-Night Safety Plan is approved by the Department and only in accordance with the Plan.
(c)
A Late-Night Safety Plan expires three (3) years after its approval, and after such time a Late-Night Business must obtain a newly approved Late-Night Safety Plan from the Department in order to continue operating in the County.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 5-167.02 (2026)
Sec. 5-167.02. Requirements and promulgationLinkCopy Citation
(a)
The Department, after consultation with other Relevant Departments, shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the mandates of this Division.
(b)
That the rules and regulations implemented by the Department shall:
(1)
establish the process for the owner or operator of a Late-Night Business to submit a proposed Late-Night Safety Plan;
(2)
establish the process for the Department to consider and approve, after consultation with other Relevant Departments, a proposed Late-Night Safety Plan;
(3)
establish a process for the Department and with other Relevant Departments to provide best business safety resources, training information, and resources regarding business safety plans;
(4)
establish a template that a Late-Night Business must use to submit a proposed Late-Night Business Safety Plan; and
(5)
establish the minimum requirements of a Late-Night Safety Plan:
(A)
which shall require:
(1)
an emergency evacuation plan;
(2)
24-hour contact information for the business owner or manager;
(3)
Exterior bathroom doors that are free opening at all times, if the bathroom facilities use bathroom stalls;
(4)
An acknowledgement that the business has received late night business training from the County; and
(B)
may require, with written justification, any or all of the following:
(1)
security training and security personnel physically present on or about the Late-Night Business's premises during the hours of 12:00 A.M. and 4:00 A.M.;
(2)
exterior lighting;
(3)
high-definition digital security cameras that provide video monitoring and recording, without audio recording capacity, or the interior and exterior of each entryway into the Late-Night Business and the cash register(s) or till(s).
(c)
Security Camera Requirements. If a Late-Night Safety Plan requires the use of security cameras, then the Late-Night Safety Plan shall also require that the Late-Night Business owner or operator post signage in a conspicuous location on the interior and exterior of the business notifying the pubic that the Late-Night Business is subject to video surveillance monitoring.
(d)
The Department may recommend, but must not require, that a Late-Night Business:
(1)
search patrons by the use of mental detectors, magnetometers, or pat downs; or
(2)
provide video recordings to the Department or other relevant departments, except when otherwise required by law.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 5-167.03 (2026)
Sec. 5-167.03. PenaltyLinkCopy Citation
Any violation of this Division shall subject owner and/or operator of a Late-Night Business to a fine of not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000); and each day the Late-Night Business operates in violation of this Division is a separate offense.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 5-167.04 (2026)
Sec. 5-167.04. ExemptionsLinkCopy Citation
(a)
The following businesses shall be exempt from the applicability of this Division:
(1)
Hospitals;
(2)
Healthcare Facilities;
(3)
Lodging Establishments; and
(4)
Movie Theaters.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 5-167.05 (2026)
Sec. 5-167.05. Annual reportingLinkCopy Citation
The Department must provide a report every two (2) years to the County Council on the following:
(a)
Plans reviewed under this Section;
(b)
Late-Night Businesses that have not submitted late night business safety plans;
(c)
Recommendations for the improvement of late-night business safety;
(d)
Grants provided under this Section; and
(e)
Crime data for the area of each Late-Night Business before and after the approval of a Late-Night Business safety plan for the business.