Understanding Street Addresses in Prince George's County, Maryland

Street addresses are fundamental for navigation, emergency services, and countless logistical operations. In Prince George’s County, Maryland, The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission plays a crucial role in managing these addresses. This authority, granted by state law, allows the Commission to assign and approve new house numbers and street names, as well as modify existing ones across most of the county. It’s important to note that within municipalities, changes require either municipal governing body approval or a County Council resolution upon appeal, ensuring a layered approach to address management.

The Commission’s jurisdiction extends across the Maryland-Washington Regional District, with a specific exception for the City of Laurel as it existed in 2013. For areas within Laurel, the Commission can only assign street names upon an official request from the city. This delineation ensures clarity and cooperation between county and municipal authorities in address administration.

Key Responsibilities in Street Address Management

The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission undertakes several vital duties to maintain an organized and efficient addressing system:

Master Street Name List: The Commission maintains and provides a comprehensive, regularly updated master list of all approved and reserved street names in Excel format. This resource is crucial for developers and other stakeholders to ensure new street names are unique and compliant.
Preventing Duplicate Street Names: A core function is to prevent the creation of duplicate or confusingly similar street names. This proactive measure avoids issues arising from names like “Brown Street” and “Brown Road” or phonetic variations like “Main Street” and “Maine Street,” which can cause significant confusion for emergency services and deliveries.
Standardizing Street Name Suffixes: The Commission identifies and standardizes approved street name suffixes (like Street, Avenue, Road, etc.). This standardization is essential for consistent address formatting and data accuracy across various systems. You can access a detailed list of these suffixes for reference.
Address Regulations Accessibility: Clear and accessible address regulations are paramount. The Commission provides easy access to all property address regulations, ensuring that developers, property owners, and other interested parties are well-informed about the rules and guidelines governing street addresses.
Clarifying Address Definitions and History: To foster a deeper understanding, the Commission offers resources that clarify address definitions and detail the historical evolution of addressing practices within Prince George’s County. This educational component aids in better comprehension and compliance with current standards.
Inter-Agency Coordination: Effective address management requires coordination with numerous government agencies. The Commission maintains and provides a list of government agencies that are automatically notified whenever a new address is created or an existing one is changed. This streamlines communication and ensures all relevant departments have up-to-date address information.
GIS Address Web Map Access: For spatial reference and address verification, the Commission provides access to a GIS address web map. This interactive tool allows users to visually explore and verify address information geographically, enhancing accuracy and ease of use.
Detailed Address Update Workflow: Understanding the process for updating address information is crucial for various administrative tasks. The Commission offers a detailed workflow outlining the steps for entering new addresses or correcting existing ones within the Department of Assessments and Taxation database. This procedural guide simplifies address management for government and related entities.
Owner and Premises Address Extraction: For efficient property information retrieval, the Commission provides tools to extract owner and premises addresses. This resource simplifies data access for various purposes, from property assessment to public safety planning.

Street Name and Address Guidelines for Accuracy

To ensure seamless communication across databases used by stakeholders—including government bodies, public safety, tax assessment, and delivery services like Amazon, UPS, and FedEx—the Planning Department adheres to the United States Postal Service (USPS) ZIP Code system for assigning primary postal city names and zip codes to premise addresses. This alignment with USPS standards is vital for effective data exchange.

This process can sometimes lead to discrepancies between a premise address and an owner’s mailing address or other records. These differences often arise from USPS-determined ZIP code boundary shifts and varying conventions across different databases. If address verification is needed, the Address Team is available to provide assistance and resolve any discrepancies.

When proposing a new street name, it is strongly recommended to consult the existing list of approved street names and suffixes to avoid any duplications. The street name listing is updated quarterly, so recent requests might not yet be reflected in the most current published list.

For further assistance or any necessary clarifications, the Address Team is readily available for contact.