How Do Montgomery and Prince George’s Approve Fire Plans?

Montgomery County approves fire protection plans through its own Department of Permitting Services (DPS), whose plans examiners review sprinkler and fire alarm permits filed in ePlans, while Prince George’s County requires sprinkler, suppression and fire alarm shop drawings to be reviewed by a County-certified third-party reviewer the owner hires, with the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE) checking the result and issuing the permit. Both counties, as of November 2026, review to the 2021 International Building Code (IBC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1 and NFPA 101 in their 2021 editions, and NFPA 13 and NFPA 72 in their 2019 editions.

This article is for owners, architects and design teams with a project in either county. It sets out what each county has adopted, how the two compare with the Maryland state baseline, who reviews the plans, how each filing system works, what review times the counties publish, and where WSSC Water (the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission) fits. The statewide picture, including counties where the Office of the State Fire Marshal reviews the work, is covered in DGA’s article on how fire protection plan review works in Maryland.

What Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties Each Require

Montgomery County adopts its codes by executive regulation. The DPS codes master list shows the 2021 IBC, International Residential Code (IRC) and International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) under Executive Regulation 13-24, and a county fire code of NFPA 1 Fire Code and NFPA 101 Life Safety Code (2021) under Executive Regulation 14-24. The same regulation adopts NFPA 13 (2019), including NFPA 13R and NFPA 13D, and NFPA 72 (2019). All took effect December 10, 2024.

Prince George’s County adopts its building code in Subtitle 4 and its fire code in Subtitle 11 of the County Code. DPIE’s code list shows the 2021 IBC and IRC, NFPA 1 and NFPA 101 (2021), NFPA 13, 13R and 13D (2019) and NFPA 72 (2019), effective March 1, 2026. Before that date the County worked from the 2018 IBC, NFPA 1 and NFPA 101 (2018) and NFPA 13 and NFPA 72 (2016).

Neither county lists the International Fire Code. Both run the Maryland pattern of an IBC building code paired with an NFPA fire code, and both counties’ fire codes apply alongside the State Fire Prevention Code (SFPC), which DPS’s Fire Code Compliance staff enforce in existing buildings together with the county fire code.

How the Two Counties Compare With the Maryland State Baseline

The state baseline has two parts. The Maryland Building Performance Standards (MBPS), Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 09.12.51, adopt the 2021 IBC, and each county may amend them locally (COMAR 09.12.51.05). The SFPC, COMAR 29.06.01, adopts NFPA 1 and NFPA 101 (2024), effective June 23, 2025.

Both counties match the state on the building code and sit one edition behind it on the fire code. Under Public Safety Article 6-206, the SFPC has the force of law in every county and sets the minimum; a stricter local law controls where it is consistent with the SFPC, and the State Fire Prevention Commission decides where it is unclear which law applies. DGA’s article on how Maryland’s building code and NFPA 1 and 101 divide the work covers that two-code question in depth.

Figure 1: Montgomery vs Prince George’s vs the State Baseline

Topic	Maryland state baseline	Montgomery County	Prince George’s County
Building code	2021 IBC through the MBPS (COMAR 09.12.51.04A)	2021 IBC, Executive Regulation 13-24, effective December 10, 2024	2021 IBC, County Code Subtitle 4, effective March 1, 2026
Fire code	NFPA 1 and NFPA 101 (2024) through the SFPC (COMAR 29.06.01.06), effective June 23, 2025	NFPA 1 and NFPA 101 (2021), Executive Regulation 14-24	NFPA 1 and NFPA 101 (2021), County Code Subtitle 11
Sprinkler and fire alarm standards	NFPA 13 (2019) through the 2021 IBC; NFPA 1 (2024) references NFPA 13 (2022)	NFPA 13, 13R and 13D (2019); NFPA 72 (2019)	NFPA 13, 13R and 13D (2019); NFPA 72 (2019)
Fire protection plan reviewer	Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Engineering Services where no local reviewer is designated, and for State-owned property	DPS plans examiners	A DPIE-certified third-party reviewer hired by the owner, then a DPIE Fire and Life Safety Section completeness check
Portal and case name	No OSFM portal; the county permit office supplies the Fire Marshal Plan Review form	Apply and ePay (DPS eServices) for applications; ePlans for drawings	Momentum for applications (“FIR” cases); ePlan for drawings
Permits	SFPC permits are discretionary and follow the AHJ’s own procedures (COMAR 29.06.01.08)	Fire Protection System permit; Fire Alarm System permit plus a low-voltage electrical permit; FCC permit for each commercial building and tenant space	Fire protection system permit (FIR case) covering sprinkler, fire alarm, hood suppression, fire pump and other fire protection systems
Published review time	None published by OSFM	None stated on the DPS fire permit pages	Most commercial applications within 4 weeks; fire completeness check within 3 business days of third-party approval

On the sprinkler edition the counties match the state building code. In Maryland, the county building permit reviews sprinklers to NFPA 13 (2019) through the 2021 IBC, while the State Fire Prevention Code (NFPA 1, 2024) references NFPA 13 (2022); Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties both adopt NFPA 13 (2019) directly in their own fire codes.

Who Reviews Fire Protection Plans in Each County

In Montgomery County, DPS does the work in house. DPS plans examiners review Fire Protection System and Fire Alarm System permit drawings electronically in ePlans and mark up corrections for the applicant. DPS’s Fire Code Compliance staff, in the Residential Construction and Fire Code Compliance Division, enforce the adopted NFPA codes and standards, the Montgomery County Fire Code and the SFPC in existing buildings through reviews and preventive inspections.

In Prince George’s County, the Fire and Life Safety Section of DPIE’s Building Plan Review Division reviews every project that needs a fire review, including commercial building plans. Shop drawings for fire sprinkler, fire suppression, voice alarm and fire alarm systems must go through DPIE’s Third-Party Review Program: the owner hires a DPIE-authorized third-party plan review agency at its own expense, the agency reviews and approves the drawings, and DPIE accepts them for permit once fees are paid. DPIE states that the design professional, the third-party reviewer and the third-party inspector on a project must be different people.

The Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department’s Office of the Fire Marshal (Fire Prevention and Life Safety) shares fire code enforcement with DPIE. DPIE covers fire code enforcement tied to a building or occupancy permit, and the Fire/EMS office covers existing buildings that hold a use and occupancy permit. OSFM lists jurisdictional contacts for both counties and states that it is responsible for all State-owned property, which includes State-owned buildings in either county.

DGA prepares fire protection code analyses, sealed drawings and permit packages for county and State Fire Marshal review across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. Project briefs get confirmation and preliminary code feedback within one business day. See where DGA works →

How to File Fire Protection Permits in Each County

Montgomery County splits fire protection work into separate permits. A Fire Protection System permit is required for any fire protection system addition or modification, including repair work that affects the system. A Fire Alarm System permit is required for any installation, alteration or modification of a fire alarm system, including repair, and every fire alarm permit also needs a low-voltage electrical permit held by a DPS-licensed master or master limited electrician.

Applications are filed and paid online through Apply and ePay, with a non-refundable filing fee at application unless State law exempts the applicant. All drawings and documents go into ePlans within 5 business days of application, each sheet as a separate file, and sprinkler drawings must carry the signer’s signature, certification level, license number and license expiration date under the SFPC. The permit issues after the remaining DPS fees are paid, and no work starts before issuance.

Figure 2: Montgomery County: From Apply and ePay to the FCC Permit

1. Apply and payFire Protection System or Fire Alarm System permit through Apply and ePay; non-refundable filing fee at application

2. Upload to ePlansAll drawings and documents within 5 business days of application; sprinkler sheets show certification level and license number

3. Screening and plan reviewFees and file naming screened first; DPS plans examiners mark up corrections electronically

4. Fees and permitRemaining DPS fees paid; approved set stamped in ePlans; fire alarm work also holds a low-voltage electrical permit

5. Install and inspectApproved plans and permit on site; inspections requested before noon are generally performed the next day

6. FCC permitEvery commercial building and tenant space holds an FCC permit; a new one is needed when the owner, tenant or use changes

Prince George’s County runs one fire protection system permit type for sprinkler, fire alarm, hood suppression, fire pump and other fire protection systems. The applicant first engages a County-certified third-party reviewer and agrees the fee and timeframe with that reviewer, then applies in Momentum, where the application becomes an “FIR” case. DPIE e-mails an invitation to upload the plans to ePlan, and submissions are electronic only.

DPIE screens the upload and assigns the case to the selected reviewer, who reviews it, issues comments and records the status in ePlan. After third-party approval, the Fire and Life Safety Section runs a completeness check, may add a random quality control review, and enters the permit fees in Momentum. The permit issues once the fees are paid.

Figure 3: Prince George’s County: From Third-Party Reviewer to Use and Occupancy

1. Engage a third-party reviewerOwner hires a County-certified fire protection systems reviewer; fee and timeframe set by agreement

2. Apply in MomentumApplication becomes an FIR case; DPIE e-mails an invitation to upload plans to ePlan

3. Third-party reviewReviewer comments, applicant revises in ePlan, reviewer approves and reports to DPIE

4. DPIE completeness checkFire and Life Safety Section check within 3 business days of third-party approval; random quality control review possible

5. Fees and permitPermit fees entered and paid in Momentum; permit issued to the applicant’s dashboard

6. Inspections and occupancyInstallation approval and inspection through DPIE; Fire/EMS fire prevention inspection first for listed uses, before use and occupancy

Prince George’s County’s third-party route is one Maryland model. DGA’s article on how Baltimore City and Baltimore County approve fire protection covers a jurisdiction where third-party review is an option for listed scopes rather than the standard route.

Review Times, Inspections and Ongoing Compliance in Each County

As of November 2026, DPIE states that most commercial permit applications in Prince George’s County are reviewed within 4 weeks, and that its fire completeness check takes up to 3 business days after third-party approval. The third-party review itself runs on the timeframe agreed with the reviewer. Montgomery County DPS’s fire protection and fire alarm permit pages state no plan review period; the clocks DPS does publish are the 5 business day ePlans upload window and a revision notice within 24 business hours.

Those figures cover parts of plan review, not a whole project. The fire protection project Timeline Estimator gives a schedule from design to closeout.

Montgomery County inspections are requested online or by phone once the work is complete, with the approved plans and permit on site. After occupancy, the FCC permit keeps the building in front of DPS: the FCC inspection must pass with no outstanding fire code violations before the permit issues, most FCC permits renew yearly (child care every 2 years), and annual inspection, testing and maintenance of the fire protection systems is a condition of approval, with an endorsement and fee for each system.

In Prince George’s County, DPIE has installation approval and inspection of fire sprinkler, fire alarm, hood suppression, smoke control and related systems, and its final building inspection is requested through the Automated Inspection Request/Information System (AIRIS). Child care, assisted living, schools, institutions, liquor establishments and assembly occupancies also need a Fire/EMS fire prevention inspection, and DPIE will not inspect until that inspection is complete. Where an owner cannot produce inspection records that meet the County Code, a Fire Protection System Certification is needed, with a commissioning inspection by a Third-Party Inspection Program (TPIP) inspector or a technician certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) at Level III. DPIE also lists approved third-party fire protection system inspectors for projects in the TPIP.

WSSC Water’s Part in Montgomery and Prince George’s Approvals

WSSC Water supplies most of both counties, and the water supply data in a sprinkler design comes from WSSC on its own schedule. Since September 2, 2026, WSSC Water has taken fire flow test requests only through its online Fire Flow Test Application. Hydraulic grades are free by phone from Permit Services Intake or through the WERI application.

A Hydraulic Information Sheet is issued only as part of a site utility or minor site utility review for connections of 4 in. or larger, and WSSC describes it as a theoretical estimate at the connection point. That review runs separately from the DPS or DPIE fire permit, so the request belongs early in the schedule. DGA’s article on what WSSC requires for fire service connections covers the utility side.

Frequently Asked Questions

This article is general information, not a code determination for any project. Code editions, county regulations and reviewer practice change; confirm the adopted code, the reviewing office and the permit path for the project with the county.