Licenses & Permits

Building Permit

Building permits are required for repairs, improvements, and additions to any houses or buildings. A building permit must be obtained prior to the work being performed on the building. Building permits are issued by the Code Enforcement Officer through the Police Department.

Most work on a building located within Forest Heights must be issued a Forest Heights building permit, in addition to a Prince George's County building permit. Check with the Code Enforcement Officer for more information or to obtain your permit by calling 301-839-4040.

Rental Property Permits

Rental permits are required for any property that is renting one or more rooms or the entire house. Permits and a house inspection are required once a year. Failure to have a permit or annual inspection shall result in fines and tax liens for the property and owner.

All rental properties within the town limits must be registered with both the Office of the Town Clerk and the Code Enforcement Officer. Registration with one office satisfies the requirement to register with the other.

To register the property owner must complete the application and turn it in to the appropriate office. Please contact the Code Enforcement Officer by calling 301-839-4040 for more information.

Marriage Licenses

Marriage licenses are obtained from the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Prince George's County. The bride or groom must appear in person with proper identification (driver's license, birth certificate, military ID or passport, etc) for both parties and give, under oath, the following information:

  • Age of each party
  • Full name of each party
  • If previously married, applicant must provide the complete final date of divorce, or if widowed, the complete date of death, where applicable
  • Marital status of each party - Single (never married), divorced, or widowed
  • Place of residence of each party
  • Signature of applicant
  • Social Security numbers for each party are required*
  • State or country of birth
  • Whether the parties are related by blood or marriage and, if so, in which degree of the relationship

*The license application provides for the mandatory disclosure of Social Security numbers of both parties. Social Security numbers are required by law and will not be printed on the marriage application. If applicant is a foreign national and does not have a social security number, the applicant must be present and sign an affidavit.

At the time of application, a license fee of $70 must be paid by either cash, credit card, or money order. Personal checks are not accepted.

An individual 16 or 17 years old may not marry unless:

  • Individual has the consent of a parent or guardian, or
  • One of the parties to be married gives the clerk a certificate from a licensed physician stating the physician has examined the woman to be married and has found that she is pregnant or has given birth to a child

An individual 15 years old may not marry unless:

  • Individual has the consent of a parent or guardian, and
  • Either party to be married gives the clerk a certificate from a licensed physician stating that the physician has examined the woman to be married and has found that she is pregnant or has given birth to a child.

At the time of application, the marriage license will be issued. However, the license may not be used prior to the effective date, which is 6 a.m. on the second calendar date after issuance. The license must be used within six months of the effective date.