Most of Central Maryland requires a local rental license before a tenant moves in. Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County all license single-family rentals. Anne Arundel County licenses only buildings with two or more rental units, though Annapolis licenses every rental in the city, and we found no countywide long-term rental license in Charles County. On top of any local license, every pre-1978 rental has to be registered with the Maryland Department of the Environment.
We keep track of this for the homes we manage at SW Property Management. Below is the comparison as of October 2026, with each county’s own page linked so you can confirm before you lease.
Why it matters: no license, no easy eviction
A missing license can cost more than a fine. Under Maryland Real Property § 8-406, in any county or city that requires a rental license, a landlord filing a failure-to-pay-rent, holdover or breach-of-lease case must plead and then prove that the property is licensed, exempt, or unlicensed for one of a few narrow reasons outside the landlord’s control. The District Court complaint asks for the license number and expiration date.
Some counties add their own teeth. In Howard County, the county’s landlord-tenant guide says a tenant can end the lease without penalty if the owner doesn’t provide proof of a license, and leases must say a tenant can terminate and get the deposit back if the owner lets the license lapse for 15 consecutive days or more.
The comparison table
| Jurisdiction | Who needs one | Inspection | Term | Fee (as of Oct. 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City | Every non-owner-occupied rental; annual property registration too | Maryland-licensed home inspector registered with the city, or a Section 8 report under 1 year old; lead certificate for each unit | 2 years | Registration $30 per unit (1-2 unit buildings), yearly |
| Baltimore County | All rental property, including short-term rentals, unless exempt | State-licensed home inspector for 6 or fewer units; recent Section 8 or BRHP inspection accepted; lead certificate if pre-1978 | Check with county | $60 per unit (not owner-occupied); $48 owner-occupied with 1-2 tenants; $300 short-term rental |
| Howard County | Any dwelling not occupied solely by the owner or owner’s immediate family | Must meet the county’s Property Maintenance Code for Rental Housing (DILP) | 2 years | Per the county’s current fee schedule |
| Anne Arundel County | Buildings with 2+ units available to rent; not single-family homes | Health Department and Fire Marshal approval, if applicable | Check with county | Per the county’s multiple dwelling fee schedule |
| City of Annapolis | All rentals, including single-family homes and rooms | Every rental inspected once a year; MDE lead certificate if pre-1978 | 1 year | $125 per unit per year |
| Montgomery County | Single-family and condo owners who rent; multi-family buildings | Lead compliance for pre-1978 units; annual rental housing survey | 1 year | Per DHCA’s current schedule |
| Prince George’s County | Single-family rentals (1-2 dwelling units) outside the municipalities that license their own | County inspection after application, under a temporary license | 2 years | Per DPIE’s fee schedule |
| Charles County | No countywide long-term rental license found | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Sources for each row are in the county notes below. Baltimore City has its own full walkthrough: Baltimore City rental license, step by step.
County notes
Baltimore City
Every non-owner-occupied property must be registered by January 1 each year, and rentals must also be licensed. Licenses now run a flat two years under the Strengthening Renters’ Safety Act, and they no longer transfer on a sale: the buyer needs a new license within 60 days (DHCD; SRSA page). Fees are in City Code Art. 13, § 4-8.
Baltimore County
The county says all rental property must be registered for a rental license or have an exemption license under County Code § 35-5-201, and you must register and be licensed before a tenant moves in. Exemption licenses cover units occupied only by the owner’s relatives (with limits), units exempted by state or federal law, and properties on the National Register or the county Landmarks List. For six or fewer units, a state-licensed home inspector fills out an inspection sheet for each unit, checking smoke and CO alarms, electrical and plumbing hazards, operable windows, venting of combustion appliances and a second way out of sleeping areas (county registration page). The county doesn’t set inspector prices.
Howard County
The county’s rental housing page says every dwelling or dwelling unit not occupied solely by the owner or the owner’s immediate family must be licensed. Licenses come from the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP) and are valid for two years. The owner must have the license before entering into a lease, and must give the tenant a copy, or a copy of the pending application plus the license at least seven days before the lease begins (Howard County landlord-tenant guide, citing HCC § 17.1008). To check whether a property is licensed, call DILP at 410-313-1830.
Anne Arundel County
The county’s licensing FAQ says a Multiple Dwelling License is required for a dwelling with two or more units, rooms or apartments available for occupancy, and that it does not include single-family dwellings, two-unit dwellings with an owner living in one unit, accessory dwellings with one unit, or roommate situations. MDL applicants need a zoning Certificate of Use, and owners who don’t live in the county must name a resident agent. Short-term rentals have a separate registration.
Annapolis
The City of Annapolis issues rental operating licenses for single-family, two-family and multi-family dwellings and for rooms rented within a dwelling. Its rental licensing procedures say licenses renew every year, every rental is inspected once a year, and a standard license costs $125 per unit per year; standard rentals must offer a lease of at least one year. Pre-1978 properties submit an MDE lead form with the application (city rental license page).
Montgomery County
DHCA says single-family and condominium owners who rent are required to obtain a rental housing license every year, multi-family owners need an annual license covering every rented unit, rental properties must complete the county’s rental housing survey by April 30 each year, and pre-1978 rentals must comply with Maryland’s lead law. Montgomery is also the county with rent stabilization; see Maryland rent increase rules.
Prince George’s County
The county’s single-family rental licensing page covers buildings where a landlord provides one or two dwelling units. Applications, documents and payments go through the county’s Momentum online system, and fees are non-refundable and paid before review. After an approved application, the county issues a temporary license for 30 to 90 days while an inspector visits; with no violations or tenant concerns, the license issues 48 hours after the visit. The license is a two-year license. A condo or HOA home needs a letter from the association (no older than three months) showing no liens or bylaw violations.
No license is needed, with documentation, when the tenant is the landlord’s parent, child, sibling, grandchild, grandparent or in-law; when the landlord is in the military, Diplomatic Corps or Foreign Service and keeps the home as their domicile; when the landlord relocated for work or school and hasn’t leased it more than two consecutive years; or under a pre- or post-settlement occupancy agreement.
Charles County
We didn’t find a countywide long-term rental license on Charles County’s official pages when we checked in October 2026. A 2020 Department of Legislative Services fiscal note stated that Charles County had no residential rental property license and no municipality in the county had one. Because counties add programs, call the county before you lease.
Cities with their own rules
Several municipalities run their own licensing instead of the county:
- Prince George’s County: the county says it does not license rentals in Berwyn Heights, Bowie, Brentwood, Capitol Heights, Cheverly, College Park, District Heights, Edmonston, Forest Heights, Greenbelt, Hyattsville, Landover Hills, Mount Rainier, New Carrollton, Riverdale Park, Seat Pleasant, the Town of Laurel and University Park. Check the “Town” column on your property’s SDAT record, and apply with the municipality if one is listed.
- Montgomery County: Gaithersburg, Rockville and Takoma Park (and the Towns of Barnesville and Laytonsville) are outside the county’s rent stabilization program. If the home is in one of those cities, ask the city whether its own rental license applies.
- Anne Arundel County: Annapolis, covered above.
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals have separate registrations in several counties: Baltimore County charges $300 for a short-term rental license, and Anne Arundel County requires a short-term residential rental registration. Our planned post on short-term rental rules in Maryland covers them in detail.
This is general information, not legal advice. Local codes change, so confirm with the licensing office before you sign a lease.
Bottom line
If the home is in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard, Montgomery or most of Prince George’s, get the license before the tenant moves in. In Anne Arundel County a single-family home doesn’t need a county license, but Annapolis homes do. In every county, register pre-1978 homes with MDE. And keep the license number handy, because you’ll need it if you ever go to rent court.
New to renting out a house? Start with how to rent out your house in Maryland, or get a free rent analysis and we’ll tell you what your county requires for your address.
Sources
All checked October 26, 2026.
- Maryland Code, Real Property § 8-406
- Baltimore City DHCD, Property Registration and Rental Licensing and Strengthening Renters’ Safety Act; City Code Art. 13 § 4-8
- Baltimore County, Rental Housing Registration and Register or Renew
- Howard County Office of Consumer Protection, Landlord-Tenant Guide; DILP, Rental Housing
- Anne Arundel County, Licensing FAQs and Short-Term Residential Rental
- City of Annapolis, Rental Licensing Procedures and Rental Licenses
- Montgomery County DHCA, Licensing and Registration and Rent Stabilization
- Prince George’s County, Single-Family Rental Licensing
- Maryland Department of Legislative Services, HB 1199 (2020) fiscal note