Severna Park's Short-Term Rentals: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles short-term rentals a little differently. In Severna Park, Maryland, there are 6 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Taxes & Fees

Severna Park STR hosts must pay Anne Arundel County's 8% occupancy tax on rent plus Maryland's 6% state sales tax. Hosts must maintain good standing with no overdue taxes, fines, or fees owed to the county. Platform disclosure of all hosting sites is required within 10 days of changes.

Key details: County Occupancy Tax: 8% of rent. State Sales Tax: 6%. Combined Rate: 14% minimum. Good Standing: Required to maintain registration.

Non-remittance: back taxes + penalty + interest. Comptroller of Maryland audit authority. County tax enforcement.

Occupancy Limits

Severna Park is an unincorporated CDP in Anne Arundel County, so the County's Title 13A (Short-Term Residential Rentals) controls. Title 13A defines a short-term rental as accommodation of transient guests for no more than 120 consecutive days in a calendar year and requires County registration; it does not impose a fixed county-wide per-bedroom occupancy cap, but the County's adopted property maintenance and building codes still set minimum habitable space and bedroom-occupancy thresholds.

Key details: Governing Code: Anne Arundel Co. Code Title 13A. Per-Bedroom Cap: Not specified county-wide in Title 13A. Stay Length Limit: 120 consecutive days/calendar year. Properties Per Host: Maximum 2. Registration Fee: $100 (2-year term).

Hosting an unregistered short-term rental, exceeding 120 consecutive days per calendar year, registering more than two properties to a single host, failing to display the County registration number on listings, or failing to remit the County use-or-occupancy tax is a violation enforceable by the Department of Inspections and Permits. Sanctions can include registration suspension or revocation, fines, and back taxes with interest. Violation of the underlying smoke-alarm or property-maintenance occupancy provisions is separately enforceable by the County Fire Marshal and code-enforcement inspectors.

Insurance Requirements

Anne Arundel County Code Title 13A, which governs short-term rentals in unincorporated Severna Park, does not impose a specific dollar minimum of liability insurance on hosts at the county level. Hosts are still strongly advised to confirm coverage through their hosting platform and a private short-term rental or commercial-liability policy because standard homeowner's HO-3 policies typically exclude transient rental activity.

Key details: County Insurance Minimum: Not specified in Title 13A. State Insurance Minimum: Not in MD Tax-Gen §11-101. Registration Fee: $100 (2-year term). Properties Per Host: Maximum 2. Other MD Jurisdictions: $1M (Prince George’s, Gaithersburg, Ocean City).

Operating a short-term rental in Severna Park without an Anne Arundel County registration, failing to remit the 8% use-or-occupancy tax, exceeding the two-property cap, or hiding listings from the County is a Title 13A violation subject to fines, registration revocation, and back-tax assessments. Lack of liability insurance is not, on its own, a county-code violation, but uninsured hosts may face full personal liability for guest injuries or property damage and may find platform host-protection programs inadequate.

Severna Park is more permissive than most cities when it comes to insurance requirements. That said, there are still limits.

Noise Rules

Short-term rental guests in Severna Park are subject to Anne Arundel County noise regulations. The standard 65/55 dBA residential limits apply. Audio devices at unreasonably loud volume are prohibited in residential districts at all times under County Code Section 9-1-706.

Key details: Noise Limits: Standard county noise ordinance applies. Daytime: 65 dBA residential limit. Nighttime: 55 dBA residential limit. Enforcement: Anne Arundel County Police.

Noise violation at STR: $250 to $1,000. Multiple complaints: permit suspension/revocation. Host responsible for guest behavior.

Parking Rules

Anne Arundel County does not impose specific STR parking requirements beyond standard zoning rules for Severna Park properties. On-street parking follows county traffic code. Unhosted rental hosts must provide a 24-hour emergency contact for the duration of the rental.

Key details: STR-Specific Parking: No additional requirements. On-Street Parking: Standard county traffic code applies. Unhosted Rentals: Must provide 24-hour emergency contact. Platform Disclosure: All platforms must be listed with county.

Parking plan non-compliance may affect permit renewal. Street parking violations per local code.

Severna Park is more permissive than most cities when it comes to parking rules. That said, there are still limits.

Permit Requirements

Severna Park short-term rentals must register with Anne Arundel County. The fee is $100 for a two-year term. Minimum rental period is 24 hours. Hosts may register up to two dwelling units. Applications require notarized signatures and are submitted to the Permit Center.

Key details: Registration Fee: $100 for two years. Minimum Rental: 24 hours. Max Units: 2 per host. Application: Notarized, submitted to Permit Center. Records: Must keep records for 3 years.

Operating without permit: $500 to $1,000/day. Safety violations: immediate suspension. Tax non-remittance: back taxes + penalties.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Severna Park gives residents more room on short-term rentals. 2 of the 6 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

This guide is based on Severna Park's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.