All elevators in Baltimore commercial and multi-family buildings must be registered with the Maryland Department of Labor and inspected annually. Building owners are responsible for maintaining current certificates of operation visible inside each cab.
Maryland Labor and Employment Article section 5-502 authorizes the Maryland Elevator Safety Review Board to license elevator mechanics and oversee inspections. Annual certificates of operation are issued only after a licensed inspector verifies proper function and code compliance under ASME A17.1. Baltimore building owners must contract with a licensed elevator company for maintenance. Out-of-service elevators in residential buildings trigger BCHD habitability complaints and may require alternate accommodations for tenants with mobility limitations.
Operating an elevator with an expired certificate carries fines up to $5,000 per day. State may order shutdown. Tenant accessibility complaints can trigger fair-housing investigations.
See how Baltimore's elevator maintenance rules stack up against other locations.
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