Rental Property Rules in Baltimore, MD (2026)
9 verified rental property rules for Baltimore, Maryland, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Rent Control
Baltimore does not have rent control or rent stabilization laws. Maryland state law does not preempt local rent control, but Baltimore has not enacted such ordinances.
Baltimore Rent Control & Stabilization
Few RestrictionsJust Cause Eviction
Baltimore does not have a standalone just-cause eviction ordinance, but Maryland law provides specific grounds for eviction and tenants have rights through the state's landlord-tenant code and Baltimore's tenant protections.
Baltimore Just Cause Eviction Protections
Some RestrictionsMD Real Property Code §8-401(c)
(c) (1) Before a landlord may file a complaint under this section, the landlord shall provide to the tenant a written notice of the landlord's intent to file a claim in the District Court against the tenant to recover possession of the residential premises if the tenant does not cure within 10 days after the written notice is provided to the tenant. (2) (i) The written notice required under par...
Rental Registration
Baltimore requires all rental properties to be registered and licensed through the Department of Housing and Community Development, with mandatory inspections and lead paint compliance before a rental license is issued.
Baltimore Rental Registration & Lead Paint
Heavy RestrictionsSecurity Deposit Rules
Maryland Real Property Article §8-203 caps residential security deposits at two months' rent, requires interest accrual at the statutory rate, and mandates itemized return within 45 days of tenancy end — Baltimore landlords must comply.
Maryland Caps Security Deposits At Two Months
Some RestrictionsNo-Fault Evictions
Baltimore's Pay-4-Stay rule, codified in Maryland Real Property Article §8-401, lets a tenant cure a failure-to-pay-rent eviction at any point before the warrant of restitution by paying owed rent and court costs.
Pay 4 Stay Cures Failure-To-Pay Cases
Heavy RestrictionsMD Real Property Code §8-401(h)
(h) (1) Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, in any action of summary ejectment for failure to pay rent where the landlord is awarded a judgment giving the landlord restitution of the leased premises, the tenant shall have the right to redemption of the leased premises by tendering in cash, certified check, or money order to the landlord or the landlord's agent all past due amounts, as ...
Pass-Through Charges
Maryland Real Property Article §8-208 strictly preempts local rent control and rent stabilization by Baltimore and other municipalities, leaving landlords free to set and pass through market-rate increases at lease renewal.
Maryland Preempts Local Rent Control
Few RestrictionsTenant Anti-Harassment
Baltimore Ord. 21-0124, the Tenant Right to Counsel Ordinance enacted in 2021, guarantees free legal representation in eviction proceedings to income-eligible Baltimore tenants and is administered through the Office of Civil Justice.
Baltimore Tenant Right To Counsel
Heavy RestrictionsSource-of-Income Discrimination
Maryland's HOME Act (Real Property §20-705) and Baltimore's Civil Rights Code prohibit landlords from refusing applicants because they pay rent with Section 8 vouchers, SSI, veterans benefits, or other lawful sources of income.
HOME Act Bans Source-Of-Income Discrimination
Heavy RestrictionsSection 8 Voucher Acceptance
The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) administers Housing Choice Vouchers under federal HUD rules, paying contract rent directly to landlords while tenants pay roughly 30% of adjusted income toward the unit.