Rental Property Rules in Howard County, MD (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Howard County, Maryland.
Verified from official government sources
Rent Control
Howard County has no permanent rent-control ordinance. Its only attempt, the 2020 Rental Protection and Stability Act at County Code § 17.1200, froze rent increases only during the Governor's COVID-19 emergency, and a federal court later struck part of it down; the Act ceased to apply after November 16, 2021.
Howard County Has No Standing Rent-Control Law
Few RestrictionsHoward County Code § 17.1200(a); Editor's note to § 17.1200
(a)Scope.(1)Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, this section applies during the catastrophic health emergency declared by the Governor of Maryland on March 5, 2020, as amended or extended by the Governor, under section 14-3A-02 of the Public Safety Article of the Maryland Code. ... Editor's note— On September 27, 2021, the United States District Court for the District of Maryl...
Just Cause Eviction
Howard County limits mobile home park owners to three grounds for evicting a resident: nonpayment of rent, a law violation that endangers other residents, or repeated rule violations over six months. County Code Section 16.516 requires 30 days' written notice of the cited violation and bars evicting a resident in retaliation for a complaint, lawsuit, or tenant organizing.
Howard County Mobile Home Park Just-Cause Evictions
Significant RestrictionsHoward County Code § 16.516 (Causes for eviction of residents)
(a)A mobile home park owner or operator may only evict a resident for the following reasons:(1)Nonpayment of rent.(2)Violation of a Federal or State law or local ordinance which is detrimental to the safety and welfare of other dwellers in the mobile home park.(3)Repeated violations over a six-month period of any rule or regulation identified by the park owner or operator in the lease as ground...
Rental Registration
Howard County landlords must hold a rental housing license from the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits before renting out any dwelling unit covered by the county's Property Maintenance Code for Rental Housing. Applications identify the owner, managing operator, and an in-state authorized agent, and the license generally runs for two years unless a violation shortens the term.
Howard County Rental Housing License Required
Some RestrictionsHoward County Code § 14.901(a)
(a)Rental Housing License Required. Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the owner of a dwelling unit in Howard County that is within the scope of the Howard County Property Maintenance Code for Rental Housing shall not rent or lease a dwelling unit unless the owner obtains a rental housing license under this subtitle.
Repairs & Habitability
Every Howard County residential lease must promise a clean, sanitary, rodent-free unit under County Code § 17.1009(c), which also folds the Building Code, Fire Prevention Code, Property Maintenance Code for Rental Housing, and Zoning Regulations into the lease as an express warranty of habitability and covenant to repair.
Howard County Leases Must Warrant Habitability
Some RestrictionsHoward County Code § 17.1009(c)
(c)Condition of Unit.(1)(i)A lease shall state that the landlord will deliver the dwelling unit and any common areas in a clean, habitable, and sanitary condition, free of rodents and vermin, and in compliance with all applicable laws.(ii)Alternatively, for a condominium or cooperative housing structure, the lease may state that the landlord is required to deliver only the dwelling unit in a cl...
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