Annapolis, MD Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Inspection requirement
- Required before every license issue/renewal
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Planning and Zoning
- License term
- Annual; up to 2 yrs for large complexes
- Refusal remedy
- Court order compels entry if refused
- Unlicensed rental fine
- Per unit, per day after 15 days
Summary
Annapolis requires every rental property to pass a Department of Planning and Zoning inspection before the City issues or renews a rental operator's license, making compliance checks routine and proactive rather than complaint-triggered.
No rental operator's license shall be issued or renewed unless the applicant agrees to an inspection of the premises as required by the Director, and that inspection finds that the premises is in compliance with all applicable requirements of Chapter 17.40 and this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2025 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Every premises licensed under Chapter 17.44, standard rentals, bed and breakfast homes, hotels, motels and inns, must pass a Department of Planning and Zoning inspection confirming compliance with Chapter 17.40's housing standards before the City issues or renews a rental operator's license; the applicant must first agree to the inspection. The Director is separately authorized under § 17.40.830 to inspect any dwelling at any reasonable time to check compliance, with a court order available if entry is refused. Licenses run annually by default, or up to two years for large staffed complexes, so units are checked on a recurring cycle, not only after a complaint.
Violations & Fines
Refusing entry lets the Director seek a court order compelling access (§17.40.830); renting without an inspection-cleared license is a municipal infraction fined per unit, per day, after a 15-day notice period (§17.44.010).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Annapolis inspect rental units before licensing?
Can the City inspect a rental without a tenant complaint?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Annapolis
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