Queen Anne's County, MD Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Residential structures, except owner-occupied single-family housing units
- Heat season
- October 1 to May 15
- Minimum room temperature
- 65 degrees by day, 60 degrees at other hours
- Insect screens required
- April 1 to December 1
- Civil penalty
- $25 a day after a notice and order
- Criminal penalty
- Fine up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail
- Reconsideration deadline
- 21 days after the notice is issued
Summary
In unincorporated Queen Anne's County, Chapter 15 of the County Code sets minimum maintenance, heat, electrical and fire-safety standards for residential structures, and § 15-12 bars anyone from renting a housing unit unless the structure and premises comply. Owner-occupied single-family homes are excluded. The County's Code Official enforces the chapter, which the County Commissioners adopted on December 1, 1988.
§ 15-3. Scope and effect. A. Residential structures. This chapter applies to residential structures used for human habitation and their premises except: (1) Owner-occupied single-family housing units; or (2) Housing located in a political subdivision that has adopted a local housing code containing provisions that substantially conform to the provisions of the State Minimum Livability Code. ... § 15-6. Environmental requirements. ... B. Condition of premises. (1) Sanitation. The premises shall be maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary condition, free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage. ... § 15-12. Responsibilities for compliance. ... B. In general. (1) A person may not rent or lease to another person for occupancy or use any housing unit unless the structure and premises comply with the provisions of this chapter.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 15 of the Queen Anne's County Code, titled Housing, applies to residential structures used for human habitation and their premises in unincorporated Queen Anne's County. Owner-occupied single-family housing units are excluded, so the standards bite on rentals and multi-unit housing. Centreville, Queenstown, Church Hill, Sudlersville, Barclay, Templeville and the county's part of Millington keep their own codes. The County Commissioners adopted the chapter on December 1, 1988, and a Code Official designated by the County enforces it.
The core standards sit in § 15-6. Premises must be clean, safe and sanitary and free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage. Foundations, exterior walls, roofs and supporting structural members must be sound and in good repair, and every window and exterior door must be weathertight. From April 1 to December 1, each opening used for ventilation needs a tight-fitting insect screen. Door locks on every door entering a housing unit must be in good repair and able to tightly secure the door.
Heat is covered in § 15-10. From October 1 to May 15, each housing unit must hold at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit in habitable areas between 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. and at least 60 degrees at other hours, measured three feet above the floor and three feet from exterior walls. Each kitchen needs at least two receptacles. Section 15-11 covers egress, fire protection systems and a smoke detector near each sleeping area.
Responsibility is split in § 15-12. Only the property owner can be cited, except that an owner whose own acts or omissions did not contribute to a violation cannot be cited for a tenant's negligent, wrongful or malicious acts. Tenants keep the part of the structure they occupy clean and sanitary, and the owner maintains common areas in buildings with two or more housing units.
Under § 15-4, an owner can apply for a waiver only after the tenant receives notice and a chance to comment, and a waiver cannot threaten the health or safety of a tenant.
Violations & Fines
Under § 15-17, a person served with a notice and order who fails to comply faces a civil penalty of $25 a day, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense. A violation is also a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000, imprisonment not exceeding 90 days, or both. The Code Official can seek injunctions or mandamus in court. An owner holding a compliance order cannot sell, transfer, mortgage or lease the premises until the order is met or the new party signs a notarized acceptance (§ 15-16). Anyone aggrieved can ask the Code Official for reconsideration within 21 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the housing chapter cover my owner-occupied home in unincorporated Queen Anne's County?
Can a landlord rent out a unit that fails the standards?
Is a landlord responsible when a tenant causes the problem?
What indoor temperature must a rental hold?
How does an owner challenge a notice from the Code Official?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Queen Anne's County
Compare Queen Anne's County to another location·View the Maryland rental property rules overview
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