Frederick, MD Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

5 of the Frederick Code of Ordinances, adopted by Ordinance No. G-23-09 effective June 15, 2023, created the city's residential rental licensing program. Sec. 5-78 bars an owner from renting or offering to rent a 'rental housing unit,' defined in Sec. 5-72 as a dwelling unit available for rent for any consideration, without a license from the Department of Public Works. The bar took effect January 1, 2024, and Sec. 5-78(b) separately forbids collecting or seeking rent unless the owner held a valid license at both the time of the offer and the time of occupancy.

Sec. 5-76 exempts units owned by the Housing Authority of the City of Frederick, government-subsidized units inspected at least every five years by that government entity, licensed institutional facilities, lots with no more than two units where the owner occupies one, units with a certificate of occupancy no more than eight years old, and units occupied exclusively by members of a religious order. Every owner must designate, under Sec. 5-77, a local representative who maintains a residence or business address within 60 miles of the intersection of Market Street and Patrick Street.

Applications under Sec. 5-79 require the property address, addresses of any other rental units owned, owner and representative contact information, and a certification of compliance with maintenance standards; licenses run for two years and owners must report any information change within 30 days. A license may be revoked under Sec. 5-81 for failing to correct violations after a third inspection, false statements, or refusal to allow entry, and a denied or revoked owner may appeal to the Technical Code Appeals Board within 20 days under Sec. 5-82.