Worcester County, MD Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

Registration of rental property in unincorporated Worcester County runs through the rental license in § TR 2-106 of the Code of Public Local Laws. Subsection (d) requires the application on forms provided by the Department, submitted with specific attachments that depend on the kind of property. Where only part of a building is rented, the owner supplies a scaled floor plan showing room sizes and uses, the maximum number of persons permitted in each sleeping area, and a site plan showing outdoor areas and off-street parking. Hotels and motels list every room for rent with its room number, gross square footage and maximum occupancy. Where an entire building is rented, a scaled floor plan and the maximum number of persons permitted to occupy it are required. Manufactured or mobile home parks and campgrounds, other than cooperative campgrounds defined in § ZS 1-318(a), list every lot or site with its maximum occupancy.

Every application also includes a copy of the standard lease or rental agreement and any house or property rules for renters, plus the names, mailing address, email address and telephone number of all property owners and, if applicable, the property manager and resident agent. Any of those people must be reachable twenty-four hours a day during a rental period, and all owners sign.

Under subsection (e), new applications can be filed at any time, and each license is valid for one year from the issuance date shown on it. Renewals are submitted on Department forms not less than sixty days before expiration. If the renewal arrives later than that, it is treated as a new application with all initial requirements, and a lapsed license means the property cannot be rented until a new one is issued.

Licenses cannot be transferred. When a property is sold, the license expires on the day of transfer. A contract purchaser can apply before settlement, but the Department issues the license only after proof of property transfer, and fees are not refunded if the sale does not close. Fees are set by County Commissioners resolution and are non-refundable.