Annapolis, MD Short-Term Rentals: Host Platform Liability (2026)
Key Facts
- Listing bar
- No platform listing before licensure
- Ad disclosure
- License number required on every platform ad
- Platform notice
- Department notifies platforms of suspension/revocation
- Penalty
- Fines set annually by City Council resolution
Summary
Annapolis bars listing a property on any short-term hosting platform before a license issues, requires the license number in every platform ad, and makes the Department notify all platforms directly when a license is suspended or revoked.
Applicants for a short-term rental license in the City of Annapolis are prohibited from listing the property on short-term hosting platforms without first obtaining a short-term rental license. ... If a short-term rental host license is suspended or revoked, the Department shall notify the licensee in writing of the license suspension or revocation and shall notify all platforms of any suspension or revocation on which the host currently lists.
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
Chapter 17.44 reaches the platform side of short-term rentals, not just the host. Section 17.44.090(B)(1) prohibits listing the property on a short-term hosting platform without first obtaining a license: the violation attaches to the listing itself, before any booking occurs. Once licensed, § 17.44.090(B)(3)(d)(ii) requires the licensee or property manager to publish the license number conspicuously in all written and electronic advertising, including on internet-based hosting platforms. If the Director suspends or revokes a license, § 17.44.090(H)(2) requires the Department to notify every platform the host currently lists on. 'Hosting platform' is defined broadly at § 17.44.110(4) to cover any internet-based site through which a host advertises short-term stays.
Violations & Fines
Listing before licensure, omitting the license number from a platform ad, or continuing to advertise after suspension or revocation exposes the licensee to fines set annually by City Council resolution under § 17.44.090(H)(3), plus possible license denial or revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I list my Annapolis rental on Airbnb before I have a license?
What happens to my platform listings if my Annapolis license is revoked?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Annapolis
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