Showing ordinances that apply to Germantown, MD
Germantown is an unincorporated community (population 91,249) in Montgomery County, Maryland. Because Germantown is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal code. Instead, Montgomery County ordinances apply directly to properties here. The insurance requirements rules below are the ones that govern your area.
Montgomery County recommends or requires short-term rental operators to maintain adequate liability insurance as part of the Chapter 54 licensing framework. Standard homeowner policies often exclude STR activities, requiring supplemental coverage or a commercial rider.
Montgomery County Code Chapter 54 addresses insurance as part of the STR licensing process. Operators are expected to maintain liability insurance that covers short-term rental activity, as standard homeowner insurance policies typically exclude commercial hospitality use. Many insurers now offer host protection or STR-specific riders that supplement standard policies. Booking platforms like Airbnb provide limited host protection programs, but these have exclusions and should not be relied upon as primary coverage. The county may require proof of insurance as part of the license application or renewal. Liability coverage should address guest injuries on the property, property damage by guests, and third-party claims. Maryland law regarding landlord liability also applies to STR operations. Operators in HOA communities should verify that their HOA master policy does not prohibit or restrict STR use, as many HOAs in Bethesda, Potomac, and Germantown have adopted STR-related covenants. Adequate insurance protects both the operator and neighboring properties from STR-related incidents.
Operating without adequate insurance: potential license condition or denial at renewal. Liability exposure for uninsured incidents falls entirely on the operator.
See how Germantown's insurance requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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