Baltimore County, MD Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Under Baltimore County Code § 35-6-204(a)(7), an applicant for a short-term rental license must submit, along with the Director's application form and a fee of at least $300, proof of an active liability insurance policy of at least $1,000,000 covering the rental. That is not a one-time check: § 35-6-209(b)(4) separately requires the host to maintain the same $1,000,000 policy "at all times" the license is in effect, alongside the other host duties in that subsection, keeping guests to those at least 21 years old, complying with the waste collection schedule, following Article 13 of the Code, and staying reachable to respond onsite within 60 minutes of a call from emergency services or a government agency.

The Director or a designee may require an inspection by Code Enforcement or the Fire Marshal before issuing or renewing a license under § 35-6-203(c), and a host must maintain compliance with all applicable county and state law throughout the license term under § 35-6-212(a). If a host lets the $1,000,000 policy lapse, that is a violation of the subtitle, and § 35-6-213(a)(3) lets the Director deny, suspend, or revoke the short-term rental license on that basis alone; the county need not wait for an incident to occur.

A host facing suspension or revocation has the right to appeal the decision to the Office of Administrative Hearings under § 35-6-213(b). Operating without a valid license, including one revoked for an insurance lapse, exposes the host to a civil penalty of $1,000 under § 35-6-214(a), with each day of continued advertising or renting counting as a separate offense under § 35-6-214(b).