Anne Arundel County caps STR occupancy at 2 adults per bedroom plus 2 additional, not to exceed 10 total guests, under the 2022 short-term rental ordinance (Bill 66-21, Article 11). Annapolis has a stricter cap in its STR license program.
Anne Arundel County Code Article 11 (Short-Term Rental Licensing, Bill 66-21, effective 2022) limits overnight occupancy of a short-term rental (rentals under 30 days) to two adults per bedroom plus two additional adults, with a hard cap of 10 overnight guests regardless of bedroom count. Septic-served waterfront homes along the Severn, Magothy, South, West, and Rhode Rivers and on Gibson Island are further limited by Health Department septic-capacity calculations (Article 13). Licensed STRs must post the maximum occupancy, emergency contact, and trash schedule inside the unit. Daytime visitors do not count toward the overnight cap but may not exceed twice the overnight number and must leave by 10 PM. Annapolis (City Code §17.44) runs a separate STR licensing regime with a two-per-bedroom standard and a requirement that the host or resident manager be available 24/7 within 30 minutes. Kent Island (Queen Anne's County) is outside Anne Arundel jurisdiction.
First violation: written warning plus $250. Second within 12 months: $500 civil penalty and license suspension hearing. Third violation: license revocation for at least 12 months. Exceeding septic design load at a waterfront home may trigger a Health Department abatement order.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Anne Arundel County.
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