Short-term rental permit rules in Baltimore, MD — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Baltimore Ordinance 19-0270 requires all short-term-rental hosts to obtain an annual short-term-rental license from the Department of Housing & Community Development before listing any unit on Airbnb, Vrbo, or similar platforms.
Under Baltimore Ordinance 19-0270, codified in Baltimore City Code Article 15, hosts must apply through DHCD, pay an annual license fee, pass a self-certified life-safety inspection, and post the license number on every listing. Applications require proof of liability insurance, primary-residence documentation, and current property-tax compliance. The license must be renewed yearly and is non-transferable. Operating without a license triggers immediate platform takedown notices and civil citations. DHCD publishes a public registry of licensed STRs and the fee structure is set annually via Board of Estimates resolution.
Unlicensed STR operation triggers civil citations starting at $1,000 per day, platform-removal demand letters, and potential injunctive action through the City Solicitor.
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