Worcester County, MD Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Worcester County, MD, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Who must be licensed
- Any owner renting or offering sleeping accommodations or tent, RV or mobile home lots
- Length of stay covered
- All, regardless of the length of the rental term
- Who holds the license
- Property owner only
- Issuing office
- The Department designated by the County Commissioners
- Fee
- Set by County Commissioners resolution; non-refundable
- Advertising rule
- Valid rental license number required in every ad
- Penalty
- Civil infraction; each day a separate offense
Summary
In unincorporated Worcester County, Maryland, no owner may rent or offer for rent a house, condo, cabin, hotel or motel room, RV or tent lot as sleeping accommodations without first getting a rental license from the Department, regardless of the length of the rental term. Only the property owner can hold it, and every advertisement must carry the license number.
(b) License required. ... No person, firm or corporation or any other entity with an interest in real property shall rent or offer for rent all or any portion of any house, townhouse, apartment, condominium unit, cottage, cabin, manufactured home, rooming house, recreational vehicle, recreational park model, hotel or motel room, or any other building or structure or portion thereof as sleeping accommodations or any lot or parcel of land for the purposes of placing a manufactured or mobile home, recreational vehicle or tent, regardless of the length of the rental term, without first obtaining a rental license from the Department. Rental licenses shall be issued only to the property owner. ... (4) All advertising, whether by print, electronic, audible or in any other form or substance designed or used to inform as to the availability of any property for rent which is subject to the terms of this section, shall contain the valid rental license number issued in accordance with this section.
Full Breakdown
Section TR 2-106 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Worcester County is the license gate for short-term rentals in unincorporated Worcester County, Maryland. It does not create a separate vacation-rental category. Subsection (b) reaches any person, firm, corporation or other entity with an interest in real property who rents or offers for rent a house, townhouse, apartment, condominium unit, cottage, cabin, manufactured home, rooming house, recreational vehicle, recreational park model, or hotel or motel room as sleeping accommodations. It also reaches any lot or parcel offered for placing a manufactured or mobile home, recreational vehicle or tent. The words "regardless of the length of the rental term" mean a weekend booking needs the same license as a long-term lease.
The license is issued by the Department, the county department the County Commissioners designate to administer the title, and it is issued only to the property owner. A tenant who sublets or a manager acting alone cannot hold it. License fees are set by resolution of the County Commissioners, are payable on application, are non-refundable, and are not prorated on cancellation, whether voluntary or otherwise.
Advertising is tied to the license. Under subsection (e)(4), all advertising, whether print, electronic, audible or in any other form, that tells the public a property is available for rent must contain the valid rental license number. The issued license itself must be prominently displayed on the premises and be available for inspection at all times.
The license also caps the use. Under subsection (f), only the areas, uses and number of residents named in the license are allowed, and the property must conform to the zoning district limits and to the Rental Housing Code in the Building Regulations Article. A license cannot be issued unless the property is in full compliance with all State and local laws and regulations. The section was added on 8-20-2019 by Bill No. 19-4. Ocean City, Berlin, Snow Hill and Pocomoke City have their own codes and are not covered by this section.
Violations & Fines
Anyone who establishes, maintains, rents or operates a rental without first obtaining the license, or who operates in violation of the section or the standards adopted by resolution of the County Commissioners, is guilty of a civil infraction. Each day of a violation is a separate offense. Potential penalties include suspension or revocation of the license, fines, an injunction, and abatement of imminent dangers to occupants. The Department notifies the owner and any manager or resident agent by certified mail, posting, or e-mail with delivery and read receipts, and sets a reasonable period to correct. These remedies are cumulative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a one-night or weekend rental need a Worcester County rental license?
Can a property manager or tenant apply for the license?
Do online listings have to show the license number?
Does this apply inside Ocean City or Berlin?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Worcester County
How Worcester County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Worcester County to another location·View the Maryland short-term rentals overview
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