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Baltimore County, MD Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified July 2026

Key Facts

Primary-residence text: Not an explicit code mandate
ADUs: Cannot be licensed
Long-term-licensed units: Cannot be licensed
Hosted vs un-hosted: Both permitted; must be designated
Code section: Balt. Co. Code 35-6-202(C)

Summary

Baltimore County's code does not textually require the STR to be the host's primary residence, but it bars licensing accessory dwelling units and units already holding a long-term rental license. Each unit is designated hosted or un-hosted on the application, and both types are permitted.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Baltimore County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

A short-term rental license may not be issued for: (1) a dwelling or unit that has a long-term rental license issued under Subtitle 1 of Article 35, Title 6 of the Code, including a dwelling in an apartment complex; or (2) an accessory dwelling unit.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.

Full Breakdown

Baltimore County Code 35-6-202(C) prohibits issuing a short-term rental license for a dwelling or unit that has a long-term rental license under Subtitle 1, including a dwelling in an apartment complex, or for an accessory dwelling unit. The code does not, in its adopted text, impose an explicit primary-residence-only mandate; instead it distinguishes hosted units (host resides on the property during the rental) from un-hosted units (host does not reside there), and requires the application to designate which applies (35-6-201, 35-6-204(A)(4)). Both hosted and un-hosted rentals may be licensed. Note that the county has publicly described new operations as primary-residence-focused, but the operative statutory restriction in the enacted subtitle is the ADU/long-term-license bar, not a bright-line owner-occupancy rule.

Violations & Fines

Attempting to license an ineligible unit (an ADU or a long-term-licensed unit) results in denial; fraudulently obtaining a license is grounds for suspension or revocation under 35-6-213.

Frequently Asked Questions

Must a Baltimore County short-term rental be my primary home?

The enacted code does not impose an explicit primary-residence-only rule; it permits both hosted and un-hosted units. It does bar licensing accessory dwelling units and units already holding a long-term rental license (Code 35-6-202(C)).

Can I short-term rent an accessory dwelling unit in Baltimore County?

No. Code 35-6-202(C)(2) states a short-term rental license may not be issued for an accessory dwelling unit, nor for a unit that already has a long-term rental license under Subtitle 1.

Sources & Official References

[1]Baltimore County Bill 68-24 (Short-Term Rental License)

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All Baltimore County rules

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