Baltimore Landlord-Tenant Rules

Rental licensing & inspection: Every non-owner-occupied property in Baltimore City (including vacant buildings and lots) must be registered with DHCD every year by January 1, and within 10 days of a transfer (City Code Art. 13, Subtitle 4). Rental dwellings also need a rental license: this covers multi-family dwellings, rooming houses, supportive housing, and non-owner-occupied units in 1- and 2-family homes. It is illegal to rent, or to charge, accept or try to collect rent for, a rental dwelling without a license, both when the unit is offered and when it is occupied. Only Housing Authority of Baltimore City properties are exempt. To get a license, a Maryland-licensed home inspector registered with the city must inspect the property no more than 90 days before the application. All units are inspected in buildings of 9 or fewer units, and a sample in larger ones. A passing Section 8 inspection can substitute. Owners also need lead certification and no open code violations. Licenses last 2 years. Violations are misdemeanors with fines up to $1,000 per offense, and each day is a separate offense. When DHCD learns a dwelling is unlicensed, the owner must post a notice to all occupants for at least 90 days.; Priority inspections (Strengthening Renters' Safety Act): Starting January 1, 2026, a rental building with 20 or more units becomes a 'priority dwelling' if two or more of these applied in the prior year: an interior-condition violation notice unabated for more than 90 days; four or more interior violation notices; a high rate of health and habitability 311 calls per unit; or a HUD NSPIRE score of 79 or below. DHCD inspects priority dwellings at least twice a year, four months apart, and may deny, suspend or revoke their rental licenses. Failing to post the rental license number carries a $250 citation.; Tenant right to counsel: Baltimore City guarantees legal representation from a city-designated nonprofit to every 'covered individual': anyone who occupies a dwelling in the city under a claim of legal right other than the owner, including Housing Authority tenants. The ordinance has no income cap, but the lowest-income tenants get priority. It covers court or administrative proceedings to evict or to end a tenancy or housing subsidy, first appeals, rent escrow cases (PLL Secs. 9-9, 9-9A, 9-10), and state retaliation and illegal lockout claims (Real Prop. Secs. 8-208.1, 8-216). Representation should be offered as soon as practicable, and if possible no later than the tenant's first scheduled court appearance. The right is subject to appropriation. The law took effect April 1, 2021, with a phase-in of up to 4 years.; Rent escrow & retaliation: Baltimore City has its own rent escrow law, separate from the state one. A tenant can ask District Court for relief from conditions that are a fire hazard or a serious threat to life, health or safety. The tenant can file first or raise it as a defense in a nonpayment case. The landlord must have had notice, by certified mail, a code violation notice or actual notice, and more than 30 days to fix the problem is presumed unreasonable. The tenant must pay rent into court. The tenant is barred only after more than five rent judgments in the prior year, while the state law limit is three. Landlords may not evict, raise rent or cut services solely because a tenant complained in good faith, joined a tenant organization, sued the landlord or consulted a lawyer. A court may award the tenant attorney's fees for a retaliation defense.