If you rent out a house, rowhouse or apartment in Baltimore City and you don't live there, you need a rental license from the city's Department of Housing and Community Development. Many owners only find out when they try to file in rent court. Here's the process in plain English.
Who needs a license
The license applies to non-owner-occupied rental dwellings in Baltimore City. That includes single-family homes and rowhouses, not just apartment buildings. If you rent out a property you own and don't live in, assume you need one until you've confirmed otherwise with the city.
The process, step by step
- Register the property. Non-owner-occupied properties are registered with the city. Registration and licensing are related but separate obligations, so keep both current.
- Get the inspection. A Maryland-licensed home inspector inspects the unit against the city's checklist: safety items, working systems, smoke and CO alarms, egress, sanitation, and more. Any failed items have to be fixed and re-inspected.
- Handle lead if the house is pre-1978. Most city housing is. Maryland's lead law requires registration with MDE and a lead certificate at each change of tenant. In practice, you need the lead certificate in hand to finish licensing. See our lead guide.
- Apply and pay. The application, inspection report and fees go to DHCD. Keep a copy of everything.
- Renew on schedule. Licenses expire. Renewal means a fresh inspection, so put the date on your calendar months ahead.
Why it matters: rent court
Maryland law generally requires a landlord to be licensed, where the local government requires it, in order to file a failure-to-pay-rent case. An unlicensed Baltimore landlord can lose the main tool for collecting unpaid rent. Licensing protects your income, and it's also the law.
The items that fail most often
- Missing or expired smoke alarms. Maryland requires sealed 10-year-battery units where battery-only alarms are used.
- Missing CO alarms where there's a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage
- Loose or missing handrails on stairs and stoops
- GFCI protection missing near water
- Windows that don't open, or bedrooms without proper egress
- Evidence of leaks, mold or pests
- Peeling paint, which is also a lead-law problem in older homes
Our affiliated crew fixes these items all the time. When we onboard a city property, we walk it before the inspector does, fix what would fail, and then book the inspection. See inspections & compliance.