Maryland's New Rental Laws Every Landlord Must Know in 2026

If you own a rental home in Maryland, the rulebook has changed. The Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024 rewrote several core parts of Maryland landlord-tenant law, and a separate 2025 law tightened the rules on entering an occupied home. Most of these changes are already in force in 2026.

None of it is complicated once you see it laid out. But getting one detail wrong — a deposit that is too high, a lease missing a required attachment, an entry made without proper notice — can turn into a dispute, a court claim, or a costly delay. This guide walks through what actually changed, why it matters, and what to do about it.

Quick note: This is general information for Maryland landlords, not legal advice. Rules vary by county and by property. Confirm your specific situation with a Maryland attorney or your property manager before you act.

The short version: old rule vs. new rule

Here is the fast answer for the changes most landlords ask about.

The rest of this article explains each one.

1. Security deposits are now capped at one month's rent

This is the change most landlords feel first. Under the Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act, a Maryland landlord may not charge a security deposit greater than one month's rent. The old cap was two months. This took effect October 1, 2024, so it applies to leases you sign in 2026.

Two long-standing deposit rules did not change, and they still apply:

• You must return the deposit within 45 days of the end of the tenancy, minus any damages you rightfully withhold.
• The deposit is interest-bearing. You owe simple interest at the greater of 1.5% per year or the 1-year U.S. Treasury rate, but only on deposits of $50 or more that you have held for at least six months.

If you keep part of a deposit without a reasonable basis, a tenant can sue for up to three times the withheld amount plus attorney's fees. That penalty is not new, but the lower cap means every dollar of a deposit now carries more weight. Documenting move-in and move-out condition carefully matters more than ever.

2. You now need 24 hours' notice to enter — and there's a time window

A separate 2025 law, House Bill 1076, took effect October 1, 2025, and it changed how and when you can enter an occupied rental.

Here is what it requires:

• Give the tenant at least 24 hours' advance notice before entering. (The old standard was commonly 48 hours.)
• Enter only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, unless the tenant agrees to a different day or time.
• This covers routine reasons for entry: inspections, repairs, and showings to prospective tenants or buyers.

There is a common-sense exception. In a genuine emergency — a fire, a flood, a gas leak, or a similar threat to the property or to safety — you may enter immediately, without notice.

The practical takeaway: build the 24-hour notice into your maintenance and showing routine so it happens automatically. Repeated unauthorized entry can support a tenant claim for breach of quiet enjoyment, which is exactly the kind of avoidable friction good management is supposed to prevent.

3. Tenants get a right of first refusal on small properties

If you own a property with three or fewer dwelling units, your tenant now has a right of first refusal when you decide to sell. This is one of the more procedural changes in the Act, and it is easy to trip over if you don't plan for it.

In plain terms:

• Before you list a covered property for sale, you must give each tenant written notice of their right to make an offer to buy it.
• If a third party makes an offer, the tenant generally has 30 days to match that same sales price.
• If the tenant delivers a matching offer within the window, you are required to accept it, subject to the exceptions written into the law.

There are exceptions built into the statute (certain transfers and sale types), so the rule does not apply to every transaction. If selling a small Maryland rental is anywhere on your horizon, map out the notice steps early. Skipping the notice can cloud a sale.

4. Every lease will need the Maryland Tenants' Bill of Rights attached

The Act created a statewide Maryland Tenants' Bill of Rights and a new Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs inside the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

What this means for you:

• Once DHCD's Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs publishes the current Tenants' Bill of Rights, landlords are required to include a copy as an attachment to every residential lease.
• The Office is also intended to serve as a central point for tenant-landlord information and resources statewide.

This is a paperwork obligation, not a judgment call — but it is exactly the kind of small requirement that gets missed. Make sure your current lease template includes the most recent published version, and refresh it whenever DHCD updates the document.

5. Rent escrow disputes got easier for tenants to bring

The Act also strengthened the rent escrow process — the mechanism tenants use when they claim a landlord has not fixed serious habitability problems.

Two shifts stand out:

• Tenants may now join together as plaintiffs in a rent escrow action rather than each filing separately. Multiple tenants in the same building can act as a group.
• The law leans the process toward giving tenants a hearing on rent abatement requests, so those claims are more likely to get in front of a judge.

The best defense here is boring and effective: respond to repair requests promptly, keep a paper trail of every maintenance ticket, and don't let a habitability issue sit. Most rent escrow disputes are really documentation disputes.

6. Eviction filing fees went up — and landlords carry them

Filing an eviction in Maryland now costs meaningfully more, and the law is specific about who pays.

• The surcharge for a failure-to-pay-rent (summary ejectment) filing rose from $8 to $93.
• The surcharge for tenant-holding-over and breach-of-lease filings rose from $18 to $93.
• These surcharges are assessed against the landlord and cannot be passed on to the tenant as a fee or cost.

For landlords who rely on frequent filings, this is a real change in the math. It rewards the opposite approach: careful tenant screening up front and clear rent communication, so you rarely need the courthouse at all.

7. Remember: some Maryland counties add their own rules

Everything above is statewide Maryland law. On top of it, individual counties and cities layer their own requirements — licensing, inspections, and in some places rent stabilization.

Montgomery County is the clearest example, with its own rent-stabilization framework that goes well beyond state law. If you own there, the statewide rules in this guide are your floor, not your ceiling. See our dedicated Montgomery County rent stabilization survival guide for that layer.

And if you own across state lines in the DMV, the differences between jurisdictions are sharp. Our DC vs. Maryland vs. Virginia landlord laws comparison breaks down where each state diverges.

What Maryland landlords should do now

A short checklist to get compliant and stay there:

• Cap new deposits at one month's rent. Update your lease templates and your listing language.
• Confirm deposit handling. Track the 45-day return clock and calculate interest correctly on qualifying deposits.
• Build 24-hour notice into your routine. Standardize entry notices for repairs, inspections, and showings, inside the 7 a.m.–7 p.m., Mon–Sat window.
• Add the Tenants' Bill of Rights to your lease. Use the current published version and re-check it periodically.
• Plan for right of first refusal before you list any property with three or fewer units for sale.
• Tighten your maintenance paper trail. Log every request and response to stay clear of rent escrow exposure.
• Check your county rules — especially licensing, inspections, and rent stabilization where it applies.

If that list feels like a lot to manage on your own, it is exactly the work a Maryland property manager handles day to day.

Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum security deposit in Maryland in 2026?

One month's rent. The Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024 lowered the cap from two months to one, effective October 1, 2024.

How much notice must a Maryland landlord give before entering a unit?

At least 24 hours' advance notice, and entry is limited to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, unless the tenant agrees otherwise. This came from House Bill 1076, effective October 1, 2025. Genuine emergencies are an exception.

What is the Maryland Tenants' Bill of Rights?

A statewide summary of renter protections created by the 2024 Act and published through the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs at Maryland's Department of Housing and Community Development. Once published, landlords must attach the current version to every residential lease.

What is a tenant's right of first refusal in Maryland?

For properties with three or fewer units, the landlord must give tenants written notice before selling and generally give them 30 days to match a third-party offer at the same price, subject to exceptions in the law.

When must a Maryland landlord return a security deposit?

Within 45 days after the tenancy ends, along with any interest owed, minus damages the landlord rightfully withholds. Withholding without a reasonable basis can expose a landlord to up to three times the amount plus attorney's fees.

Did Maryland change eviction filing fees for landlords?

Yes. The filing surcharge rose to $93 for both failure-to-pay-rent and holding-over/breach cases, and the law requires the landlord, not the tenant, to bear it.

Sources & last reviewed

• Maryland General Assembly — HB 693, Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024 (bill details)
• Maryland General Assembly — Chapter 124 (HB 693, enrolled text)
• Maryland General Assembly — HB 693 Fiscal and Policy Note
• Maryland DHCD — Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act (HB 693) FAQ
• Maryland DHCD — HB 693 Handout for Landlords / Property Owners
• Maryland General Assembly — HB 1076, Chapter 564 (2025, landlord entry)
• Maryland General Assembly — HB 1076 (bill details)
• Maryland Code, Real Property § 8-203 (security deposits)
• Maryland People's Law Library — Security Deposits
• Maryland Judiciary — Notice of Filing Fee Increases, effective October 1, 2024

Last reviewed July 17, 2026 by the Flat Fee Landlord Maryland team.