Maryland Short-Term Rental Laws by City (2026)
Short-term rental rules in Maryland are set city by city — a property that is legal to rent nightly in one town can be prohibited a few miles away. The table below covers 1 Maryland city (1 human-verified against official sources), with each city's legal status, permit cost, and last-verified date.
Statewide short-term rental rules in Maryland
Maryland has no statewide short-term rental license or registry — licensing, zoning, caps, and permits are left entirely to counties and cities, and state law expressly does not preempt local STR regulation. At the state level, every STR stay is subject to the 6% Maryland sales and use tax, which platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo must collect and remit (hosts taking direct bookings must register with the Comptroller and collect it themselves). Beginning October 1, 2026, the Jillian and Lindsay Wiener Short-Term Rental Safety Act (Ch. 9 of 2026) requires every STR unit rented for under 30 days to have working smoke and CO alarms, a fire extinguisher, a posted evacuation diagram and emergency numbers, with mandatory annual local inspections phased in by July 1, 2028. City and county rules apply on top of state law — check your local market's page.
| City | Status | Permit fee | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean City | Permit required | $246 | July 13, 2026 |
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This page is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Regulations change frequently — verify current requirements with each jurisdiction before operating. HOA and condo rules may prohibit short-term rentals regardless of city law.