Maryland’s rental rules are in the Real Property Article (Title 8) of the state code, and renter protections are relatively strong. Source of income is protected statewide under the HOME Act (Housing Opportunities Made Equal, effective 2020) — a landlord cannot refuse your Housing Choice Voucher, and a 2025 Maryland Supreme Court decision (Hare v. David S. Brown Enterprises) reinforced it. As of October 1, 2024 the security-deposit cap dropped to one month’s rent. There is no statewide rent control, but Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Takoma Park have local rent stabilization. The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) funds affordable housing. This page covers the statewide rules, the eviction timeline, and links to every Maryland city we cover.
- 211 Maryland — free, 24/7 — for any housing emergency anywhere in Maryland
- Maryland Legal Aid: 1-866-635-2948 · peoples-law.org
- MD Commission on Civil Rights (source-of-income complaints): 1-800-637-6247
- DHCD (state housing agency): dhcd.maryland.gov
- HUD fair housing: 1-800-669-9777
Public Housing & Vouchers in Maryland
Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and public housing are run by local authorities — the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC), the Montgomery County and Prince George’s County housing agencies, and others. DHCD administers vouchers in parts of the state and finances affordable apartments, and allocates Low-Income Housing Tax Credits — search HUD’s LIHTC database or read how to find LIHTC housing. Because Maryland protects source of income (below), a landlord cannot refuse your voucher.
Apply to several authorities at once. Use HUD’s PHA directory or our how to find your PHA and how to apply for Section 8 guides. City waitlist status is on the city pages below.
Source of Income Protection (the HOME Act)
Maryland’s HOME Act made source of income a protected class statewide, effective in 2020. A landlord cannot refuse to rent to you, charge different terms, or advertise a preference because you would pay with a Housing Choice Voucher or other lawful assistance, and cannot refuse simply because a subsidy requires extra steps like an inspection. In 2025, the Maryland Supreme Court (Hare v. David S. Brown Enterprises) ruled that a minimum-income policy applied to the full rent can be challenged as source-of-income discrimination when it screens out voucher holders. A landlord also may not apply a minimum-income requirement (such as “3x the rent”) to the full rent in a way that screens out voucher holders — per state civil-rights guidance, it should apply only to your share. File with the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (1-800-637-6247) and read our source-of-income protections guide.
Rent Control in Maryland
There is no statewide rent control, but several jurisdictions have local rent stabilization, and more are considering it:
- Montgomery County caps most annual increases at CPI-U + 3% or 7%, whichever is lower (the allowable figure is published each year — 5.2% for July 2026–June 2027)
- Prince George’s County (Permanent Rent Stabilization Act, 2024) caps most increases at 6% or CPI-U + 3%, whichever is lower (lower for senior housing)
- Takoma Park has long-standing rent stabilization
If you rent in one of these places, your increase is capped — check your county’s current allowable amount.
Emergency Rental Assistance in Maryland
- Dial 211 to reach local emergency rental and prevention funds and your regional Coordinated Entry for shelter and rapid re-housing
- The Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP) helps with utility bills through your local office — see utility assistance programs
- DHCD and county housing offices run prevention programs; the pandemic-era statewide program has ended, so check what is currently open
- The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and St. Vincent de Paul provide one-time help across the state
See our emergency rental assistance guide for the national picture.
Maryland Tenant Law: Key Protections at a Glance
Quick Reference: Maryland (MD)
- Source-of-income protection: yes — statewide (HOME Act, 2020); vouchers cannot be refused
- Rent control: none statewide; local in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Takoma Park
- Security deposit limit: 1 month’s rent for leases on/after Oct 1, 2024 (was 2 months)
- Deposit interest: required on deposits of $50+ held 6 months or more
- Deposit return deadline: 45 days, itemized; up to 3x damages for wrongful withholding
- Eviction (nonpayment): written notice (typically 10 days) before the landlord files a failure-to-pay-rent action
- Right of redemption: you can usually stop a nonpayment eviction by paying what is owed
- Self-help eviction: illegal — only the sheriff can remove a tenant
Security deposits
For leases entered on or after October 1, 2024, the deposit cap is one month’s rent (down from two); a narrow exception allows up to two months for certain tenants receiving utility assistance who agree in writing. The landlord must pay interest (the greater of the U.S. Treasury yield or 1.5% per year) on deposits of $50 or more held six months or longer, and must return the deposit with an itemized statement within 45 days. Wrongful withholding can mean up to three times the amount plus attorney’s fees (Real Property 8-203). See how to recover your security deposit.
Eviction process & how long it takes
Self-help eviction is illegal; the landlord must go to District Court and only the sheriff can remove you. For nonpayment, the landlord generally must give written notice (often 10 days) before filing a failure-to-pay-rent action. At the hearing you can raise defenses, and Maryland gives a right of redemption — paying the rent and costs owed usually stops the eviction. If the landlord wins and you do not pay or move, the court issues a warrant of restitution the sheriff executes. Timelines vary by county, but an uncontested case commonly runs about three to six weeks. Get help at peoples-law.org or Maryland Legal Aid, and read how to avoid eviction.
Other Housing Programs in Maryland
- Public housing — government-owned affordable apartments run by local authorities; the waitlist is separate from Section 8
- HUD-VASH (veterans) — a voucher paired with VA case management; see how to apply for HUD-VASH
- Emergency Housing Vouchers & rapid re-housing — access through Coordinated Entry by calling 211
- Eviction prevention — our eviction prevention hub explains what to do before your court date
Major Maryland Cities We Cover
Where to Get Help in Maryland
Free legal aid: Maryland Legal Aid (1-866-635-2948) and the Public Justice Center handle eviction defense; plain-language help is at peoples-law.org.
Source-of-income / discrimination: the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (1-800-637-6247) enforces the HOME Act.
State housing agency: DHCD for vouchers, LIHTC, and programs.
Find your local PHA: HUD’s PHA directory or our how to find your PHA guide.
211 helpline: dial 2-1-1 or visit 211.org for rental help, shelters, and utility assistance.
HUD fair housing: file at hud.gov/reporthousingdiscrimination or call 1-800-669-9777.
Next Steps
Not sure where to start? Our Where to Start tool routes you to the right mix of Maryland programs in about two minutes.
If a landlord refused your voucher, that violates the HOME Act — file with the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (1-800-637-6247). For a nonpayment case, read eviction prevention and ask the court about redemption.