Recent Changes in Maryland Landlord-Tenant Law

Over the past two years, Maryland has overhauled key parts of its landlord-tenant law — from a lower security deposit cap and a first-in-the-nation statewide Tenants’ Bill of Rights to new eviction-notice requirements that took effect in October 2025. Here is a practical overview of what changed and what it means for landlords and tenants alike.

The Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024

The centerpiece of recent reform is the Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024 (House Bill 693), signed by Governor Moore and effective October 1, 2024. It made several substantial changes to existing landlord-tenant law that affect essentially every residential rental property in the state.

Security Deposits Capped at One Month’s Rent

One of the most consequential changes: a residential landlord generally may no longer require a security deposit greater than one month’s rent. Under prior law, landlords could collect up to two months’ rent. The law also reinforces that a security deposit cannot simply be forfeited for a lease breach — it may only be applied to the actual damages the landlord suffers, subject to limited exceptions.

The Statewide Tenants’ Bill of Rights

The Act created a new Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs within the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and directed it to publish a statewide Tenants’ Bill of Rights — the first of its kind in the nation. Beginning July 1, 2025, landlords must provide a copy of the most current version of this document to tenants at lease signing. The office updates the document annually, so landlords should make sure they are distributing the current version with each new lease.

Tenant Right of First Refusal

The Act expanded a tenant’s right of first refusal statewide. Before selling certain smaller residential rental properties (generally those with a limited number of dwelling units), an owner must first give the tenant written notice and an opportunity to purchase the property before listing it on the open market. This right previously applied mainly in Baltimore City; it now reaches rental properties across Maryland, with several exclusions (for example, larger multi-unit buildings, certain transfers to a wholly owned business entity, fiduciary transfers, transfers in lieu of foreclosure, and family transfers). Because the notice requirements are detailed, owners selling a rental home — and the title companies handling those closings — need to confirm compliance before settlement.

Higher Court Filing Surcharges

The Act significantly increased the surcharge to file a failure-to-pay-rent (summary ejectment) complaint in District Court — rising from $8 to $43 per case, with an additional charge in Baltimore City. Importantly, landlords generally cannot pass these surcharges on to tenants unless the landlord obtains a judgment for possession and the lease specifically allows the charge, and even then there are limits tied to the security deposit amount.

The Tenant Safety Act of 2024

Also effective October 1, 2024, the Tenant Safety Act strengthened tenants’ ability to hold landlords accountable for unsafe or uninhabitable conditions — issues such as mold or pest infestations. A central feature allows tenants, individually or together, to file a rent escrow action and pay rent into a court-supervised escrow account rather than to the landlord until the conditions are resolved. For landlords, this underscores the importance of responding promptly to habitability complaints and keeping maintenance records.

New Eviction Notice Requirements (Effective October 1, 2025)

The most recent major change comes from House Bill 767, which amended the Real Property Article and took effect October 1, 2025. It changed how evictions are carried out after a court issues a warrant of restitution (the eviction order).

Under the new law, after a warrant of restitution is issued, a landlord must provide the tenant with a written “Notice to Tenant of Pending Eviction” before the sheriff may carry out the eviction. The statewide default requires this notice at least six days before the scheduled eviction date, though local jurisdictions may set the period anywhere from a minimum of four days up to a maximum of fourteen days — and some, including Montgomery County and the City of Rockville, have moved to the fourteen-day maximum. Landlords should confirm the rule in the specific county or city where the property sits.

The notice has real teeth: the sheriff generally cannot proceed without proof that proper notice was given, and if a court finds the notice requirements were not met, it may vacate the warrant or delay the eviction. The law also continues to limit when evictions can occur during certain extreme weather conditions.

What This Means for Landlords

The cumulative effect of these changes is a higher compliance burden. Practical steps include updating lease packages to include the current Tenants’ Bill of Rights, adjusting security deposit practices to the one-month cap, building the right-of-first-refusal notice into any plan to sell a rental property, and tightening eviction procedures so that the new notice requirements are met exactly — with documentation — to avoid a vacated warrant.

What This Means for Tenants

Tenants have meaningfully stronger protections: a lower cap on what can be collected as a deposit, a written statement of their rights, a first chance to buy certain rental homes before they go on the market, a clearer path to address unsafe conditions through rent escrow, and additional notice before an eviction is carried out. Knowing these rights — and the deadlines attached to them — is the key to using them.

The Bottom Line

Maryland’s landlord-tenant landscape has shifted considerably over the past two years, and the rules continue to evolve, with some requirements varying by county and updated annually. Whether you own rental property or rent your home, it is worth reviewing your leases and procedures against the current law — and getting advice when a specific dispute or transaction is on the line.