Baltimore Short-Term Rental Regulations
| Permit | ✓ Required — Short-Term Residential Rental License ($200 (biennial)) |
| Primary Residence | ✓ Required |
| Annual Day Limit | No limit — less than 90 nights per booking |
| Tax Rate | 15.5% |
| Max Penalty | $500 per offense (misdemeanor fine); each day of continued violation is a separate offense + revocation risk |
| Insurance | Not required |
New to short-term rentals? Jump to the compliance checklist →
Permit & Licensing
Short-Term Residential Rental License
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial cost | $200 (biennial) |
| Renewal | $200 (biennial) / 2 years |
The property must be your primary residence. This means investment properties are not eligible for this permit type.
Application Process
Apply online through the Housing Commissioner's short-term rental portal (new account required); owner must prove the dwelling unit is their permanent residence, that any non-owner-occupied dwelling registration is current, and that the owner is registered with the State Comptroller for sales and use tax; license issued for a 2-year term and must be renewed at least 30 days before expiration.
Tax Obligations
| Tax | Rate | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City Hotel Room Tax | 9.5% | Baltimore City Director of Finance |
| Maryland State Sales and Use Tax | 6% | Comptroller of Maryland |
Combined rate: 15.5% of gross rental income.
Collection: Hosts and hosting platforms collect the 9.5% Baltimore hotel room tax from transient guests and remit it to the Baltimore City Director of Finance; owners must separately register with the Comptroller of Maryland (State Comptroller) to collect and remit the state's 6% sales and use tax.
Filing: Monthly; Baltimore hotel room tax payment and statement due to the Director of Finance by the 25th of each month
Rental Limits
Baltimore does not impose an annual cap on the number of nights you can rent. Each individual stay must be less than 90 nights per booking.
Zoning & Restrictions
License limited to the host's permanent residence, defined as a dwelling unit where the owner resides at least 180 days annually and which is the owner's usual place of return for housing; a host may hold only 1 permanent residence. A narrow grandfather exception allows 1 additional dwelling unit only for hosts who already had a qualifying booking transaction between August 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018 and became owner by December 31, 2018.
Insurance & Safety
Insurance
Baltimore does not require short-term rental operators to carry specific insurance. Standard homeowner policies often exclude short-term rental activity, so many hosts obtain dedicated short-term rental or landlord liability coverage.
Safety & Operating Requirements
- Dwelling unit must be maintained in compliance with the City Building, Fire, and Related Codes Article, the City Health Article, and the Zoning Code of Baltimore City
- Host must keep a record of all short-term residential rentals and make it available for inspection by the Housing Commissioner on request
- Host must prominently display emergency contact information for a representative who resides within 15 miles of the dwelling unit and is accessible for the entire rental term
- Host must prominently display a sign/notice stating the dwelling unit is licensed for short-term residential rentals
- Host must include the license number in any advertisement or listing on a hosting platform
Penalties for Non-Compliance
- Violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $500 for each offense; each day a violation continues is a separate offense
- License may be denied, suspended, or revoked for material false statements, fraudulently or deceptively obtaining/using the license, failing to abate a code violation within 120 days of notice, or failing to comply with the subtitle or its regulations
- Denial, suspension, or revocation requires at least 10 days' written notice and an opportunity to be heard, except where the Housing Commissioner, Fire Chief, Health Commissioner, or Police Commissioner finds imminent danger to health, safety, or welfare
Platform Requirements
- Must verify with the Housing Commissioner that the host's license is valid and that the dwelling unit address matches the license before advertising, listing, or facilitating booking transactions
- Must remove an advertisement or listing within 3 days of written notice that a dwelling unit cannot lawfully be used for short-term residential rental
- May not collect or receive a fee for facilitating a booking if the dwelling unit cannot lawfully be used for short-term residential rental
- Must keep records of all Baltimore City short-term residential rentals facilitated, including host name/license number, address, booking transaction date, rental start/end dates, and rent and fees charged
- Must include host license numbers in any advertisement or listing of a dwelling unit
Compliance Checklist
Follow these steps to legally operate a short-term rental in Baltimore:
- Confirm eligibility. The property must be your primary residence. Investment properties are not eligible.
- Meet safety requirements. Dwelling unit must be maintained in compliance with the City Building, Fire, and Related Codes Article, the City Health Article, and the Zoning Code of Baltimore City. Host must keep a record of all short-term residential rentals and make it available for inspection by the Housing Commissioner on request. Host must prominently display emergency contact information for a representative who resides within 15 miles of the dwelling unit and is accessible for the entire rental term. Host must prominently display a sign/notice stating the dwelling unit is licensed for short-term residential rentals. Host must include the license number in any advertisement or listing on a hosting platform.
- Apply for Short-Term Residential Rental License. Submit application + $200 (biennial) fee.
- Register for tax accounts. Set up lodging tax accounts with Comptroller of Maryland (state sales and use tax); Baltimore City Director of Finance (hotel room tax).
- Display your permit number. Include your permit/license number in all listings and advertisements.
- Collect and remit taxes. 15.5% on all bookings.
- Renew every 2 years. $200 (biennial) renewal fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do you need a permit to run an Airbnb in Baltimore?
- Yes. Operating a short-term rental — including an Airbnb or Vrbo — in Baltimore requires a Short-Term Residential Rental License.
- Does Baltimore require a short-term rental to be your primary residence?
- Yes. Every Baltimore permit type requires the property to be your primary residence, so investment or non-owner-occupied rentals generally are not eligible.
- How many days a year can you short-term rent in Baltimore?
- Baltimore does not cap the number of nights per year you can short-term rent, though permitting, zoning, and occupancy rules still apply.
- What taxes do you pay on a short-term rental in Baltimore?
- Short-term rental stays in Baltimore are subject to a combined 15.5% in lodging taxes. This combines 9.5% Baltimore City Hotel Room Tax + 6% Maryland State Sales and Use Tax. The host is responsible for collecting and remitting them.
- What happens if you run a short-term rental without a permit in Baltimore?
- Operating without a permit can cost up to $500 per offense (misdemeanor fine); each day of continued violation is a separate offense.
Tools for Short-Term Rental Hosts
AdServices that help hosts handle the legal, management, pricing, and cleaning side of a short-term rental.