Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Rules in Baltimore, MD (2026)

Baltimore, MD allows short-term rentals — commonly listed on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO — subject to local regulations that have evolved significantly since 2015. Hosts must register with the city (Short-Term Residential Rental License) before listing their property. Baltimore regulates STRs to balance tourism revenue with neighborhood quality of life. Key rules cover primary residence requirements, nightly limits, occupancy caps, and tax collection obligations. Hosts who operate without required registration or in violation of city rules face substantial fines. Below are the current registration requirements, rules, platform-specific notes, and penalties for Baltimore.

Registration Requirements

Registration Required: Short-Term Residential Rental License. Registration fee: $200. Annual renewal: $200 annually. Register through the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) — Permits and Inspections or Baltimore City Department of Planning. Your registration number must be displayed on all platform listings. Failure to register before hosting is a violation subject to fines.

Operational Rules

Short-Term Rental Rules in Baltimore: 1. Short-term residential rental license required from Baltimore City 2. Property must pass inspection before license issuance 3. Owner or designee must be available for emergencies 24/7 4. Maximum occupancy: 2 persons per bedroom 5. Smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, and emergency egress required 6. Maryland state sales tax and Baltimore City hotel rental tax apply 7. Platforms collect and remit applicable taxes

• •Short-term residential rental license required from Baltimore City
• •Property must pass inspection before license issuance
• •Owner or designee must be available for emergencies 24/7
• •Maximum occupancy: 2 persons per bedroom
• •Smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, and emergency egress required
• •Maryland state sales tax and Baltimore City hotel rental tax apply
• •Platforms collect and remit applicable taxes

Platform-Specific Rules

Platform-Specific Rules in Baltimore: Airbnb: Airbnb collects Maryland sales tax and Baltimore City hotel rental tax on qualifying rentals VRBO: VRBO also collects applicable state and local taxes Always verify current platform tax collection and remittance policies directly with your platform — these can change without advance notice to hosts.

Penalties for Violations

Penalties for STR Violations in Baltimore: $500–$1,000 per day for operating without license; License revocation for repeat violations or code violations; Baltimore City housing code enforcement action for nuisance properties. Baltimore has enforcement mechanisms to identify unlicensed short-term rental listings on platforms. Hosts should ensure all registrations are current and listings display valid registration numbers.

• ⚠$500–$1,000 per day for operating without license
• ⚠License revocation for repeat violations or code violations
• ⚠Baltimore City housing code enforcement action for nuisance properties

Frequently Asked Questions