Maryland Will Implement New Rental Housing Laws This October
Renters and landlords across Maryland should prepare for updated screening rules and cooling requirements starting October 1, 2026.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Apartments
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Beginning October 1, 2026, Maryland will enforce a suite of new housing laws affecting criminal history checks, air-conditioning standards, and rent reporting. These changes apply to various residential providers across the state, impacting how tenants are screened and how units are maintained.
Why it matters
These regulations aim to standardize tenant screening processes and increase housing habitability for Maryland residents. By mandating cooling standards and protecting subsidy access, the state is shifting the baseline requirements for rental property management and tenant rights.
Buildings with 10 or more units must maintain temperatures of 80 degrees or lower between June 1 and September 30. Providers with five or more units face penalties of up to $500 per violation for failing to comply with the new screening or reporting standards.
The players
Department of Housing and Community Development
The state agency responsible for overseeing housing policy and developing the voluntary model forms for rental compliance.
The details
Under the new Fair Chance Housing Act, housing providers must issue a conditional offer before reviewing an applicant's criminal history, and they must allow tenants to provide documentation for reassessment if an offer is rescinded. Additionally, landlords are now required to provide air-conditioning capabilities in buildings with 10 or more units to ensure indoor temperatures do not exceed 80 degrees during the summer months. Tenants will also have the right to request rental payment reporting, capped at a $10 monthly fee.
Timeline
June 1, 2026: Construction cutoff for new rental air-conditioning requirements.
October 1, 2026: Effective date for all three new housing laws.
January 1, 2027: Deadline to offer rental reporting to existing tenants.
The Home Front
These mandates represent a shift toward broader statewide regulation of apartment-owner operations. This follows a trend of increasing oversight regarding property maintenance standards and tenant application protections in Maryland.
If you rent an apartment, check your lease for updated policies on rental reporting and confirm if your building meets the new 80-degree cooling threshold by next June. Landlords should prepare to adopt the state-provided model forms for tenant screening once they become available.
The takeaway
Maryland is modernizing its rental housing framework to balance landlord operations with tenant protections. Tenants should verify their upcoming lease agreements for new reporting options, while property managers must prepare to meet cooling and screening compliance standards by October.
Further reading
Learn more about local rental policies and tenant rights in our Apartments section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WGMD.
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