Rental Licensing in Baltimore
On August 1, 2018, Baltimore City’s new rental license law went into effect. What’s new? All 1-2 family and multi-family buildings must pass an inspection and hold a rental license.
All rental property operators had until January 1, 2019, to pass inspection by a state-certified Home Inspector and obtain a rental license from Baltimore Housing. The inspections are contracted and scheduled privately by the landlord. The inspector sends the results to Housing directly. These inspectors cannot be an employee of the landlord or have a financial interest in the rental property. For some parts of the inspection, the inspector might ask Baltimore Housing for further review.
The new law requires any landlord to hold a valid license for the property. It should be posted at the property. If there is no license, no rent is due.
ADDITIONALLY, AS OF OCTOBER 2023 - If your landlord is not currently licensed, they may not take you to any form of eviction court, whether that be Failure to Pay Rent, Tenant Holding Over, Etc.
Click on these links to find out what kind of issues determine whether or not a landlord is in violation of licensing law:
You can find more information about your rights as a tenant, what to do if you’re facing eviction, and how to get legal help on the BRU Tenant Resources Page.
If you think your landlord is unlicensed and/or need legal help, you can reach out to the Public Justice Center by calling (410) 625-9409. You can also find more housing resources on the PJC Website
Tell us your story! How did it go? We will be collecting stories of renters impacted by this law, good or bad. Let us know your experience by contacting us!
How Do I Know If My Landlord Is Licensed?
You can determine if your landlord is licensed by searching the Baltimore City Licensing Database. The city is currently transitioning between two systems, so you may need to search both the old and new system to be sure.
This is the link to the old system. Make sure you check the checkbox next to “By Address” and then put in the house number and street name for your building. Click “Search”. The address should appear in a table, the property is licensed ONLY if a “Y” appears in the “ Licensed” column.
If your address does not appear licensed in the old system, appears to have an expired license, or does not show up at all, search for it in the new system. Type your address into the box and then click on your address in the dropdown. It should take you to a list of records, click on whichever ones have Rental Licensing in the title to view your property’s current status.
If neither database shows your home as being licensed, you can get an official certification of licensure or lack thereof by going to the DHCD records office in person. The office is located on the first floor of 417 E Fayette St in Downtown Baltimore. You should be provided a printout certifying the status of your home. If the clerk asks you for a copy of your lease, your ID, or other proof of residence, or you have trouble obtaining a record, please call us at 443-863-9607 to report your trouble and get help.
If you have an eviction case against you and your landlord is unlicensed, you should obtain a printout proving it and bring it to court, as it may assist you in proving your case.
Call BRU’s helpline if you have any questions or need help verifying the license status of your home.