Montgomery County, MD — landlord and rental rules

5 rules across 5 topics, including the county and state rules that bind here. Last verified 2026-08-22.

Rent controlEviction timelineRental registrationLead paintSecurity deposits

Rent control

Permalink
5.2% County allowance for the 2026–27 rent year
Montgomery Countyhigh confidence

Verified on 2026-08-22.

Montgomery County publishes a 5.2% maximum rent increase for covered units from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

Do not apply the cap from county or postal geography alone. Confirm the exact SDAT town, license, construction date, unit configuration, and exemptions.

Exemptions

  • The program excludes the five listed municipalities and otherwise exempt properties or units.
  • Coverage depends on County licensing, construction age, unit type, and statutory exemption facts.
Annual cap
5.2%

In effect since 2026-07-01.

Sources

Eviction timeline

Permalink
Failure-to-pay filing follows a 10-day written notice and court process
Marylandhigh confidence

Verified on 2026-08-22.

For failure to pay rent, Maryland Courts describes a written 10-day notice before filing, followed by a court case; removal requires a judgment, warrant of restitution, and sheriff or constable process.

The official procedure does not promise a fixed end-to-end duration. Case facts, service, defenses, redemption rights, court scheduling, and enforcement timing can change the result; obtain legal advice for a live case.

Sources

Rental registration

Permalink
County rental facilities generally require a rental license
Montgomery Countyhigh confidence

Verified on 2026-08-22.

Montgomery County generally requires a rental facility license for rental housing in the County's licensing jurisdiction.

Municipal identity is topic-specific: Barnesville and Laytonsville are excluded from County rent stabilization but are not on the County rental-license exclusion list.

Exemptions

  • Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Takoma Park administer their own rental licensing.

Sources

Lead paint

Permalink
Pre-1978 rentals require MDE registration and lead-risk compliance
Marylandhigh confidence

Verified on 2026-08-22.

Maryland requires affected pre-1978 rental dwelling units to be registered with the Department of the Environment and to satisfy the applicable lead-risk-reduction and certificate duties before occupancy changes.

MDE says registrations renew every two years beginning January 1, 2026. The required certificate and risk-reduction path depend on property and turnover facts; confirm the current MDE record rather than treating this summary as legal advice.

Construction
Built before 1978

Sources

Security deposits

Permalink
Ordinarily one month's rent, held in-state and returned within 45 days
Marylandhigh confidence

Verified on 2026-08-22.

Maryland ordinarily caps a cash security deposit at one month's rent per dwelling unit. It must be held in a qualifying interest-bearing in-state account and returned with required interest, less lawful withholding, within 45 days after the tenancy ends.

A narrow written utility-assistance arrangement may permit up to two months' rent. Interest applies to deposits of at least $50 held for at least six months, at the daily one-year U.S. Treasury yield-curve rate for the first business day of the year or 1.5% annually, whichever is greater. The statute also sets inspection, itemization, forfeiture, and potential threefold-damages and attorney-fee rules; this summary is informational, not legal advice.

Damages
3× the deposit, plus fees

Sources