# Part 2 – Licensing

Current through 2026-07-17. Source: City of Balt., Md., Ord. 26-129. Published by the Baltimore City Department of Legislative Reference.

## § 48-6 License required.

Balt., Md., Code art. 15, § 48-6 (2026)

(a) No person may operate a short-term residential rental without a currently effective license to do so from the Housing Commissioner.

(b) The application for an initial or renewal short-term residential rental license must be made in the form and contain the information and documentation that the Housing Commissioner requires.

*History: Ord. 19-217*

## § 48-7 Licensing prerequisites.

Balt., Md., Code art. 15, § 48-7 (2026)

(a)

  (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person may only be issued a short-term residential rental license for his or her permanent residence.

  (2)

    (i) A host may be issued a short-term residential rental license for 1 additional dwelling unit if:

      (A) the dwelling unit had a successfully executed booking transaction, as described in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (2), between August 1, 2017, and December 31, 2018;

      (B) the host became the owner of the additional dwelling unit on or before December 31, 2018; and

      (C) the host applies for a short-term residential rental license for the additional dwelling unit no later than the 90<sup>th</sup> day after the date on which this subtitle takes effect.

    (ii) For purposes of this paragraph (2), a booking transaction is deemed successfully executed if a fee was exchanged, whether directly or indirectly, between the host applying for the dwelling unit’s short-term residential rental license and a transient guest, for the short-term residential rental of the dwelling unit.

  (3) Short-term residential rental licenses are not property rights, and a short-term residential rental license does not transfer on the sale or any other ownership transfer of a dwelling unit.

(b)

  (1) All applicants for an initial or renewal license must meet the following requirements.

  (2) The owner must provide proof that the dwelling unit (or, if 2 dwelling units are applied for, 1 of those units) is the owner’s permanent residence.

  (3) For any dwelling unit that is a “non-owner-occupied dwelling unit” (as defined in City Code <cite data-path="|13">Article 13</cite>, Subtitle 4 {“Registration of Non-Owner-Occupied Dwellings ...”}):

    (i) the dwelling unit must be currently registered, as required by that Subtitle 4;

    (ii) all registration fees and all related interest required by that Subtitle 4 must have been paid; and

    (iii) all other requirements of <cite data-path="|13">Article 13</cite> applicable to non-owner-occupied dwelling units must be complied with.

  (4) The owner must be registered with the State Comptroller for the collection of the State’s sales and use tax.

*History: Ord. 19-217*

## § 48-8 License term and renewal.

Balt., Md., Code art. 15, § 48-8 (2026)

(a) Each short-term residential rental license expires biennially on the anniversary of its issuance.

(b)

  (1) Before a license expires, the host may apply to renew it for an additional 2-year term.

  (2) The renewal application must be submitted to the Housing Commissioner, with the applicable annual fee, at least 30 days before the current license expires.

*History: Ord. 19-217*

## § 48-9 License fee.

Balt., Md., Code art. 15, § 48-9 (2026)

The biennial license fee for a short-term residential rental license is $200 per dwelling unit, subject to adjustment in accordance with the City Fee Policy.

*History: Ord. 19-217*

## §§ 48-10 to 48-14

Balt., Md., Code art. 15, § 48-10 to 48-14 (2026)

Reserved