Every hotel must have a unique number on the corridor side of the door to each guest room.

A hotel must not admit more visitors than the number for which it is licensed.

Registers kept under Section 54-3 must always be available at the hotel for inspection by the Director, the fire marshal, the police chief and their designees. The licensee may request the official to present proper credentials or proof of identity.

The owner, operator, or a responsible manager appointed by the owner or operator must be on-site at all times at each hotel.

Every hotel must provide off-street automobile parking for visitors as required by Chapter 59 of this Code, as amended.

The Director must administer and enforce this chapter with the assistance of other County departments, as necessary.

The Director, the fire marshal, the police chief and their designee, upon exhibiting the proper credentials or proof of identity, may enter any hotel to make any necessary inspection during business or operating hours. Inspections may also occur at other times if the county officials find it necessary to protect the health and safety of any person.

The owner or operator of a hotel, and the hotel’s agent or manager, are responsible for complying with this article.

A violation of any provision of Article II or Article III of this Chapter is a class A violation.

Any building occupied or used as a hotel within the county must be licensed for such occupancy and use by the Director. An operator of a hotel must cease operating immediately after the license has expired or has been revoked or suspended.

Before the Director issues an annual license for any hotel under this Division, the owner or operator, or their authorized agent, must file an application that satisfies the regulations approved by the Executive under method (3) of Section 2A-15 of this Code.

The Director must not issue a license to any hotel under this Division unless the proposed hotel conforms with the applicable provisions of this Code.

The Director must not issue an initial license or license renewal under this Division unless the applicant files with the Department a certificate: (a) of use and occupancy from the Department of Permitting Services; (b) from the fire marshal stating that the building complies with the fire prevention code; and (c) from the Director stating that the building or buildings and rooms to be occupied or used by the guests of the hotel, and the premises on which such buildings are located, comply with the standards and regulations of the County and State Boards of Health.

The Director must require each hotel, operated by the same management, to obtain a separate license under this Division.

The Executive must establish annual fees for licenses under this Division by regulation adopted under method (3) of Section 2A-15 of this Code. Fees must not exceed an amount necessary to defray the costs of administering this Chapter.

The Director may deny an initial license or license renewal to operate a hotel under this Division if the Director finds the owner or operator of the proposed hotel was convicted of violating the following provisions of the Criminal Law Article of the Maryland Code: (a) Section 10-202 (keeping disorderly house); (b) Title 12 (gaming); (c) Title 5 (controlled dangerous substances, prescriptions, and other substances); or (d) Section 10-201 (disturbing the public peace and disorderly conduct). The Director may deny an initial license or license renewal if the owner or operator was convicted of any similar offense outside Maryland.

(a) When an application for a license under this Division, or when a previously issued license is in the renewal process, the Director or the Director’s designee must conduct all investigations and inspections required by this article. The Director must approve or deny the application within 90 days after the date of filing, or as soon thereafter as practicable. Applications for renewal of a license filed on or before October 1 under Section 54-25 and that have not been approved or denied by the Director before the following January 1, remain in effect until approved or denied by the Director. (b) If, after all investigations and inspections are completed, the Director finds that the hotel for which a license under this Division is requested does not satisfy the requirements of this chapter, the Director must, within 10 days after making such a finding, transmit notice of such finding to the applicant. The notice must advise the applicant of the necessary corrective measures to be taken before the Director will issue the license. The Director may direct the applicant to appear within 10 days from the date of service of the notice to show cause why the license should not be denied. If the applicant fails to show cause as directed in such notice, or fails to take the necessary corrective action, the Director may deny the application. (c) The Director must send all of the Director’s orders and notices to the applicant either by registered mail or by personal delivery at the address shown on the application. If the applicant cannot be found in the County, service by personal delivery must be made to the person who is in charge of the hotel.

The applicant must prominently display each license issued under this Division in the hotel for which it was issued.

(a) The Director must investigate any complaint that a licensee is in violation of this Article within 30 days of receiving the complaint. (b) If a violation is found, the Director must issue written notice of the violation to the owner or operator requiring that the violation be corrected immediately. (c) If the violation is not corrected immediately, the Director may revoke or suspend the license under Section 54-26.

(a) Whenever a hotel changes its location, the current license held by such owner or operator under this Division is void. (b) The Director may authorize the transfer of a license issued under this Division to a new owner or operator upon an application for transfer of the license and payment of a transfer fee. The Executive must establish the transfer fee by regulation adopted under method (3) of Section 2A-15 of this Code.

All licenses issued under this Division expire on December 31 of the year for which they are issued, unless sooner revoked or suspended under this Article.

On or before July 1 of each year, every hotel must make application to the department for renewal of the license required by this Division. Before a license for any hotel is renewed by the Director, the Director must receive the certificates required under Section 54-17. The Director must renew the license after receiving the certificates, completing any outstanding complaint investigations, and finding that the application satisfies this Article.

(a) The Director may revoke or suspend any license issued under this Division if the Director finds that the owner or operator of any hotel is in violation of any provision of this Article. Any such revocation or suspension must be by written order directed to the owner or operator of the hotel under the procedures of subsection 54-21(c). Any such notice of revocation or suspension must require the holder of the license to appear before the Director and show cause why the license should not be revoked or suspended. (b) The Director may revoke or suspend any license issued under this Division if the Director finds that the hotel is disruptive to the general peaceful enjoyment, dangerous to the health and safety, of the community or is a nuisance because of noise or indecent or immoral activity by any guest, owner, operator or employee. The Director may also revoke or suspend any license issued under this Chapter if the owner or operator of the hotel has, while operating the hotel, been convicted of violating: (1) the provisions of the Criminal Law Article of the Maryland Code as listed in Section 54-20; or (2) the drunkenness and disorderly conduct provisions of Section 10-201 of the Criminal Law Article of the Maryland Code while on the licensed premises. Revocation or suspension of a license under this subsection must follow the procedures in Section 54-21(b).

Any person aggrieved by the denial, revocation or suspension of a license under this Division may appeal from the action of the Director to the Board of Appeals. Such person must file a notice of appeal with the clerk of the Board of Appeals within 20 days after service of notice of such action. Upon receiving such appeal, the Board of Appeals must hold a hearing within 30 days after the notice of appeal has been filed, and must act upon the appeal within 30 days after the hearing.

Water and sewer facilities in every hotel must be connected to public lines where such lines are available. When public sewer lines are not available, the private sewage system must satisfy Chapter 45 of this Code. When public water lines are not available, only a water supply approved by the Director may be used.

Toilet and bath facilities must satisfy the plumbing code for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission as amended.

All solid waste must be stored in covered metal receptacles. These receptacles must be removed from the premises and cleaned at least once a week or as often as the Director requires. All such waste must be disposed of in a manner that does not constitute a nuisance.

All interior spaces must be maintained free of all insects. Any infestation must be immediately addressed by management.

(a) Any habitable room in a hotel must be at least 70 square feet in floor area and there must be at least 50 square feet of floor area for each person. Children under 12 years of age are counted as one-half person. Children under 1 year of age are not counted as a person for the purpose of this requirement. (b) At least one-half of the floor area of every habitable room must have a ceiling height of at least 7 feet, and the floor area of that part of any room where the ceiling height is less than 5 feet is not considered as part of the floor area in computing the total floor area of the room for the purpose of determining the maximum permissible occupancy of the room.

All rooms in hotels must be adequately heated and ventilated. Every habitable room must have at least one easily opened window or skylight, or such other device that adequately ventilates the room. Every hotel must have a heating system. The heating system must be properly installed and maintained in safe and good working condition capable of safely and adequately heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms and water closet compartments to a temperature of at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit at a distance of 3 feet above floor level under ordinary minimum winter conditions.

All rooms in hotels must be adequately lighted including light for reading.

Only when basement floors and walls are constructed of material impervious to water, may a habitable room be located in a basement.

A room in a cellar is not a habitable room.

(a) All mattresses, blankets and other bedding used at hotels must be kept clean and free of bedbugs. (b) Clean sheets and pillow slips must be provided in hotels at least once each week and after each succeeding guest.

Food, public dining rooms and kitchens in each hotel must satisfy Chapter 15 of this Code as amended.

Every owner or operator of a hotel is responsible for maintaining all parts of the hotel, in a clean and sanitary condition, including the land on which the hotel is located. Every owner or operator is responsible for maintaining the hotel in good repair.

The Department is responsible for making all necessary inspections regulated under this Article and must report to the Director any violations of this Division.