# Commercial Law (GCL)

## Title 12. Credit Regulations

### Subtitle 11. Maryland Rental-Purchase Agreement Act

#### Section 12-1101

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b)

  (1) "Advertisement" means a commercial message in any medium that aids, promotes, or assists, directly or indirectly, a rental-purchase agreement.

  (2) "Advertisement" does not include in-store merchandising ads.

(c) "Cash price" means the price at which the lessor would have sold rental property covered by a rental-purchase agreement to the consumer unconditionally for cash on the date of consummation.

(d) "Consumer" means an individual who rents personal property under a rental-purchase agreement primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.

(e) "Consummation" means the time at which a consumer enters into a rental-purchase agreement.

(f) "Cost of lease services" means the difference between the final purchase price of rental property and the cash price of rental property.

(g) "Lessor" means a person who regularly provides the use of personal property through rental-purchase agreements to consumers and to whom rental payments are initially payable on the face of a rental-purchase agreement.

(h) "Rental property" means personal property that is the subject of a rental-purchase agreement.

(i) "Rental-purchase agreement" means an agreement that:

  (1) Is for the use of personal property by an individual primarily for personal, family, or household purposes;

  (2) Is for an initial period of 4 months or less;

  (3) Is automatically renewable for a weekly or monthly period with each rental payment after the initial period; and

  (4) Allows but does not obligate the consumer to become the owner of the property.

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Md. Code Ann., Com. Law (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)