§ 13–301
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Com. Law § 13-301 (2026)
Title 13. Consumer Protection Act
Subtitle 3. Unfair, Abusive, or Deceptive Trade Practices
§ 13–301LinkCopy Citation
Unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practices include any:
(1)
False, falsely disparaging, or misleading oral or written statement, visual description, or other representation of any kind which has the capacity, tendency, or effect of deceiving or misleading consumers;
(2)
Representation that:
(i)
Consumer goods, consumer realty, or consumer services have a sponsorship, approval, accessory, characteristic, ingredient, use, benefit, or quantity which they do not have;
(ii)
A merchant has a sponsorship, approval, status, affiliation, or connection which he does not have;
(iii)
Deteriorated, altered, reconditioned, reclaimed, or secondhand consumer goods are original or new; or
(iv)
Consumer goods, consumer realty, or consumer services are of a particular standard, quality, grade, style, or model which they are not;
(3)
Failure to state a material fact if the failure deceives or tends to deceive;
(4)
Disparagement of the goods, realty, services, or business of another by a false or misleading representation of a material fact;
(5)
Advertisement or offer of consumer goods, consumer realty, or consumer services:
(i)
Without intent to sell, lease, or rent them as advertised or offered; or
(ii)
With intent not to supply reasonably expected public demand, unless the advertisement or offer discloses a limitation of quantity or other qualifying condition;
(6)
False or misleading representation of fact which concerns:
(i)
The reason for or the existence or amount of a price reduction; or
(ii)
A price in comparison to a price of a competitor or to one’s own price at a past or future time;
(7)
Knowingly false statement that a service, replacement, or repair is needed;
(8)
False statement which concerns the reason for offering or supplying consumer goods, consumer realty, or consumer services at sale or discount prices;
(9)
Deception, fraud, false pretense, false premise, misrepresentation, or knowing concealment, suppression, or omission of any material fact with the intent that a consumer rely on the same in connection with:
(i)
The promotion or sale of any consumer goods, consumer realty, or consumer service;
(ii)
A contract or other agreement for the evaluation, perfection, marketing, brokering or promotion of an invention; or
(iii)
The subsequent performance of a merchant with respect to an agreement of sale, lease, or rental;
(10)
Solicitations of sales or services over the telephone without first clearly, affirmatively, and expressly stating:
(i)
The solicitor’s name and the trade name of a person represented by the solicitor;
(ii)
The purpose of the telephone conversation; and
(iii)
The kind of merchandise, real property, intangibles, or service solicited;
(11)
Use of any plan or scheme in soliciting sales or services over the telephone that misrepresents the solicitor’s true status or mission;
(12)
Use of a contract related to a consumer transaction which contains a confessed judgment clause that waives the consumer’s right to assert a legal defense to an action;
(13)
Use by a seller, who is in the business of selling consumer realty, of a contract related to the sale of single family residential consumer realty, including condominiums and town houses, that contains a clause limiting or precluding the buyer’s right to obtain consequential damages as a result of the seller’s breach or cancellation of the contract;
(14)
Violation of a provision of:
(i)
This title;
(ii)
An order of the Attorney General or agreement of a party relating to unit pricing under Title 14, Subtitle 1 of this article;
(iii)
Title 14, Subtitle 2 of this article, the Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act;
(iv)
Title 14, Subtitle 3 of this article, the Maryland Door–to–Door Sales Act;
(v)
Title 14, Subtitle 9 of this article, Kosher Products;
(vi)
Title 14, Subtitle 10 of this article, Automotive Repair Facilities;
(vii)
Section 14–1302 of this article;
(viii)
Title 14, Subtitle 11 of this article, Maryland Layaway Sales Act;
(ix)
Section 22–415 of the Transportation Article;
(x)
Title 14, Subtitle 20 of this article;
(xi)
Title 14, Subtitle 15 of this article, the Automotive Warranty Enforcement Act;
(xii)
Title 14, Subtitle 21 of this article;
(xiii)
Section 18–107 of the Transportation Article;
(xiv)
Title 14, Subtitle 22 of this article, the Maryland Telephone Solicitations Act;
(xv)
Title 14, Subtitle 23 of this article, the Automotive Crash Parts Act;
(xvi)
Title 10, Subtitle 6 of the Real Property Article;
(xvii)
Title 14, Subtitle 25 of this article, the Hearing Aid Sales Act;
(xviii)
Title 14, Subtitle 26 of this article, the Maryland Door–to–Door Solicitations Act;
(xix)
Title 14, Subtitle 31 of this article, the Maryland Household Goods Movers Act;
(xx)
Title 14, Subtitle 32 of this article, the Maryland Telephone Consumer Protection Act;
(xxi)
Title 14, Subtitle 34 of this article, the Social Security Number Privacy Act;
(xxii)
Title 14, Subtitle 37 of this article, the Online Child Safety Act;
(xxiii)
Section 14–1319, § 14–1320, or § 14–1322 of this article;
(xxiv)
Section 7–304 or § 8–801 of the Criminal Law Article;
(xxv)
Title 7, Subtitle 3 of the Real Property Article, the Protection of Homeowners in Foreclosure Act;
(xxvi)
Title 6, Subtitle 13 of the Environment Article;
(xxvii)
Section 7–405(e)(2)(ii) of the Health Occupations Article;
(xxviii)
Title 12, Subtitle 10 of the Financial Institutions Article;
(xxix)
Title 19, Subtitle 7 of the Business Regulation Article;
(xxx)
Section 15–311.3 of the Transportation Article;
(xxxi)
Section 14–1324 of this article;
(xxxii)
Section 14–1326 of this article;
(xxxiii)
The federal Military Lending Act;
(xxxiv)
The federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act;
(xxxv)
Section 11–210 of the Education Article;
(xxxvi)
Title 14, Subtitle 44 of this article;
(xxxvii)
Section 14–905 of the Real Property Article;
(xxxviii)
Section 14–1327 of this article;
(xxxix)
Title 14, Subtitle 13 of the Public Safety Article;
(xl)
Section 12–6C–09.1 of the Health Occupations Article;
(xli)
Title 14, Subtitle 45 of this article;
(xlii)
Title 14, Subtitle 46 of this article;
(xliii)
Title 14, Subtitle 47 of this article;
(xliv)
Title 14, Subtitle 48 of this article;
(xlv)
Title 14, Subtitle 49 of this article;
(xlvi)
Section 14–2904 of this article;
(xlvii)
Title 14, Subtitle 50 of this article;
(xlviii)
Section 13–411.1(c)(2) of the Transportation Article;
(xlix)
Section 14–1329 of this article;
(l)
Section 14–1330 of this article;
(li)
Title 7, Subtitle 4B of the Health Occupations Article;
(lii)
Section 21–259.2 of the Health – General Article;
(liii)
Title 14, Subtitle 15A of this article;
(liv)
Title 5, Subtitle 7B of the Business Regulation Article; or
(lv)
Section 14–1332 of this article; or
(15)
Act or omission that relates to a residential building and that is chargeable as a misdemeanor under or otherwise violates a provision of the Energy Conservation Building Standards Act, Title 7, Subtitle 4 of the Public Utilities Article.