Maryland Business Litigation Lawyer Blog
How can you register a rental property in Baltimore City? Effective January 1, 2019, all non-owner-occupied dwelling units, regardless of whether it is a single-family or multi-family dwelling, must be licensed and registered in Baltimore City.
What are the steps to receive a rental license from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)?
- The Property must be registered with DHCD.
- The Property must be lead certified and registered with the Maryland Department of the Environment.
- The Property be inspected by a State-licensed, Baltimore City-registered home inspector.
- The Property must be licensed by Baltimore City with an active license number.
How do you register a rental property with DHCD in Baltimore City?
The Baltimore City Code, Article 13, Subtitle 4-2, requires every owner of a non-owner-occupied dwelling unit, “whether occupied or vacant, whether it is producing revenue or not producing revenue, whether habitable or not habitable,” to file a registration statement with the Housing Commissioner. This must be done within 10 days of any transfer of the property and renews each January 1st thereafter.
The registration process can be completed online by filling out a form and paying a fee. More information can be found at: https://dhcd.baltimorecity.gov/pi/alarmproperty-registration
How do you get a rental property in Baltimore City lead certified and registered with the Maryland Department of the Environment?
Maryland’s Reduction of Lead Risk in Housing law requires owners of rental properties built before 1978 to register their units with Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), distribute specific educational materials, and meet specific lead paint risk reduction standards. A lead inspector will need to come to the rental property to test for lead and issue a lead certification.
Certain properties may be exempt if they have been lead paint tested by an MDE-accredited inspector and has issued a “Lead Free” or “Limited Lead Free” certificate.
The Lead Certificate issue will contain a Certificate Number that must be included on all failure to pay rent complaints. You cannot file a rent complaint without the Certificate Number.
More information about the certification and registration process can be found here: https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/Land/LeadPoisoningPrevention/Pages/LeadRegistration.aspx
What is required by the Baltimore City rental property inspection checklist?
The inspector will be check to be sure the Property is up to Code and safe for occupants by looking for basic life, health and safety items including, but not limited to, electrical, plumbing, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, interior and exterior sanitary conditions, utilities, and lead paint.
A copy of the Baltimore City Rental License Inspection Form can be found here: https://dhcd.baltimorecity.gov/sites/default/files/Baltimore%20City%20Rental%20License%20Inspection%20Form%20202008.pdf
How do you get a Baltimore City rental property license?
After the Property is registered, lead-certified, and has passed inspection by a State-licensed, Baltimore City-registered home inspector, the rental licensing process can be completed online by filling out a form and paying a fee.
All initial licenses are issued for a two-year period. Subsequent licenses are issued based on maintenance record and violation history, and owners could be able to obtain a three-year license or be limited to a two- or one-year license.
If you need assistance with licensing for a Baltimore City rental property, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or e-mail:
Avery Barton Strachan, Esq.
astrachan@silvermanthompson.com
(410) 385-9113
www.silvermanthompson.com/avery-strachan.html
Kerri L. Smith, Esq.
(410) 385-9106
www.silvermanthompson.com/kerri-smith.html
Disclaimer: Local, State and Federal laws, orders, rules and regulations may be modified and updated at any time and without notice. Likewise, orders of the Court and communications regarding Landlord-Tenant actions are also being continuously added, amended and updated. That said, the information provided is based on our current understanding of the laws, orders, rules and regulations that are currently in effect. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you seek legal counsel before initiating any sort of Landlord-Tenant action to ensure that you are acting in compliance with all aspects of any local, Maryland and Federal laws, orders, rules and regulations in effect at that time, as well as all orders of the Court.