Maryland State Laws Effective July 1, 2025
Effective July 1, 2025, all residential leases must include the "Tenants' Bill of Rights".
Please ensure that you are in compliance with Maryland State Law and include the Tenants' Bill of Rights in your residential leases.
For The Department of Housing and Community Development's webpage on the Tenants' Bill of Rights, which include 18 language editions of this document, click here.
Tenant-Bill-of-Rights-July2025
Effective July 1, 2025, landlords must include an MDE written mold pamphlet, or provide the EPA's "Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and your Home". Landlords are required to complete a mold inspection within 15 days of receiving written notice from a tenant, and mold remediation within 45 days of inspection if mold is found within a leased unit.
An online version of the EPA's document can be found here.
Effective July 1, 2025, the Maryland State Budget and BRFA has become law. This includes a 3% sales tax on web and IT services among other new taxes and fees totaling $1.6 billion.
2025 Maryland Land Records Fee
After months of negotiations between Maryland REALTORS and other stakeholders and the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, the $0.20 fee per page proposal has been paused.
This fee was set forth in the FY2026 budget and would have set tier subscriptions for SDAT and State Archives database users. However, after questions about implementation, and feasibility, this proposed fee will not be implemented this year and new alternatives to gather revenues is to be explored in the future.
Confusion arose when it was revealed that the $0.20 fee would raise nearly $20 million in revenues, well above the required $12 million that was advertised for this fee program. Also, this $0.20 fee far exceeds our neighboring states' page fees from their State Archives.
Read the full report from Maryland REALTORS here.
2025 Maryland Legislative Session Report
Please see Maryland REALTORS priority bills from the 2025 Legislative Session and their status since the Session's conclusion on April 7th.
2025 GAD Institute Report
Tuesday
First Session: New GAD Orientation; this was comprised of new GAD’s, either their first conference or within a year of starting. The GAD Chair and Vice Chair walked everyone through the conference and what it’s meant to do. They gave anecdotes on their experiences. I met with Josh from Northern Virginia, who is my GAD mentor.
Second Session: Fueling Advocacy Wins; a panel of seasoned GADS (mostly from Ohio, state and local GADs), explained their successes using NAR resources to promote initiatives they support, or defeat initiatives they opposed.
Third Session: REALTOR Champions; this was a panel of GADs who gave stories on their experiences with elections to local or state office. What factors they consider to be important when choosing who to support (involvement in the community, consistent RPAC investment, housing policy, putting service before the business).
Fourth Session: Making RPAC Relevant to Members; “a win is a win”. Tout wins, sometimes a loss isn’t entirely a loss, especially when the original bill was so much worse. Make wins relevant to members’ businesses.
Wednesday
First Session: Welcome to Charleston & NAR update; the Charleston GAD and Councilman gave a welcome followed by NAR president and Joe Harris (who’s a Gamecock!). They went over some wins, on the heels of RLM this year and the passing of the OBBB.
Second Session: Breakout with local GADS, largely just swapping stories and issues for an hour.
Third Session: Polling; a national polling firm presented what they do, what polls they’ve conducted are showing, and gave examples on how polling is useful for GADs.
Fourth Session: Lightning rounds; the ballroom was configured so you could walk around to tables and speak on a specific topic. They had grant administrators, NAR reps for the GADs, State GADs, and specific topics (such as infill development).
Fifth Session: APEX presentations; GADs had been working on mock issues for the past couple months and they presented their issue and their solution.
Thursday:
Thursday began with the election of the GAD Vice Chair (Josh Ververka from Northern VA), then into the results of the APEX presentations, followed by a discussion on shifting voter demographics (nationally).
The Legislative Updates page for the Coastal Association of REALTORS® is where we keep you informed about the latest legislative news impacting real estate in Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset Counties. We are committed to providing you with accurate, timely, and relevant information.
2025 Updates
2024 Updates
Landlord and Property Owner Resources
Right of First Refusal:
Beginning October 1st of 2024, as part of the Renters Rights and Stabilization Act, requires landlords to provide written notice to tenants who have lived in a property for at least six months prior to the sale of a property. This notice must inform the tenant of their right to make a purchase of that property. This applies to residential properties with three or fewer units and documentation must be submitted to the Department of Housing and Community Development's Office of Landlord Tenant Affairs. Click to access this portal.
Tenants' Bill of Rights
Beginning July 1st, 2025, Landlords must include the Tenants' Bill of Rights in all residential leases. Click here to access that document.
Mold
Beginning July 1, 2025, landlords must include an MDE written mold pamphlet, or provide the EPA's "Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and your Home".
An online version of the EPA's document can be found here.
Entry into a Residential Leased Premises
Beginning October 1st, 2025, landlords may not enter a leased premises on Sundays, before 7AM and after 7PM, and only when "COMPLETING REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE, MODIFICATIONS,
RENOVATIONS, OR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LEASED PREMISES; INSPECTING THE LEASED PREMISES; SHOWING THE LEASED PREMISES TO PROSPECTIVE OR ACTUAL PURCHASERS, MORTGAGEES, TENANTS, OR CONTRACTORS; OCCUPANTS; OR ENSURING THE PROTECTION AND SAFETY OF THE PROPERTY AND COMPLETING WORK ORDERED BY A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY; OR IF APPROPRIATE, RESPONDING TO ANY OTHER WRITTEN REQUEST OF THE TENANT".
To enter, a landlord must, provide written notice. Only in the event of emergency to ensure the protection and preservation of the property or the protection and safety of occupants or the health safety and welfare of other tenants and staff, a landlord does not have to provide written notice.
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) In Wicomico County
In the fall of 2024, PFAS were detected in parts of Wicomico County and 550 homes near Zion Church Road, Zion Road, Parker Road, and Old Ocean City Road were identified as being potentially affected.
The Maryland Department of the Environment has begun water testing, free of charge, in the potentially affected areas.
Please click here to view Perdue Agribusiness's website which has updates on their water testing efforts and an updated map of the potentially affected area.
See this recent news story on this subject from WUSA9.
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