Local Airbnb rules2026 28 sources cited

Is Airbnb Legal in Baltimore? 2026 Rules, Permits & Taxes

Airbnb is legal in Baltimore only with a city license, which goes to owners who live in the home. It costs $200 for two years, no new licenses are issued for unhosted rentals, and taxes add up to 15.5%.^{2,3,4,5,7,22,23,28}

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou, Founder @ AirROI Rules checked October 17, 2026

From 26 official sources and 2 Airbnb help pages. Not legal advice.

The short answer

Baltimore Airbnb Rules in Brief

License: $200 per dwelling unit for two years, paid again at each renewal; the license number goes in every listing.
Owner's permanent residence only (lived in at least 180 days a year); no new licenses for rentals while the owner is away.
Tax: 6% state sales tax plus the 9.5% Baltimore hotel room tax, 15.5% in all, collected by Airbnb.
Fines: up to $500 per offense for a host, and each day counts as a separate offense.

Browse the live Baltimore Airbnb market Search by revenue, occupancy and neighborhood on an interactive map See Every Baltimore Listing

Revenue, occupancy and nightly rates are in the Baltimore Airbnb market report .

At a glance

Baltimore Airbnb Rules at a Glance

License required: Yes
Taxes on a stay: 15.5%
Fine for hosting without a permit: Up to $500
Listings showing a permit number: 91%
Next rule change: Jul 1, 2027

Listing figures: AirROI, 12 months to September 2026. A number on a listing doesn't prove the permit or license is valid, and a missing one doesn't prove there is none.

The rules in brief

The rules a Baltimore host meets first, each linked to the ordinance, statute or official page it comes from. Details and exceptions follow below.

Baltimore Airbnb Rules at a Glance
Topic	Rule
Permit	A city license is required^2,12
Who can host	License only for your permanent residence^1,3
Minimum stay	Stays under 90 nights are covered^1,23
Listing display	License number in every listing^6,7
Platforms	Platforms verify the license with the city⁷
Safety	Alarms and extinguisher in every rental under 30 nights¹⁹
Neighbors	Emergency contact within 15 miles⁶

Your home

Can You Host an Airbnb in Baltimore? It Depends on the Home

Whether you can host in Baltimore turns on whose home it is and whether you live there.

Your own home, rented whole while you're away

Not allowed

A new license goes only to a hosted rental, where the owner stays on site apart from daytime and working hours. The window for unhosted licenses closed on March 31, 2020, and only owners who already hold an unhosted license can renew it.^22,23

A room in your home with you present

Allowed with conditions

Allowed with the $200 two-year license if the home is your permanent residence, is deeded to you as an individual and has no code violations. Put the license number in the listing and post the licensed sign in the unit.^3,5,6,22

A second home or investment property you don't live in

Not allowed

Licenses go only to the owner's permanent residence, and a host can have only one. The one-time exception for a second unit expired with the application deadline in 2020.^1,3,23

A rented home or apartment (tenant hosting)

Not allowed

The code defines the host as the owner of the dwelling unit, and the property must be deeded in the applicant's name, so a tenant cannot hold a license.^1,22

A home owned through an LLC or company

Not allowed

The property must be deeded in the name of an individual, not a company, even when one person owns the company.^22,23

Permit

Do You Need a Permit for Airbnb in Baltimore?

Yes. Short-term rental hosts in Baltimore need the short-term residential rental license from the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), through the Housing Commissioner. It costs $200 in the first year (A one-home host pays $200 for the two-year license and $200 again at each renewal.) and $200 a year to renew.^{2,3,4,5,7,22,23,28}

Who needs it: Every owner who hosts guests for fewer than 90 consecutive nights through an online platform, whether renting a room or the whole home.^{2,3,4,5,7,22,23,28}
Issued by: Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), through the Housing Commissioner
Valid for: Two years: each license expires on the anniversary of its issue, and a renewal application is due at least 30 days before then. A license is not a property right and does not transfer when the home is sold.
Processing: The city issues the license number a few days after it processes the application, according to Airbnb's Baltimore help page; a new state tax number can take up to two weeks.
On listings: The number must appear on every listing
Platform checks: A hosting platform must verify with the city that the host's license is valid and matches the address before it lists the unit, must show the license number in the listing, and must remove a listing within 3 days of written notice from the city.

Fees

Fees
Fee	Amount	When
Short-term rental licensePer dwelling unit, paid at first licensing and at every renewal, and subject to adjustment under the City Fee Policy.	$200	every 2 years

Who qualifies

The home must be the owner's permanent residence: the owner lives there at least 180 days a year and shows it with a driver's license, voter registration or the State Homestead Tax Credit designation.
The property must be deeded in the name of an individual, not a company.
The property must be free of code violations.
The owner must be registered with the Comptroller of Maryland for the state sales and use tax.
New licenses are issued for hosted units only, where the owner stays on site during the rental.
A host may hold one hosted license; two hosted units are not permitted.

How to apply

Check that the home is your permanent residence, deeded in your name as an individual, and free of code violations.
Get a Maryland sales and use tax number from the Comptroller if you do not have one; the city application asks for it, and a new number can take up to two weeks.
Create an account in the DHCD online licensing portal and submit the short-term rental application for a hosted unit; renewing hosts first claim their record with the claim code emailed to the original account.
Pay the $200 license fee; the city then issues the license number.
Add the license number to your Airbnb listing and post the sign stating that the unit is licensed.

Applications go through the official application page .

Permit rules

A city license is required: No one may operate a short-term residential rental in Baltimore without a currently effective license from the Housing Commissioner.^2,12 In force since December 31, 2019
A Maryland sales tax number is required: The owner must be registered with the State Comptroller for the collection of the state sales and use tax to obtain or renew the license.³
Unhosted units also need a rental registration: A dwelling unit that is not owner-occupied must also be registered as a non-owner-occupied dwelling under Article 13, Subtitle 4 of the City Code, with all registration fees paid.³ Applies to: Existing unhosted license holders
Two-year license, renew 30 days ahead: A license expires every two years on the anniversary of its issue, and the renewal application is due at least 30 days before it expires.⁴
Renewals use a claim code in the new portal: A host renewing a license creates an account in the new online portal and claims the existing record with a claim code emailed to the address on the original registration.²² In force since August 21, 2025
License number in every listing: The host must include the license number in any advertisement or listing of the unit on a hosting platform.^6,7 In force since December 31, 2019
Sign in the home stating it is licensed: During every rental the host must prominently display a sign stating that the unit is licensed for short-term residential rentals.⁶
Advertised price must be the total price: A federal rule requires any advertised price for short-term lodging, including a short-term rental, to disclose the total price with mandatory fees.²¹
Platforms verify the license with the city: A hosting platform may not list a Baltimore unit until it has verified with the Housing Commissioner that the host's license is valid and matches the unit's address.⁷
Platforms remove listings within 3 days: If the city tells a platform in writing that a unit cannot lawfully be rented short term, the platform must remove the listing within 3 days.⁷

Who can host

Who Can Host an Airbnb in Baltimore, and Where

Maryland state law applies on top of Baltimore's own rules: the Maryland short-term rental regulations page covers the state license and what cities and counties can and can't regulate.

License only for your permanent residence: A license is issued only for the owner's permanent residence. A host can have only one permanent residence, and the license does not carry over when the home is sold.^1,3 In force since December 31, 2019
Permanent residence means 180 days a year: A permanent residence is a home where the owner lives at least 180 days a year and that is the owner's usual place of return, shown by a driver's license, voter registration or the State Homestead Tax Credit designation.¹
No new licenses for unhosted rentals: Baltimore issues no new licenses for units where the owner is away during the stay. Only owners who already hold an unhosted license can renew it.²² In force since March 31, 2020
Hosted means the owner is on site: A hosted rental is one where the owner stays on site during the rental, except during daytime and working hours.^22,23
Deeded to an individual, not a company: The home must be deeded in the host's own name as an individual, so a company-owned property, even one owned by a sole owner, cannot be licensed.^22,23
The host must be the owner: The code defines a host as the owner of the dwelling unit, so a tenant cannot hold a short-term rental license.¹
One hosted license per host: A host may hold a license for one hosted unit; no one may have two hosted units or two unhosted units.²³
The second-unit window closed in 2020: Owners who ran a second unit before 2019 could apply for a license for it within 90 days of the code taking effect; the deadline for unhosted licenses was March 31, 2020.^3,23 In force since March 31, 2020

Operating rules

Operating Rules for Baltimore Short-Term Rentals

Stays under 90 nights are covered: The rules cover guests who stay fewer than 90 consecutive days; a stay of 90 nights or more falls outside the short-term rental license.^1,23
Building, fire, health and zoning codes apply: The unit must be kept in compliance with the City Building, Fire and Related Codes Article, the City Health Article and the Zoning Code of Baltimore City.⁶
No licensing inspection for a hosted unit: A hosted short-term rental does not need a city inspection to be licensed, but it must be free of violations.²³ Applies to: Hosted units
Alarms and extinguisher in every rental under 30 nights: Since October 1, 2026, a Maryland host must provide a working fire extinguisher and working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in any unit offered for fewer than 30 consecutive days, and replace alarms that stop working or are more than 10 years old.¹⁹ In force since October 1, 2026
Evacuation diagram and emergency numbers posted: The unit must show an evacuation diagram marking every exit and a list of emergency telephone numbers for police and fire rescue in a conspicuous place.¹⁹ In force since October 1, 2026
Annual fire-safety inspections due by 2028: By July 1, 2028 Baltimore City must require an annual inspection of every short-term rental unit for the state fire-safety standard, and may charge a fee to cover it.¹⁹ Takes effect July 1, 2028
Emergency contact within 15 miles: The host must post emergency contact information for a representative who lives within 15 miles of the unit and can be reached for the whole rental.⁶

Taxes

How Much Are Airbnb Taxes in Baltimore?

15.5% on the nightly price and cleaning fee for stays under 90 nights: 6% Maryland sales tax plus the 9.5% Baltimore hotel room tax. Guests also pay 3% state tax on Airbnb's service fee.

Median nightly rate, booked nights: $115
Taxes on that night (15.5%): $18
Guest pays, before Airbnb and cleaning fees: $133

How Much Are Airbnb Taxes in Baltimore?
Tax	Rate	Collected by
Maryland sales and use tax 6% of the listing price including cleaning fees	6%^25,26,27	Airbnb
Baltimore hotel room tax 9.5% of the listing price including cleaning fees, for reservations of 89 nights and shorter	9.5%^13,14,27	Airbnb
Maryland sales tax on Airbnb service fees 3% on Airbnb's own service fees, which count as taxable information technology services	3%²⁷	Airbnb

Total on a stay 15.5% · All by Airbnb

At Baltimore's median booked rate of $115 a night, the taxes collected on a booking come to about $18 a night.

Rates for every Maryland county, with which ones Airbnb collects, are on the Maryland short-term rental regulations page.

What the host still handles

A Maryland sales and use tax number from the Comptroller, which the city requires before it issues or renews the license
Baltimore hotel room tax returns with the Director of Finance for any stay booked outside a platform that collects the tax; the tax is paid on or before the 25th day of each month^{13,14,15,16,18,20,25,27}

Fines

How to Avoid Airbnb Fines in Baltimore

Fines in Baltimore fall on hosting without the short-term residential rental license, or outside the rules above. With it in hand and the rules followed, none of the fines below apply.

Operating without a license, or breaking the rental rules, is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500 for each offense, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense.¹¹
The city can also enforce the rules with environmental citations: $500 for a host operating without a license, $1,000 for a hosting platform's violations and $250 for other provisions.^9,10
The Housing Commissioner can deny, suspend or revoke a license for a false statement on the application, fraudulent use of the license, failing to fix a code violation within 120 days, or breaking the subtitle's rules.⁸
A hosting platform that receives written notice that a unit cannot lawfully be rented must remove the listing within 3 days and may not collect a fee on a unit that cannot lawfully be used.⁷
Hotel room tax not paid on time carries interest of 1% a month and a penalty of 30%, 60% or 100% of the tax once it is 30, 60 or 90 days late.¹⁶
Willfully refusing to collect or pay the hotel room tax, or filing a false return, is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500, imprisonment of up to 6 months, or both.¹⁷

Changes

What's Changed in Baltimore's Airbnb Rules, and What's Next

2 changes are scheduled after October 20, 2026; the most recent rules are listed first.

July 1, 2028 Upcoming
Baltimore must require annual fire-safety inspections
By July 1, 2028 Baltimore City must require, by local law or regulation, an annual inspection of every short-term rental unit for the state fire-safety standard, and may charge a fee to cover it.¹⁹
July 1, 2027 Upcoming
Comptroller collects local hotel tax from large platforms
Chapter 638 of 2025 takes effect: platforms with $100,000 or more in Maryland bookings or 200 or more booking transactions file the local hotel rental taxes, including the Baltimore City hotel tax, in one return with the Comptroller.²⁰
October 1, 2026
Statewide fire-safety rules take effect
The Jillian and Lindsay Wiener Short-Term Rental Fire Safety Act requires alarms, a fire extinguisher, a posted evacuation diagram and emergency numbers in every Maryland rental offered for fewer than 30 consecutive days, and requires booking services to notify hosts and collect proof of compliance.¹⁹
August 21, 2025
New online portal for new applications and renewals
DHCD's short-term rental page, last updated August 21, 2025, requires new applicants and renewing hosts to create a new online account and registration in the new portal, with a claim code for renewals.²²
March 31, 2020
Window for unhosted licenses closes
The deadline for obtaining an unhosted short-term rental license passed on March 31, 2020; since then only hosted units can receive a new license, and existing unhosted licenses can be renewed.^22,23
December 31, 2019
Short-term rental license rules take effect
Subtitle 48 of Article 15 of the City Code, enacted by Ordinance 19-217, took effect on December 31, 2019.¹²
January 28, 2019
Baltimore enacts the short-term rental ordinance
Ordinance 19-217 (Council Bill 18-0189), signed by the Mayor on January 28, 2019, extended the hotel tax to transactions facilitated by hosting platforms and required the licensing of short-term residential rental units.²⁴

Earnings

What Could a Baltimore Short-Term Rental Earn?

The rules shape the numbers: a license that costs $200 in the first year and taxes of 15.5% that Airbnb adds to guests' bills. For a specific address, the short-term rental calculator estimates revenue, occupancy and nightly rate from comparable listings, so you can test the numbers before applying.

Estimate what a Baltimore home could earn

FAQ

Baltimore Airbnb Rules: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Airbnb legal in Baltimore?

Yes, with a city license. Anyone who hosts guests for fewer than 90 consecutive nights through an online platform needs a short-term rental license, and new licenses go only to owners renting their own permanent residence while they are on site.^2,3,22,23

Do I need a permit for Airbnb in Baltimore?

Yes. No one may operate a short-term residential rental without a license from the Housing Commissioner at the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the license number must appear in every listing.^2,6,22

How much is the Baltimore short-term rental license?

$200 per dwelling unit for a two-year license, paid at first licensing and again at every renewal. The fee is subject to adjustment under the City Fee Policy.^5,23,28

Can I rent a home I don't live in?

Not with a new license. Licenses go only to the owner's permanent residence, and the city issues no new licenses for unhosted units; the deadline for unhosted licenses was March 31, 2020, and only existing unhosted licenses can be renewed.^3,22,23

Do I have to be home when guests stay?

For a new license, yes: a hosted rental is one where the owner stays on site during the rental, apart from daytime and working hours.^22,23

Does Airbnb collect hotel tax in Baltimore?

Yes. Airbnb collects the 9.5% Baltimore hotel room tax for reservations of 89 nights and shorter, together with the 6% Maryland sales tax, as part of the booking.²⁷

How much tax is added to an Airbnb stay in Baltimore?

15.5% on the listing price and cleaning fee: 6% Maryland sales tax plus the 9.5% Baltimore hotel room tax. Guests also pay 3% state tax on Airbnb's service fee.^14,27

What is the fine for an illegal short-term rental in Baltimore?

A violation is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500 for each offense, and each day counts as a separate offense. The city can also issue environmental citations of $500 for operating without a license.^9,10,11

Do I need to show my license number on my Airbnb listing?

Yes. The host must include the license number in any listing, and the platform must verify the license with the city before listing the unit and remove a listing within 3 days of notice from the city.^6,7

How long does the license last and how do I renew it?

Two years. The license expires on the anniversary of its issue, and the renewal application is due at least 30 days before then; renewing hosts use a claim code emailed to the original registration account.^4,22

Can a tenant or an LLC get a short-term rental license?

No. The host must be the owner, and the property must be deeded in the name of an individual, not a company.^1,22,23

What safety equipment does a Baltimore rental need?

Since October 1, 2026, a rental offered for fewer than 30 consecutive days needs working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, a working fire extinguisher, a posted evacuation diagram and posted emergency numbers. Baltimore must also require an annual inspection by July 1, 2028.¹⁹

How many Baltimore Airbnbs are registered?

In AirROI's listing data, 91% of the 1,450 Baltimore Airbnb listings active in the 12 months to September 2026 displayed a permit, license or registration number. A number on a listing shows the host entered one; it doesn't confirm the permit is valid.

How much does an Airbnb make in Baltimore?

The average Baltimore listing earned $18,800 in the 12 months to September 2026, according to AirROI, averaged across every active listing including those booked for only part of the year. The Baltimore Airbnb market report breaks it down by month, property size and neighborhood.

Method

How These Rules Were Checked

Each rule on this page was checked in October 2026 against the official source cited beside it: the ordinance or statute, the permit office's own pages and the tax authority. Airbnb's help pages are cited on their own only for what Airbnb itself does, such as the taxes it collects and the permit checks it runs, and otherwise only beside an official source; news reports only for when a change was announced. Rules that could not be confirmed on an official page are left out.

Rules change with council votes, court rulings and new state laws, so the page is rechecked every three months and whenever a scheduled change takes effect. It summarizes the rules for information and is not legal advice; the local authority has the final word on any application.

Listing figures come from AirROI's tracking of 1,450 active Baltimore Airbnb listings over the 12 months to September 2026.

Sources

Each rule above links to the source it comes from. Official ordinances, statutes and government pages come first, then Airbnb's own help pages.

1. Baltimore City Code Article 15, section 48-1, Definitions · City of Baltimore Law Library
2. Baltimore City Code Article 15, section 48-6, License required · City of Baltimore Law Library
3. Baltimore City Code Article 15, section 48-7, Licensing prerequisites · City of Baltimore Law Library
4. Baltimore City Code Article 15, section 48-8, License term and renewal · City of Baltimore Law Library
5. Baltimore City Code Article 15, section 48-9, License fee · City of Baltimore Law Library
6. Baltimore City Code Article 15, section 48-15, Hosts · City of Baltimore Law Library
7. Baltimore City Code Article 15, section 48-16, Hosting platforms · City of Baltimore Law Library
8. Baltimore City Code Article 15, section 48-21, Denial, suspension, or revocation of license · City of Baltimore Law Library
9. Baltimore City Code Article 15, section 48-25, Enforcement by Environmental Citation · City of Baltimore Law Library
10. Baltimore City Code Article 1, section 40-14, Violations to which subtitle applies (Environmental Control Board) · City of Baltimore Law Library
11. Baltimore City Code Article 15, section 48-26, Penalties · City of Baltimore Law Library
12. Baltimore City Code Article 15, Subtitle 48, Short-Term Residential Rentals · City of Baltimore Law Library
13. Baltimore City Code Article 28, section 21-1, Definitions (hotel room tax) · City of Baltimore Law Library
14. Baltimore City Code Article 28, section 21-2, Tax imposed · City of Baltimore Law Library
15. Baltimore City Code Article 28, section 21-4, Collections · City of Baltimore Law Library
16. Baltimore City Code Article 28, section 21-5, Interest and civil penalties · City of Baltimore Law Library
17. Baltimore City Code Article 28, section 21-10, Criminal penalties · City of Baltimore Law Library
18. Baltimore City Code Article 14, section 20-1, Definitions (Baltimore Tourism Improvement District) · City of Baltimore Law Library
19. Chapter 9 (House Bill 1221), Public Safety - Short-Term Rental Units - Fire Safety (Jillian and Lindsay Wiener Short-Term Rental Fire Safety Act), 2026 · Maryland General Assembly
20. Chapter 638 (Senate Bill 979), Local Government - Accommodations Intermediaries - Hotel Rental Tax - Collection by Comptroller and Alterations, 2025 · Maryland General Assembly
21. 16 CFR Part 464 - Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees · Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
22. Short-Term Rentals · Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development
23. Short-Term Rental Licensing Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions (rev. 6/30/23) · Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development
24. File 18-0189, Short-Term Residential Rentals - Regulation and Taxation (Ordinance 19-217) · City of Baltimore Legistar
25. Maryland Sales and Use Tax Alert: Acts of 2016, Chapter 3, Taxable Price - Accommodations · Comptroller of Maryland
26. Business tax tip 8: Calculating Maryland's Sales and Use Tax · Comptroller of Maryland
27. Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Maryland · Airbnb Help Center
28. Baltimore, MD · Airbnb Help Center