Rental application & screening fee law in Maryland
Refund required above a threshold
Maryland requires landlords with five or more units to refund application fees above a modest statutory threshold, keeping only their actual expenses, with a double-damages penalty for violations.
What the law says
Maryland's rule (Real Property § 8-213) works as a refund threshold rather than a hard price ceiling. When a landlord of five or more dwelling units collects fees above a modest statutory amount, the excess beyond the landlord's actual credit-check and application expenses must be refunded to the applicant. A landlord who fails to refund is liable for twice the amount wrongly withheld.
The statute exempts landlords with four or fewer rental units, as well as certain seasonal and condominium rentals, so whether it applies depends on the landlord's portfolio.
Beyond the fee limit
The price rule is only part of the law. Maryland also imposes these obligations:
- Fees above the statutory threshold must be refunded, less actual expenses.
- Violations carry a double-damages penalty.
- Landlords with four or fewer units are exempt.
Read the law
What's the actual limit in Maryland?
Fee limits change with inflation adjustments, local ordinances, and new legislation. Use our free calculator to look up the current limit for your rental's ZIP code.
Calculate your fee limitsThis page is provided for general information only and is not legal advice. Fee rules change — caps re-index to inflation, new legislation takes effect, and cities adopt their own ordinances — so always confirm against the official statutory text linked above before relying on it. The federal Fair Housing Act applies everywhere, regardless of state or local fee rules.