Maryland Rental Lease Agreement Templates (7)

A Maryland lease agreement is a written arrangement that solidifies a transaction allowing an individual or entity the right to use a designated piece of real estate. In exchange for this right, the occupant is generally required to provide monthly compensation and must abide by the terms & conditions listed within the contract.

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Last updated February 1st, 2026

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A Maryland lease agreement is a written arrangement that solidifies a transaction allowing an individual or entity the right to use a designated piece of real estate. In exchange for this right, the occupant is generally required to provide monthly compensation and must abide by the terms & conditions listed within the contract.

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Lease Agreements By Type (7)

Prince George’s County Association of Realtors Single-Family Dwelling Lease: The leasing materials created by the association of realtors specifically for use in Prince George’s County in order to present the conditions and terms of a standard lease.

Download: PDF

Commercial Lease Agreement: Manages the explanation of terms and conditions for a business to procure space to be used for a stated duration and price.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)

Lease to Own Agreement: Administers a contract to rent a dwelling for a specific period and payment amount while offering a promoted option at lease termination to purchase the home.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)

Month-to-Month Lease: Submits a standard lease agreement with the allotted provision to end early with notification of thirty (30) days prior.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)

Roommate Agreement: Enforces the legalities for an individual to occupy a domicile, permitting the use of private and shared spaces for a monthly fee.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)

Standard Lease Agreement: Upholds a written registry to establish the rights and responsibilities gained in the lease of domicile.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)

Sublease Agreement: Appoints a contract to specify the provisions of the agreement for a tenant to rent to a subtenant for a determined dollar amount.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx)

Required Landlord Disclosures

1.) Identification of the Landlord or Authorized Personnel (§ 8-210): The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the landlord and all other individuals authorized to manage the premises must be included in the lease agreement.

2.) Move-in Checklist (§ 8-203.1): The tenant has the right to inspect the dwelling in person with the landlord within fifteen (15) days of notification so that the checklist offers a valid comparison at the end of the occupancy.

3.) Utility Payment Structure (§ 8-208): The arrangement where sharing utility service payments is explicitly presented for tenant approval.

4.) Receipt of Security Deposit (§ 8-203): A written receipt for security that must define the rights of the tenant to perform an inspection of the property with the landlord or managing agent, while presenting the rights put forth by the Code of Maryland § 8-203.

5.) Lead-Based Paint (42 U.S. Code § 4852d): Disclosure of the potential for exposure to lead-based paints to possible tenants of rental units constructed before 1979 in addition to a description of the symptoms and precautions to take.

When is Rent Due?

Grace Period: Maryland does not set aside a grace period, and in fact, expects tenants to submit rent when due (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-401).

Unpaid Rent: Landlords pursue the matter in court, while also sending a Notice of Intent to File (10-day cure period) beforehand (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-401).

Late Fees

Maryland allows leases to call for late fees; however, there is a limit of %5 the payable amount (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-221).

NSF Fee

Landlords mail a Notice of Dishonor to collect the check amount and collection fee that is $35 or less (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 15-802).

Security Deposit Maximum ($)

Generally, landlords may not ask for more than one month’s rent; however, landlords may ask tenants with utility assistance for up to two months’ rent (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203(b)(1)–(2)).

Security Deposit Return

Returning to Tenant: Maryland explicitly requires that tenants must receive:

Itemized List: Landlords send notice of deductions (from damages) within 15 days of the move out (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203(b)(1)–(2)).

Landlord’s Right to Enter

Standard Entry: Maryland strictly requires that landlords deliver 24 hours’ notice before entering so that they may obtain consent (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-221).

Emergency Entry: Landlords enter without notice in emergencies, especially “to ensure the imminent protection or preservation of the property”(Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-221).

Absence

Landlords take possession of the premises once the tenant abandons it; however, many recommend pursuing a warrant of restitution (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-216(b)(2)(ii)).

Repair and Deduct

While Maryland has options for serious habitability issues, normal everyday repairs are up to the lease (MD Code RP §8-208).

Tenant Breaking a Lease (Early):

Duty to Mitigate: Whenever landlords or tenants violate possession-related requirements, the other has a duty to control their damages. (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-207(a)(1)–(3)).
Domestic Violence: Maryland provides domestic violence victims with the ability to terminate leases; however, they must:
  • Provide 30 days’ notice before termination that is both signed and notarized
  • A protective order issued under §4-506.
  • A peace order issued as per §3-1505
  • A report from a qualified third party with redactions of the “name and physical description of the alleged perpetrator signed in the past 60 days. (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-5A-03)

Active Military: Landlords have the obligation to accept a military service member’s lease termination with 30-day notice whenever they must deploy or satisfy a reassignment.
Landlord’s Noncompliance: Generally, tenants must handle noncompliance in court; however, they may terminate with proper notice when:

Landlord’s Harassment: Maryland does not generally allow tenants to terminate agreements, but recognizes provable constructive eviction as a defense. (Stevan v. Brown, 54 Md. App. 235 (1983)).

Is an Oral Lease enforceable?

Oral leases are only enforceable for landlords with less than 5 units and cannot be longer than one year (Tenant Bill of Rights).

Maryland explicitly requires that landlords with five or more units may not use an oral lease (Md. Code RP § 8-208(a)(1))

Renewing a Lease

Maryland neither requires nor prevents rent control during renewals; however, landlords must give notice depending on the lease:

  • Leases with terms longer than a month require 90 days’ notice
  • Leases with terms longer than one week but less than one month require 60 days’ notice
  • For one week terms, tenants with a written lease must receive 7 days notice while tenants with an oral lease require 21 days notice.

Unclaimed Property

Tenants have ten days after eviction to claim their property; however, if this time elapses, landlords dispose of the property. (Md. Laws ch. 563 (H.B. 767))

Landlord-Tenant Laws

The statutes made available in the General Assembly of Maryland Annotated Code – Title 8 – Landlord and Tenant cite the up-to-date information regarding lessor/lessee involvement.