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Montgomery County, Maryland

Montgomery County Landlord-Tenant Laws

Security deposit limits, eviction notices, rent control, and more for Montgomery County, Maryland.

How we research these summaries

Every rule on this page is drawn from state statutes and municipal codes and summarized with AI assistance. Each one cites the statute it's based on and links to a published text of that law so you can read it firsthand. Where a page says a city or county has no local rule on a topic, that means none was found for the topics covered here — not that none exists. Local governments also regulate rental housing in ways these pages don't track, including registration, licensing, inspections and habitability standards. These summaries may be incomplete or out of date, laws change often, and every property and tenancy has specifics a summary can't capture — so treat this as a starting point for your own research, not as legal advice, and check with the local jurisdiction and a qualified attorney before acting on your particular situation.

What to Know in Montgomery County

Sources last checked July 2026

Montgomery County caps annual rent increases on rental units at least 23 years old at 5.2% for the cycle running July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 — the lesser of CPI plus 3% or 6% — under County Code Chapter 29, though five municipalities within the county set their own rules instead: Gaithersburg, Rockville, Takoma Park, Barnesville, and Laytonsville. The county also requires landlords to offer a two-year lease term by default, at signing and at renewal, unless the landlord shows reasonable cause such as a pending sale or condominium conversion within two years, under County Code § 29-28.

  • Montgomery County requires more than a notice period — it dictates the default length of the lease itself.
  • Montgomery County limits the annual rent increase on licensed rental units that are at least 23 years old.
  • Security deposits capped at 1 month's rent
  • 10-day notice required before eviction for nonpayment of rent
  • 90-day advance written notice required for rent increases
5 rules summarized · Each linked to the law it cites

Montgomery County Local Rules

Move-Out & Lease Termination Notice

What is the move-out notice requirement in Montgomery County?

Montgomery County requires more than a notice period — it dictates the default length of the lease itself. A landlord must offer each lease for an initial term of two years, and a two-year term at each renewal, unless the landlord has reasonable cause to offer something different. Reasonable cause means a situation where a two-year lease would create undue hardship or expense for the landlord, and the code gives examples: a pending settlement or bona fide contract of sale within two years, or a planned conversion to condominium or cooperative within two years. Where a landlord does not intend to offer an existing tenant a renewed term and the tenant is not in breach, the landlord must give 60 days' notice of intent to terminate the tenancy at lease expiration. Maryland's statewide notice periods for breach — 30 days generally, and 14 days where there is imminent danger — apply here the same as everywhere else in the state and are not county-specific.

Montgomery County Code § 29-28
Rent Control / Rent Increase Caps

Is there rent control in Montgomery County?

Montgomery County limits the annual rent increase on licensed rental units that are at least 23 years old. For the year running July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 the maximum allowable increase is 5.2%, calculated as the lesser of the Consumer Price Index change plus 3%, or 6% — the CPI-U figure for this cycle being 2.2%. The building-age test runs from January 1 of the twenty-third year after the year built. Five municipalities sit outside county rent stabilization altogether because they set their own rules: the cities of Gaithersburg, Rockville and Takoma Park, and the towns of Barnesville and Laytonsville. The county separately publishes a voluntary rent guideline, 3.3% effective March 1, 2026, which is a recommendation rather than the enforceable ceiling. An increase above the cap requires county approval. The figure is recalculated annually and next changes around July 1, 2027.

Montgomery County Code ch. 29 (Rent Stabilization)

Applicable Maryland State Rules

These state-level rules apply in Montgomery County where no local override exists.

Security Deposit Limits State Law

What is the security deposit limit in Montgomery County?

Effective October 1, 2024, the Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act (HB 693) reduced the maximum allowable security deposit in Maryland from 2 months' rent to 1 month's rent for most residential tenancies. An exception permits up to 2 months' rent if the tenant receives qualifying utility assistance from a governmental or charitable source. Landlords must hold security deposits in a separate escrow account and pay interest. Deposits must be returned within 45 days after the tenancy ends, with a written itemization of any deductions. Landlords who wrongfully withhold deposits are liable for the amount wrongfully withheld, plus penalty damages.

Maryland Real Property Code § 8-203 (as amended by HB 693, 2024)
Eviction Notice Requirements State Law

What are the eviction notice requirements in Montgomery County?

Maryland uses a specialized court process for evictions. For nonpayment of rent, the landlord must first give the tenant at least 10 days' written notice of intent to file (Maryland Real Property Code § 8-401(c)(1), in effect since October 2021) before filing a Failure to Pay Rent complaint in District Court. For breach of lease terms, the landlord must first provide at least one month's written notice specifying the violation, unless the breach presents a 'clear and imminent danger' to persons or property, in which case 14 days' written notice suffices (Maryland Real Property Code § 8-402.1). The 2024 Renters' Rights Act increased the mandatory wait time between a judgment of possession and execution of a warrant of restitution from 4 to 7 days, giving tenants more time to vacate. Maryland does not have a statewide just-cause eviction requirement for market-rate rentals.

Maryland Real Property Code §§ 8-401, 8-402, 8-402.1
Rent Increase Notice Periods State Law

How much notice is required for rent increases in Montgomery County?

Effective October 1, 2024, the Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act (HB 693) requires Maryland landlords to give tenants at least 90 days' written notice before any rent increase takes effect on leases longer than one month. Prior law required only a reasonable notice period. A landlord may not impose more than one rent increase on a tenant in any 12-month period. For week-to-week or other shorter periodic tenancies, notice requirements follow the tenancy term. Retaliatory rent increases — imposed after a tenant exercises legal rights such as making a good-faith complaint about housing conditions — are prohibited under Maryland Real Property Code § 8-208.1.

Maryland Real Property Code § 8-208 (as amended by HB 693, 2024)

Other Maryland Cities & Counties

Baltimore All Maryland laws →

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