Maryland Rent Increase Laws for Landlords (2026)
What Maryland law requires
Maryland is one of the 19 US jurisdictions with a statute that speaks directly to raising rent. It requires 90 days' notice before an increase takes effect, in writing.
Citation: Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-209 · read the source
How much can you raise it in Maryland?
There is no statutory ceiling. No statewide cap, though two counties have their own. Maryland's statewide notice is among the longest in the country.
Only four US jurisdictions cap the size of an increase - California, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia. Maryland is not one of them, so the amount is a business decision, not a legal one. The usual constraint is practical: a tenant who leaves over an increase costs you a turnover, and a turnover costs more than the increase was worth.
Can you raise rent mid-lease in Maryland?
No. A fixed-term lease fixes the rent for the term. An increase takes effect at renewal, or on a month-to-month tenancy after proper notice. The exception is a lease that contains its own escalation clause agreed at signing.
Serving the notice so it holds up
Most rent increases that fall apart fall apart on the date, not the amount: the notice went out too late, or nobody can prove when it went out. Count the days from delivery, not from the day you wrote it, and keep the proof.
LandlordPro generates the notice against the state's rule, dates it, records when it was sent, and carries the new rent onto the rent roll on the right day so the ledger and the notice agree.
Generate the notice, keep the proof
Free for 2 properties and up to 4 units. No credit card.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
How much notice does a landlord have to give to raise rent in Maryland?
90 days in writing, under Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-209.
Is there a limit on how much rent can be raised in Maryland?
No. Maryland sets no cap on the size of an increase. Only California, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia cap the amount.
Can rent be raised during a lease in Maryland?
No, unless the lease itself provides for it. A fixed-term lease fixes the rent for the term; an increase belongs at renewal or on a month-to-month tenancy after notice.
Does a Maryland rent increase notice have to be in writing?
Yes.
Do local rules change this in Maryland?
Montgomery County and Prince George's County both cap most annual increases under their own rent stabilization laws, on top of the statewide notice. Check the current county formula before serving notice.