Legal Templates

Free Maryland Residential Lease/Rental Agreement

Use our Maryland Lease Agreement to rent out your property.

Updated May 13, 2022 | Legally reviewed by Susan Chai, Esq.

All states are mandated by Federal law to include certain information in their Lease/Rental Agreements. For example, all agreements should include:

  1. The contact information and names of both landlord and tenant,
  2. The address of the property,
  3. Pet prohibitions and allowances,
  4. Information regarding lead-based hazards,
  5. The amount of rent and security deposit due,
  6. The date and location of when and where the rent is to be paid

Not all states will have identical Lease/Rental Agreement requirements and often differ on some important issues.

Familiarizing yourself with Maryland’s specific rules and regulations will help ensure you create a thorough and comprehensive Lease Agreement. Doing so will help protect your financial and legal rights, and may help prevent future hassle or even a future lawsuit.

Table of Contents

1. Maryland Residential Lease Agreement Sample

The sample lease agreement below describes a contract between “Landlord” Clara Thomas and “Tenant” Eliza Harrow. She agrees to rent an apartment in Baltimore for $1,000 per month for a fixed term beginning on June 20, 2017 and ending on June 20, 2018. The tenant agrees to pay for all utilities and services for the Premises.

This is a good example of what provisions a simple Maryland lease agreement might contain, and how one should look in its final form.

Maryland Lease Agreement Sample

2. Maryland Landlord and Tenant Laws

Maryland imposes specific and distinct requirements for landlords and tenants when executing a Lease/Rental Agreement. For example, Maryland statute provides for the following:

Security Deposit:

  1. A landlord is allowed to require up to two (2) months’ rent from a tenant for a security deposit. (Md Real Property Code, 8–203(b)(1))

Landlord Right of Entry:

  1. Although Maryland law does not require a landlord to give notice before entering the premises, it is highly recommended they do so. (No statute)

Additionally, Maryland law requires:

Domestic Violence:

  1. A tenant may terminate the lease early in cases of sexual abuse, sexual assault, or domestic violence.(Md Real Property Code, 8-5A-02(a)(1,2))
  2. A landlord may request proof of such violence from tenants. (Md Real Property Code, 8-5A-03 and 8-5A-04)

Additional Documents

Disclosure of Lead-Based Hazards

All Maryland landlords of any building constructed before 1978 must notify all tenants of the potential existence of lead-based hazards. (Title 42 U.S. Code § 4852(d))

Rental Inspection Checklist

A landlord must notify a tenant of their right to have the property inspected by the landlord before the tenant moves in and after lease end. A landlord must notify the tenant of their right to be present while the itemized list of damages is made with a rental inspection checklist. The inspection must take place within five (5) days before the tenant’s lease commencement and end. (Md Real Property Code, § 8-203.1)