Maryland Rent Increase 2026: 90-Day Notice, Shorter-Term Rules & Local Rent Control
Maryland uses a statewide rent-increase notice schedule based on the tenancy term, while local laws can add protections. Learn when 90, 60, 21 or 7 days applies and how Montgomery County's 2026 rent stabilization rules fit in.
The short answer
Maryland does not use one statewide percentage cap for every ordinary private residential rental. Instead, state law supplies a written-notice schedule for residential rent increases, while local jurisdictions can require additional notice or provide additional tenant protections.
Under Maryland Real Property § 8-209, a tenancy longer than one month generally requires at least 90 days' advance written notice. A tenancy longer than one week but no longer than one month generally requires at least 60 days. For a tenancy of one week or less, the statute requires at least 7 days if the parties have a written lease and at least 21 days if they do not.
Maryland's statewide notice schedule depends on the tenancy term
The state schedule is not a menu from which a landlord can simply choose the shortest period. The applicable period depends on the actual tenancy term and, for a tenancy of one week or less, whether the parties have a written lease.
For a monthly or longer residential tenancy, use the 90-day statewide starting point. For a tenancy longer than one week but no more than one month, use 60 days. For a tenancy of one week or less, distinguish between the 7-day written-lease rule and the 21-day rule when there is no written lease. Local law can require more.
The notice has delivery requirements too
Section 8-209 requires the rent-increase notice to be in writing. The statute permits first-class mail with a certificate of mailing, or electronic delivery if the tenant elects that method. The listed electronic methods are email, text message and an electronic tenant portal, and the method must give the landlord proof of transmission.
A landlord may not condition acceptance of a lease application on the tenant choosing electronic delivery. That distinction matters operationally: an electronic notice is not made compliant merely because the landlord prefers email or a portal; the statute ties that delivery path to the tenant's election.
Local Maryland law can be more protective
Maryland Real Property § 8-209 expressly says it does not supersede a local law or ordinance that requires additional notice or provides additional tenant protections. A statewide timing check is therefore only the first layer when the rental is in a county or municipality with its own rent rules.
Before serving or evaluating an increase, identify the exact property address and jurisdiction. Then check whether a county or municipality has a rent-stabilization program, a lower percentage limit, a longer notice rule, registration requirements or a special renewal process.
Montgomery County is a current example: 5.2% for regulated units
Montgomery County publishes a 5.2% maximum allowable rent increase for rent-stabilized units effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The County calculates the annual allowance as CPI-U plus 3% or 6%, whichever is lower; the 2026 CPI-U used by the County is 2.2%.
Unless exempt, the County states that licensed residential rental units built in or before 2003 are subject to rent stabilization for 2026. Coverage still has to be checked because exemptions and municipality-specific boundaries can change whether the County program applies to a particular unit.
Montgomery County also uses a 90-day written-notice rule
Montgomery County DHCA states that rent increases for regulated and exempt County-licensed rentals require written notice at least 90 days before the effective date. Current County guidance also says the notice must identify the current rent, new rent, percentage increase and proposed effective date and tell the tenant that DHCA can review an increase the tenant believes is excessive.
For rent-stabilized units, DHCA says rent may generally be increased only once every 12 months and at lease renewal or when signing a new lease. Those local requirements illustrate why a Maryland-wide article should not convert the state's notice schedule into a single statewide percentage cap.
A fixed-term lease still needs a lease-specific check
Section 8-209 tells you how much advance notice is required for a rent increase; it does not by itself mean a landlord can disregard the rent stated in an existing fixed-term lease. Review the lease, renewal language and any governing local or subsidized-housing rule before assuming a new amount can take effect during a fixed term.
If the increase is tied to renewal, document the current term end date, proposed renewal term, current rent, proposed rent, notice date and effective date. That record helps separate the state notice calculation from any local rent-cap or renewal requirement.
A practical Maryland rent-increase checklist
Confirm the tenancy term, whether there is a written lease, the exact rental address, the local jurisdiction, current rent, proposed rent, proposed effective date and the delivery method. Then apply the statewide 90/60/7/21-day schedule and check whether local law adds a longer notice period or a rent limit.
Use the Maryland state guide and Max Rental Tools calculator to measure the proposed percentage change. Prepare a Rent Increase Notice or Lease Renewal Notice only after the applicable state and local rule path is confirmed. The Maryland General Assembly and local government sources below remain the controlling public references for the rules described here.
Common questions
How much notice is required for a rent increase in Maryland?
For a residential tenancy longer than one month, Maryland Real Property § 8-209 generally requires at least 90 days' advance written notice. Shorter tenancy terms use different periods, and local law can require additional notice.
When does Maryland use a 60-day rent-increase notice?
The statewide statute uses at least 60 days for a residential tenancy longer than one week but not more than one month.
What are Maryland's 7-day and 21-day rent-increase rules?
For a tenancy of one week or less, § 8-209 uses at least 7 days when the parties have a written lease and at least 21 days when they do not have a written lease.
Does Maryland have one statewide percentage rent cap?
No single statewide percentage ceiling governs every ordinary private residential rental. Local jurisdictions can add rent limits or other protections, so the property location and coverage status matter.
What is Montgomery County's rent-stabilized increase limit for 2026?
Montgomery County publishes a 5.2% maximum allowable increase for covered rent-stabilized units effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, subject to coverage, exemptions, banking and approved adjustment rules.
Can a Maryland landlord send a rent-increase notice electronically?
Section 8-209 allows listed electronic methods when the tenant elects electronic delivery and the method provides proof of transmission. A landlord cannot condition acceptance of a lease application on that election.
Official sources
Maryland General Assembly — Real Property § 8-209Montgomery County DHCA — 2026 Rent Stabilization Increases & LimitsMontgomery County Register — 5.2% Allowance Effective July 1, 2026Continue your check
Use the state directory for current jurisdiction-specific rules, calculate the proposed increase, then prepare the appropriate rental document only after the legal-rule checks are complete.