Maryland Lease Agreement with ezSign
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Create and Download the Maryland Residential Lease & Rental Agreement printable PDF for Landlords. This state-specific Lease is customizable and includes MD laws.
Document Last Modified: 1/4/2024
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Table of Contents
- Maryland Residential Lease Agreement
- MD Landlord-Tenant Laws
- Required Disclosures
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Other Popular Forms
- Maryland Rental Forms and Templates
- Other State Lease Agreements
- Create Your Maryland Lease
Maryland Residential Lease Agreement
If you Lease rental property in Maryland, you need a Lease Agreement that complies with all state laws. Sound complicated? Don’t worry, we make it EZ!
- Follow simple prompts to customize your Lease entirely online.
- As you do, you’ll get State Assist tips that point out key Maryland Laws.
- Plus, all state-required language, disclosures, and addendums are AUTOMATICALLY included in your Lease Agreement.
- With the click of a box, add any additional disclosures or addendums you want - for example, a Pet Addendum, a Tenant Guest Policy, or a Smoke-Free Property Addendum.
- Review and sign the Lease online using our electronic signing tool, ezSign.
EZ to create. EZ to review. EZ to sign.
Create your customized Maryland Lease Agreement in less than 15 minutes!
Pro Tip: In addition to complying with all MD Lease laws, our Maryland Lease Agreement also meets all Lease requirements for the City of Baltimore
MD Landlord-Tenant Laws
Our Lease Agreement is GUARANTEED to comply with all Maryland Lease Laws. But, we know that Pro Landlords need to be familiar with State Laws when managing their rental property.
That means, you don’t need to worry about these laws when creating your Lease, but they’re here to help you as you manage your rental!
| Category | State Law |
|---|---|
|
Ending and Renewing |
Automatic Renewal Provisions for Periods of More Than 1 Month: When a Lease provides for automatic renewal, unless prior notice is given by the party seeking to terminate the Lease, that renewal
provision must be distinctly set apart from other provisions of the Lease, and space must be provided
for the Tenant's written acknowledgment of that provision. This written acknowledgment may include the Tenant's signature, initials, or witnessed mark. Important: Any Lease or other written agreement may not require the Tenant to give a longer notice of termination than the landlord. (Md. Code, Real Property, Section 8-501.) When a written lease contains termination provisions; the required notice of intent to vacate shall be provided within the lease. Baltimore only: Baltimore City law requires the landlord to give at least 60 days' written notice before the end of the year, month, or week when the tenant is to vacate. The tenant normally has to give only a 30-day written notice. (Public Local Laws, Sec. 9-16). |
| Returned Payment Fee | A returned payment fee may not exceed $35. |
| Late Fee | Maryland late fees cannot exceed 5% of the amount of rent due. Some counties within Maryland may have additional requirements. For example, in MONTGOMERY COUNTY, this fee may not be assessed until the rent is more than 10 days late. |
| Insurance Requirements | No statute |
| Notice to Enter | No statute but we always recommend at least 24 hours’ notice to enter the Leased premises. |
|
Landlord Requirements |
The Landlord of a residential rental property must include within the written Lease OR on a posted sign
conspicuously placed on the rental property, the following information: a The name, address, and phone number of the landlord; or b The person who is authorized to accept notice or service of process on the landlord's behalf. SUB-LEASING: If the Lease provides that the Tenant must obtain the Landlord's consent in order to sublease, consent may not be unreasonably withheld. IMPORTANT: Maryland law requires that if a Landlord rents FIVE or more dwelling units within the state he or she must include this statement or similar within each lease: "The premises will be available in a reasonably safe, habitable condition." (Use the text box below to insert it.) If the above is not included within the agreement, a similar statement must be. BALTIMORE: Every owner of a non-owner occupied dwelling unit, "whether occupied or vacant, whether it is producing revenue or not producing revenue, whether habitable or not habitable" shall file a registration statement with the Housing Commissioner. This must be done upon any transfer of the property and every September 1st thereafter. Baltimore City Code, Article 13, Subtitle 4-2 |
Contact your local housing or zoning office to be sure your rental property complies with city and county requirements for inspections, rent control, occupancy limits, property codes, and zoning. Many cities and counties require inspections and registrations and have specific maintenance regulations.
Required Disclosures
Maryland requires that certain disclosures be included in the Lease Package.
Note: We automatically included all required disclosures in our Maryland Lease Agreement!
- Agent/Landlord Identification: The Landlord and any of the Landlord’s agents permitted on the premises must be disclosed in the Lease Agreement. This identification should include name, address and phone number of the Landlord or the Landlord’s agent.
- Lead-Based Paint Disclosure: Pursuant to federal law, if the property was built before 1978, Landlords must inform Tenants of the potential of dangerous lead within the walls and ceiling.
- Move-In/Move-Out Checklist: The Tenant has a right to request an inspection of the property by the Landlord in the Tenant’s presence for the purpose of documenting any damage that exists when the Lease term begins.
- Habitability Statement: A statement must be included in the Lease Agreement that states the property will be in a condition that permits habitation and that states the Tenant’s responsibility as to heat, electricity, gas, water, and repairs.
- Maryland Security Deposit Receipt: This form must be provided to Tenants any time a security deposit is collected.
- Maryland Lead Poisoning Prevention - Notice of Tenant’s Rights: At the beginning of the Tenancy, Landlords must provide Tenants with this Notice of Tenant’s Rights.
- Baltimore Flood Zone Disclosure: Baltimore only. If a Baltimore rental property is located in a flood zone, this must be disclosed to the Tenants.
Pro Tip: Using our Lease Agreement is the EZ way to ensure that you comply with all Maryland Lease Laws. We AUTOMATICALLY include all required language, disclosures, and addendums. EZ as that!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a residential Lease be in Maryland?
The standard Lease term is one year (12 months). Lease periods for longer terms are acceptable but the Lease
must be in writing for Tenancies of more than one year. That said, it’s always a good idea to have your Lease
Agreement in writing to ensure that you and your property are protected.
It’s also worth noting that Lease Agreements for shorter periods are also accepted as long as they’re specified in the Rental Contract. Short-term Leases, month-to-month Lease Agreements, and Vacation Rental Agreements are all enforceable.
Is a contract to Lease binding in Maryland?
Yes, as long as the Landlord, or lessor, and Tenant, or lessee, have agreed to the terms, a contract to Lease is
legally binding in Maryland. To ensure that the Lease is fully enforceable, it’s important to have both parties
sign a written Rental Contract.
How do I save my Lease Agreement?
Our Maryland Lease Agreement is automatically stored securely on the cloud with our ezCloudStorage. This is a
safe and EZ way to keep track of all signed Leases. If you prefer a hard copy, our Lease Agreements are also
printable and EZ to download and save as a PDF.
Do Leases need to be notarized in Maryland?
No, MD Lease Agreements do not need to be notarized. As long as they are signed by both parties, they are
considered legally binding and fully enforceable.
Who needs a Lease Agreement?
Anyone who rents real estate needs a Lease Agreement in place
before handing over legal possession of their property. This is true whether you’re leasing an apartment, condo,
duplex, or single-family home. The Lease Agreement is vital for protecting your investment should issues arise
with your renters.
There are blank, fillable Lease Agreements available online, but these can miss key state requirements that could be the difference between winning or losing in court. As a result, it’s important to have a state-specific Lease Agreement.
When it comes to state-specific Leases, there are some generic and basic Lease Agreements offered - for example, the one offered by the Maryland Association of Realtors. While these comply with state laws, they don’t offer the customization that Landlords need to cover all terms and policies of their rental.
To avoid Landlord nightmares and maximize your ROI, it’s important to always use a state-specific, customizable Lease Package.
Other Popular Forms
Landlords need more than a great Lease Agreement, that’s why we have forms and templates for the entire Landlord Lifecycle!
- Rental Application: It’s important to always screen Tenants before signing a Lease. Good screening includes a Rental Application, credit report, criminal history background check, and eviction report. Use our Free Rental App to start your screening today!
- Tenant Welcome Letter: Share key information with renters about their new home using this customizable Welcome Letter. It’s a great way to establish good Landlord-Tenant communication from day 1!
Maryland Rental Forms and Templates
- Maryland Security Deposit Receipt: Any time a Landlord collects a security deposit from a Tenant, they must provide them with a Maryland-specific security deposit receipt.
- Rent Ledger: This is a great way to keep up with Rent Payments and to maintain thorough documentation of all payments.
- Maryland Notice to Vacate: This Notice to Vacate alerts occupants that the Landlord plans to retake possession of the property due to Lease violations.
- Montgomery County Notice to Vacate for Cause: This notice is for Landlords in Montgomery County that plan to retake possession because of uncured Lease violations.
- Baltimore Eviction Procedures for Landlords and Tenants: Evictions are complicated. This resource guides Baltimore Landlords through each step of the eviction process.
- Maryland Sample Failure to Pay Rent/Landlord’s Complaint for Repossession of Rented Property: This is a sample filing that Maryland Landlords can use to start eviction proceedings. It can only be used after Landlords have given proper notice.
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Pro Tip: Having access to all the forms you need makes it EZ to manage your property and ensure good Landlord-Tenant communication. Pro Members have access to our entire library of forms and templates!
Other State Lease Agreements
Landlords need state-specific Lease Agreements for every state where they have rental property. Thankfully, we’ve got them all!
- Delaware Lease Agreement: Create the complete Delaware Lease Package.
- New Jersey Rental Contract: The EZ way to create a Lease that complies with New Jersey’s complex Lease laws.
- Pennsylvania Residential Lease Agreement: Lease signing is EZ with our electronic signing tool, ezSign.
- Virginia Lease Contract: Customize your Virginia Lease Package using our Lease Builder.
- West Virginia Lease Agreement: Create the complete WVA Lease Agreement online in minutes!
Need another state? We’ve got it!
Create Your Maryland Lease
Ready to make sure you and your rental property have complete protection? Start customizing your Lease Agreement now!
- EZ to customize in MINUTES.
- Guaranteed to comply with Maryland Lease Laws.
- EZ to sign and store online.