Registration of Common Ownership Communities

Who Must Register?

Chapter 10B* of the Montgomery County Code requires that the leadership of each common ownership community (condominium, cooperative, or homeowner association) register annually with the Commission on Common Ownership Communities.

The registration requirement DOES NOT APPLY to communities located within the limits of certain incorporated municipalities: Town of Garrett Park, Town of Laytonsville, Town of Poolesville, Town of Somerset, and Town of Washington Grove. To determine if registration requirements apply, a community should contact the Commission on Common Ownership Communities, via MC311, at (240) 777-0311.

What's the Process?

Registration is performed by the Department of Housing & Community Affairs’ Licensing & Registration Unit. The process includes:

completion of a Registration Form,
submission of a complete and current copy of the recorded governing documents,
submission of a list of rental units in the community, and
payment of annual registration fees, which are calculated based upon the number of units located in the common ownership community.

Once a community is registered, the Licensing & Registration unit automatically generates a renewal notice each year. The registration year is July 1 through June 30.

For Registration Instructions, please see our Registration Instructions webpage.

How can I update my COC contacts or other information?

A community’s board of directors or managing agent may add documents, update contact information, and pay fees by mail, or online by logging in to their account on AccessMCG.

How can I create an online account?

An AccessMCG account is required to manage your registration account and to pay Common Ownership Community (COC) registration fees online. To create an AccessMCG account, follow the step-by-step instructions on the AccessMCG Instructions webpage.

Are there penalties for failure to register?

A common ownership community that fails to register and pay their annual fees is subject to a violation under the County Code, punishable by a civil fine of $500.00. Each day that a violation continues is a separate offense and may subject the community to multiple citations of $500.00.

How can I obtain a list of registered common ownership communities and their current contact information?

The DHCA maintains a list of registered Montgomery County common ownership communities, along with their elected officials and managing agents, online. However, this list is provided as a convenience “as is” without any guarantee of the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information. It is the responsibility of the COC to ensure the accuracy of the information. The list is available online at https://apps.montgomerycountymd.gov/DHCA-Licensing/COC/List