Bed & Breakfast and Short-Term Residential Rental Licenses
Effective October 1, 2024, the Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) is responsible for administering the Bed & Breakfast and Short-Term Residential Rental Program, which was previously managed by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). DHCA is charged with ensuring compliance with and enforcing Montgomery County Code, Chapter 54, Article III, Bed and Breakfast and Short-Term Residential Rental which requires that the operation of a bed and breakfast and a short-term residential rental be licensed.
The Bed & Breakfast and Short-Term Residential Rental Program allows residential property owners who meet certain requirements to rent habitable living space for less than thirty (30) consecutive days for a fee. To ensure compliance and enforcement of the law, DHCA is required to administer the following:
The Bed & Breakfast and Short-Term Residential Rental Program allows residential property owners who meet certain requirements to rent habitable living space for less than thirty (30) consecutive days for a fee. To ensure compliance and enforcement of the law, DHCA is required to administer the following:
Licensing Requirements
- Operators of bed and breakfast or short-term residential rental properties must apply to DHCA for a license or license renewal, per the requirements of Montgomery County Code, Chapter 54, Sec. 54-43
DHCA Administration of Bed & Breakfast and Short-Term Residential Rental Program
- Approve or deny new and renewal license applications between 30 and 60 days after an application and the required fee is received Montgomery County Code, 54, Sec. 54-45 (unless the DHCA Director receives a challenge to the application under Montgomery County Code, Chapter 54, 54-46)
- Review challenges to license applications received within 30 days from the date an application is filed
- Collect the established annual licensing fee of $325 for a short-term residential rental and $150 for a bed and breakfast
- Suspend or revoke licenses Montgomery County Code, Chapter 54, Sec. 54-47
- Enforce licensor compliance by operators of bed and breakfast and short-term residential rental properties Montgomery County Code, Chapter 54, Sec. 54-42
- Issue notices of violations and civil citations to operators of bed and breakfast and short-term residential rental properties in violation of Program requirements Montgomery County Code, Chapter 54, Sec. 54-13 and Chapter 1, Sec. 1-193
DHCA Administration of Short-Term Residential Rental Housing and Building Maintenance Standards
- Respond to and investigate complaints related to short-term residential rental and bed and breakfast properties
- Respond to and investigate complaints related to short-term rental and Bed and Breakfast properties as described in the DHCA Housing and Building Code Enforcement Handbook available in English and Spanish and Chapter 26. Housing and Building Maintenance Standards
- Issue notices of violations for health and safety and maintenance code violations
- Issue civil citations for unresolved housing code violations
If you want to operate a bed and breakfast and/or short-term residential rental or are currently doing so without a license or your license has expired, please apply online for a license here Rental License Application Process Guide. If you have further questions about the Bed and Breakfast and Short-Term Residential Rental Program, please visit FAQs - Rental License or contact MC311 Answering to You - Montgomery County, MD (montgomerycountymd.gov) and indicate if you have a licensing or code inspection request or complaint.