Bed & Breakfast and Short-Term Residential Rental Licenses

The Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) administers the Bed and Breakfast and Short-Term Residential Rental Program. 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 and 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 and 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. 1-19
• 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
  • Conduct property safety and maintenance inspections as described in the DHCA Housing and Building Code Enforcement Handbook available in English (PDF) and Spanish (PDF) and Chapter 26. Housing and Building Maintenance Standards
  • Issue notices of violations for 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 for a license.

If you have further questions about the Bed and Breakfast and Short-Term Residential Rental Program, please visit the FAQs. Owners and property managers may contact DHCA by calling MC311 at 240-777-0311 to place a service request for assistance. Please indicate if you have a licensing or code inspection request or complaint.