New tenant screening laws take effect in Maryland: Know your rights!
By: Nick Adjami
October 1, 2026
In 2020, Maryland passed a law banning source of income discrimination in housing. “Source of income” refers to how a person pays their rent, and includes Housing Choice Vouchers, Rapid Rehousing subsidies, and other rental assistance programs. That means it is illegal in Maryland for landlords to discriminate against renters with housing vouchers.
Today, a new law goes into effect that strengthens source of income protections in the tenant screening process for renters with vouchers. The law limits when and how landlords can screen an applicant based on income and credit if that applicant uses a housing voucher. For example, it would likely be illegal for a landlord to deny an applicant who uses a housing voucher based on their credit score. If a landlord has a minimum income requirement, they can only require voucher holders to meet the requirement for their portion of the rent, not the whole rent amount.
Read ERC’s updated FAQ sheet for more information about fair housing protections for renters with vouchers in Maryland. The FAQ sheet identifies examples of illegal discrimination to help you identify and report it.
Maryland’s Fair Chance Housing Act also takes effect today. The law places reasonable restrictions on what information landlords can consider when screening a prospective tenant’s criminal history. Landlords can only screen for felony convictions from the last five years or a lifetime lookback of a much smaller list of violent felonies. The law also requires landlords to make a conditional offer of tenancy before running a criminal background check and to conduct individualized assessments of applicants with criminal histories.
If you suspect a Maryland housing provider has violated your fair housing rights, you can contact ERC for support. Call 202-234-3062 or email info@equalrightscenter.org.
Are you a housing professional who wants to learn more about your legal obligations and non-discrimination best practices? Sign up for an online course or learn about our live training options.
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If you believe you may have experienced discrimination in housing, you can contact the Equal Rights Center. To report your experience, please call 202-234-3062 or email info@equalrightscenter.org.
