Maryland Rental Application

What information should landlords collect?

When collecting information for a Maryland rental application, it’s essential to gather the details that will help you make an informed decision about your candidates. As a landlord, you’re legally allowed to collect:

• Personal information: Name, date of birth, email, phone number, Social Security number, smoking status, vehicle information, and emergency contact info
• Rental history: Current and previous addresses
• Employment and income history: Current employment status, income, and credit details
• Personal and professional references: Contact details for previous landlords, current and previous employers, and other references to verify information
• Pet details: Number, type, breed, and size

Landlords can streamline this process by collecting applications digitally rather than letting stacks of paperwork pile up. Doing everything online is also more secure than relying on remembering to shred every application.

To speed up the process — and cut back on paper shredding — property management software like TurboTenant can help landlords collect applications digitally. Our free application form complies with Maryland laws and streamlines securing a new tenant. When paired with other tools that automate rent collection and online lease agreements, we make it easy to manage properties from anywhere.

Pre-Screener

If you find yourself inundated with applications, consider adding a pre-screener to your application workflow. A pre-screener (included with every application when you use TurboTenant) helps you quickly determine whether an applicant could qualify for your rental.

Residential pre-screeners often ask for a tenant’s:

• Basic contact info,
• Employment status,
• Current income,
• Self-reported credit score,
• Desired move-in date,
• Number of occupants,
• Smoking status,
• Pets, and more.

While pre-screeners are a handy, time-saving tool, they’re not a substitute for a fillable Maryland rental application or a thorough tenant screening process.

Federal Application Laws

To maintain a level playing field in housing, multiple federal laws prevent discrimination and protect tenants when seeking housing. Your application must comply with the following regulations:

Fair Housing Act (FHA): This law prohibits landlords from discriminating against applicants on the basis of several protected characteristics. Landlords cannot advertise housing in favor of, or deny an application based on:

• Race,
• Color,
• Sex,
• Religion,
• National origin,
• Disability, or
• Familial status.

Landlords can’t ask about these characteristics on an application or in person, and this applies to tenant selection teams, property owners, or any employees who work for the owner (42 U.S.C. §§ 3601–3619).

Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA): This longstanding federal law prohibits discrimination using many of the same criteria as the FHA. Per the ECOA, landlords cannot discriminate against applicants who receive public assistance or have lived in public housing. It also sets guidelines for how landlords can use a credit report when making housing decisions (15 U.S.C. §§ 1691–1691f).

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Under the ADA, landlords cannot deny an application based on a disability. They must also provide reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities, such as allowing service animals in no-pet units or permitting modifications like lowering countertops or fixtures (42 U.S.C. §§ 12101–12213).

Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): The FCRA requires landlords to obtain a tenant’s written consent before running a tenant’s background or credit check. If a landlord denies an application based on the results of the check, they must notify the tenant and give the reason for the denial (15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.).

Civil Rights Act of 1866: This federal law prohibits landlords from discriminating against rental applicants based on race or color (42 U.S.C. § 1981).

Maryland Application Laws

In addition to federal laws, each state enacts its own rules to guide landlords in processing rental applications. Maryland landlord-tenant laws provide additional protections for tenants beyond those offered by nationwide guidelines.

Source of income: As of 2026, Maryland law protects tenants from discrimination based on their source of income, prohibiting landlords from denying applications based on a tenant’s current or past receipt of public housing assistance (House Bill 231).

Criminal history: Maryland landlords may consider up to the previous 7 years of an applicant’s criminal history, but can base their decision only on convictions (Md. Code Ann. § 8-218). In Montgomery County, landlords cannot ask about a prospective tenant’s criminal history until after making a conditional offer for the unit, and, even then, may consider only felony convictions.

Eviction history: Landlords may consider a tenant’s rental and eviction history, but only from the previous 7 years, when selecting a new tenant (Md. Code Ann. § 8-218).

Sexual orientation and gender identity: Maryland law prohibits landlords from denying housing based on sexual orientation or gender identity (Md. Code Ann. § 20-705).

Portable tenant screening reports: Maryland landlords can consider a portable tenant screening report if the applicant obtained it within the last 30 days, but state law does not require landlords to accept these reports (Md. Code Ann. § 8-218).

Pets, ESAs, and Service Animals

Whether or not you allow pets in your rentals, you should include a section of the application that asks about any animals the renter may own. Under federal law, emotional support animals (ESAs) and service animals are not considered pets. However, you should still collect information about any animals the tenant plans to bring into the rental.

While landlords cannot discriminate against tenants for having an ESA or service animal, they can hold the tenant liable for any damage the animal causes to the property.

Pet information: Ask for details about the tenant’s pet, including its type, breed, size, and whether it qualifies as a service animal or an ESA.

Fair Housing Act (FHA): The FHA prohibits landlords from denying housing to tenants solely because they have an ESA or service animal, regardless of the animal’s type, breed, or size. Landlords also cannot charge pet rent or require a pet deposit for these animals.

Denial Process

When evaluating Maryland rental application forms, landlords must apply the same standards equally across all applicants. Landlords can legally deny applications based on poor credit history, insufficient income, or incomplete or false information on the application.

Denial notice: Maryland state law does not require landlords to provide tenants with a denial notice.

Credit/Background denials: If a landlord denies housing based on information obtained from a credit or background check, the FCRA requires the landlord to issue an adverse action notice to the applicant. The notice should include:

• The name of the firm that ran the credit check,
• An explanation of the tenant’s right to dispute the information found in the report, and
• Contact details for the reporting agency (15 U.S.C. § 1681m).

Document storage: Maryland law does not require landlords to retain denied applications or screening reports. However, it’s considered best practice to keep these documents for up to 2 years to enable landlords to defend against potential discrimination claims.