Rental Rules by City / Free checklist / Annapolis

Is my Annapolis rental legal? Checklist

Anne Arundel County, Maryland · Based on our Annapolis page, last verified Oct 24, 2026 · Print

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📋 The Basics

Can I rent my place short-term here?: Yes, with a permit
Do I need a permit?: Yes, with a city STR license and yearly inspection.
What taxes do I pay?: Total about 14%. Check your Airbnb payout report to see which ones Airbnb collects; you pay the rest yourself.

Your 3 steps to be legal

Get HOA approval.
Apply in the CSS portal.
Pay 8% hotel tax monthly.

⚠️ Biggest risk: Running a second STR (one per licensee).

Words confusing? See the glossary. Details and official sources are below.

This is the general rule for Annapolis. Does your address qualify?

The free info covers the city as a whole. Your property can still be different: zoning can change from one street to the next, and an HOA or condo ban can stop rentals even where the city allows them.

Your $49 Compliance Check looks at your exact property:

Whether your exact address and zone allow short-term rentals
A check of HOA / condo rental restrictions to look for
Which permits and tax accounts you personally need
What you're missing right now
A personal report with clear next steps and official sources, by email
A refund if we report a rule in error (refund policy)

🔎 How we check: official city, county and state sources, a last-verified date on every page, and nothing guessed. Learn more

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Rules don't change every week, but they do change, and nobody emails you when they do. We'll alert you when city rules, tourist taxes, HOA-related laws, or Airbnb/Vrbo policies change in Annapolis. Cancel anytime.

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Permit / license / registration

License: City STR license, renewed yearly, annual inspection; one STR per licensee; HOA/condo approval required; owner lives in city or has a local manager.

Zoning, where allowed & definitions

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Night limits, minimum stays & occupancy

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Fees, penalties & pending changes

Fee: Fee code lists $400; licensing page lists $650 owner-occupied / $750 not: verify current fee. Free registration for Naval Academy/boat-show-only rentals.

Taxes & who collects them

Register / account for Maryland sales tax (6%)
Register / account for Anne Arundel County hotel/occupancy tax (8%)
What Airbnb collects: Verify in payouts which taxes your platform remits.
Vrbo and direct bookings: check which taxes Vrbo collects in your area; for direct bookings you collect and remit all of them yourself.

Total rate: 14%. 8% county occupancy tax (since July 1, 2023) plus 6% Maryland sales tax; report monthly in the city CSS portal. Calculate.

HOA / condo check

Read your declaration, bylaws and rules for rental bans, minimum terms, caps and approval requirements.
Get any association sign-off or approval letter your city or association requires.
See our HOA & condo guide.

Insurance

Confirm your homeowner/condo policy covers short-term rental use, or add a short-term rental policy. Platform host protection is not a substitute for insurance.
Ask your association whether it requires specific liability coverage.

Deadlines

Renew city/county permits or registrations on their schedule (often annually): confirm the date with the office that issued it.
File state and local lodging tax returns on the schedule your tax office assigns.

Official sources

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Not legal or tax advice. Last verified Oct 24, 2026. Rules and rates change: confirm with the official sources linked before you rent or file.