Government > Housing and Community Development > Rental Housing Programs > Rental Housing Licensing

Rental Housing Licensing

The City of Takoma Park requires the licensing of all rental housing. For more information about the licensing program, please review the relevant sections below or email the City at Housing@TakomaParkMd.gov.

There are three types of rental housing licenses issued by the City of Takoma Park — annual, biennial, and temporary. The most frequently-issued license is the annual license, which is valid for a 12-month period and runs from January 1 through December 31.

Takoma Park Rental Housing License Renewal Process

Rental license renewals will begin on December 1, 2024.

The City will be launching a new rental licensing platform for this year’s license renewals. Property owners with expiring licenses will receive more information later this month.

Please do not submit your renewal application or licensing fee at this time.

Rental Housing Licensing Requirements

The following is a summary of the general licensing requirements found in Takoma Park Code Chapter 6.08 Rental Housing Licenses.

1) Rental Housing License Application

A license application must be completed prior to the issuance of a new rental housing license, the renewal of an existing license or the transfer of an existing license to a new property owner.

Application for New Rental Housing License (choose from the following)

English – Rental License Application (PDF Application form to print and complete)
Spanish Language PDF Application form to print and complete

In order to renew an existing license, a renewal application must be submitted online.

2) Rental Housing License & Transfer Fees

A license fee, based on the number of rental units in the property, must be paid in full prior to the issuance or renewal of a required license. The fee is established on an annual basis and cannot be prorated or waived. A transfer fee is required when transferring ownership of a rental property. The license fee for 2024 is $128 per unit.

3) Lead Poisoning Prevention Compliance

State law and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) lead poisoning prevention regulations require the registration and/or certification of all rental housing properties built before 1978. All rental properties must be registered with the MDE and a copy of the MDE Certificate of each individual rental unit must be on file with the City before a license will be issued.

4) Property Inspection

The City Code requires the inspection of all rental units to ensure compliance with the City’s Property Maintenance Code. Inspections are conducted by Montgomery County’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA). Identified code violations must be corrected before a license will be issued by the City. The City will request an initial inspection from the County upon receipt of a completed Rental Housing License Application and fee payment. Rental property owners and managers will be contacted directly by County inspectors when it is time for the annual or biennial re-inspection.

Failure to correct the identified violation in a timely manner may result in the issuance of a citation, and a fine and/or the revocation or suspension of an existing rental housing license.

Inspection Checklist: Review these property maintenance guidelines before your inspection
Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements
Air Conditioning Requirements as of June 1, 2020
Bill 24-19 requires landlords of all rental dwelling units, except for detached single-family rental properties and rental dwellings located on a site listed in the National Register of Historic Places, to provide and maintain central air-conditioning or individual air-conditioning units in good working condition in order to protect the health and safety of tenants.

Quick Links

5) Landlord Certification

The owners of all rental housing properties — or their registered agents — are required to be certified by the City prior to the issuance of any rental housing license. The certification process is designed to provide landlords and their agents with a working knowledge of the laws governing the management, operation, maintenance and sale of rental housing property in Takoma Park.

Landlord Certification is obtained by passing a web-based course. Average completion time is between 1-1.5 hours, and participants may stop at any time and resume later. Follow the links below to access the course and display the instructions. Please note you will need to use the “Register Yourself” option to set up an account before you will be able to sign in to the course.

Certification remains valid for a period of three years, at which point it must be renewed. In order to renew a rental housing license , it is required that you have a current certification.

Resources

Links to City, County, and State Code

The links below will assist in preparing for inspections of rental properties, provide specific information about lease requirements and landlord-tenant relations, and can be used to answer the questions on the Landlord Certification Exam.