Which landlords must offer it
Maryland's new rent-reporting law requires covered landlords to offer tenants the option of reporting complete, timely rent payments to at least one consumer reporting agency. For new leases, the offer starts October 1, 2026. The enacted text applies this requirement to landlords owning six or more residential rental units in the state.
For older leases, the offer must be made by January 1, 2027 and at least annually thereafter. Reporting is optional. The offer must identify the reporting agency, fee and election instructions, rather than silently treating every tenant as enrolled.
Read the fee and opt-out terms
The fee cannot exceed the lower of the landlord's actual service cost or $10 monthly. Tenants may stop participation, but the statutory offer warns they cannot resume for at least six months after opting out. Those terms matter when comparing a potential credit-building benefit with an ongoing charge.
The definition of positive history excludes incomplete or late rent payments. It does not promise a particular score increase or that every lender uses the reported data the same way. Read which agency receives the information and preserve the election before paying. This is a distinct new reporting choice, not a universal free service or proof that rent must automatically appear on all credit reports.