Section 8 Housing in Maryland

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Maryland?

Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.

Local voucher discrimination laws in Maryland

Maryland protects voucher holders statewide. These cities and counties also have their own ordinance, which can add a local agency to complain to.

• Baltimore CityBaltimore City Fair Housing Ordinance (2019, 20%-per-building cap)
• Howard CountyHoward County Human Rights Ordinance (2019)

Source: PRRAC, Appendix B: State, Local, and Federal Laws Barring Source of Income Discrimination (updated March 2026), plus the ordinances linked above. Informational only, not legal advice.

Maryland metro guides

In-depth, source-cited guides: waitlist status, voucher-friendly neighborhoods, and who to call if you are turned away.

All Section 8 markets in Maryland

Sorted by active voucher count. Each metro page has HUD Fair Market Rent by bedroom, the housing authorities that administer vouchers there, and waitlist status.

• Baltimore, MD

  Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 12580

  35,334 vouchers›

• Lexington Park, MD

  Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 30500

  2,084 vouchers›

• Hagerstown, MD

  Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 25180

  2,061 vouchers›

• Salisbury, MD

  Metropolitan Statistical Area · CBSA 41540

  404 vouchers›

Section 8 by county in Maryland

County pages show the local voucher count, housing authorities, and metro rollup. Useful when you are looking at a specific address.

• Baltimore City27,996 vouchers
• Prince Georges County8,854 vouchers
• Montgomery County8,589 vouchers
• Anne Arundel County3,594 vouchers
• Washington County1,713 vouchers
• Saint Marys County1,604 vouchers
• Harford County1,291 vouchers
• Howard County1,184 vouchers
• Carroll County1,093 vouchers
• Frederick County957 vouchers
• Charles County934 vouchers
• Cecil County678 vouchers
• Calvert County480 vouchers
• Wicomico County404 vouchers
• Talbot County268 vouchers
• Queen Annes County176 vouchers
• Allegany County
• Baltimore County
• Caroline County
• Dorchester County
• Garrett County
• Kent County
• Somerset County
• Worcester County

Section 8 in Maryland: common questions

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Maryland?

No. Maryland law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Maryland. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.

Which Maryland cities and counties have their own voucher discrimination law?

Baltimore City and Howard County have a local source-of-income ordinance on file. The ordinance and its citation are listed on this page.

How many Section 8 vouchers are there in Maryland?

HUD data shows about 39,883 Housing Choice Vouchers across the 4 Maryland markets we track, administered by 30 housing authorities statewide.

How do I apply for Section 8 in Maryland?

You apply to a local housing authority, not to the state or to HUD. Each of Maryland's housing authorities runs its own waitlist and opens it on its own schedule, and applying is always free. Pick your metro or county on this page to see the housing authorities that serve it and their current waitlist status.