The Montgomery County Council passed Bill 42-26 on Tuesday, November 10, requiring online short-term rental platforms to verify that properties have a valid County rental license before listing them.
The legislation, led by Councilmember Shebra Evans, aims to reduce lost County revenue from short-term rentals operating without complying with existing licensing and tax requirements.
Under the new law, the Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) must establish a publicly accessible online system for verifying short-term rental licenses. Rental platforms will also be required to submit annual reports on rental occupancy in the County and could face penalties for noncompliance…