Cal. Civ. Code § 8-218
Md. Code Ann., Real Property Art. Title 8 — Landlord and Tenant
Operative Text
(a) In this section, “reusable tenant screening report” means a report prepared within the previous 30 days by a consumer reporting agency at the request and expense of a prospective tenant and made directly available to a prospective landlord at no charge for use in the rental application process. (b) A reusable tenant screening report shall contain the following information regarding a prospective tenant: (1) A credit report; (2) For each jurisdiction indicated as a prior residence of the prospective tenant, regardless of whether the residence is reported by the prospective tenant or by a consumer reporting agency preparing a consumer report: (i) A comprehensive criminal history records check for all federal, state, and local charges against and convictions of the prospective tenant over the previous 7 years; and (ii) A comprehensive eviction history for all state and local jurisdictions for the previous 7 years; (3) Verification of employment and income; and (4) Current address and rental history. (c) (1) A landlord shall notify prospective tenants regarding whether or not the landlord accepts reusable tenant screening reports. (2) Notice under paragraph (1) of this subsection may be in writing or by posting notice in a conspicuous manner, including: (i) A statement posted on a rental housing listing; (ii) Notice posted on the homepage of a website; (iii) Information provided in the rental application page for a rental property online; or (iv) Any other manner reasonably calculated to provide potential tenants with notice. (d) If a prospective tenant provides a reusable tenant screening report to a landlord that accepts reusable tenant screening reports, the landlord may not charge the prospective tenant: (1) A fee for the landlord to access the report; or (2) An application fee. (e) A landlord that accepts a reusable tenant screening report under this section may require a prospective tenant to certify that there has not been a material change to the tenant’s name, address, bankruptcy status, criminal history, or eviction history since the date that the report was generated. (f) Prior to the execution of a lease agreement, a landlord may reject an application for tenancy if a prospective tenant made a material change to a reusable tenant screening report.
Maryland Real Property § 8-218 establishes a framework for 'reusable tenant screening reports' — background and credit reports that a prospective tenant pays for themselves and can share with multiple landlords at no additional cost. The provision defines what such a report must contain, including a credit report, seven years of criminal and eviction history, employment and income verification, and rental history. Landlords must disclose whether they accept these reports, and those who do accept them cannot charge the applicant an access fee or a separate application fee. A landlord may still reject an application if the tenant materially altered the report before submission.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 8-218, property owners and managers are required to clearly communicate to prospective tenants — through a listing, website homepage, online application page, or other reasonably conspicuous means — whether they accept reusable tenant screening reports. Operators who choose to accept such reports must forgo charging any access fee or application fee when a qualifying report is presented. Compliant operators also typically include a certification step requiring the applicant to confirm that no material changes to their name, address, bankruptcy status, criminal history, or eviction history have occurred since the report was generated, and they retain the right to deny tenancy if the report was materially altered.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 8-218 of the Maryland Real Property Code gives prospective tenants the option to commission their own tenant screening report — covering credit, criminal history, eviction history, employment, and rental history — and present it to participating landlords without paying an additional application or access fee. Before applying, tenants can look for a landlord's posted notice (on a listing, website, or application page) indicating whether reusable reports are accepted. Tenants who believe a landlord has improperly charged fees in violation of this provision may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or seek guidance from a housing attorney to understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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