Cal. Civ. Code § 8-212.1

Md. Code Ann., Real Property Art. Title 8 — Landlord and Tenant

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 11/2/2026
effective 10/12/2026MarylandLease Requirements

Operative Text

Cal. Civ. Code § 8-212.1
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2) “Active duty” has the meaning stated in § 9–901 of the State Government Article.

(3) “Active service member” means “service member” as defined in § 9–901 of the State Government Article.

(4) “Change of assignment” includes:

(i) Permanent change of station orders;

(ii) Temporary duty orders for a period exceeding 90 days;

(iii) Orders requiring a person to move into quarters located on a military installation; and

(iv) A release from active duty, including:

1. Retirement;

2. Separation or discharge under honorable conditions; and

3. Demobilization of an activated member of a reserve component who was serving on active duty orders for at least 180 consecutive days.

(5) “Reserve component” has the meaning stated in § 9–901 of the State Government Article.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, if an active service member or the active service member’s spouse enters into a residential lease of property and the active service member subsequently receives a change of assignment, before or after occupying the property, any liability of the active service member or the active service member’s spouse, for rent under the lease may not exceed:

(1) Any rent or lawful charges then due and payable plus 30 days’ rent after written notice and proof of the change of assignment is given to the landlord; and

(2) The cost of repairing damage to the premises caused by an act or omission of the tenant.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under Maryland Real Property § 8-212.1, when an active service member or their spouse has signed a residential lease and the service member later receives a qualifying change of assignment — such as a permanent change of station, extended temporary duty, orders to move on-base, or a release from active duty — the law caps how much rent the tenant can owe. Specifically, liability is limited to any rent already due plus 30 days' rent following written notice and proof of the assignment change given to the landlord, along with the cost of any tenant-caused damage. This protection applies whether the change of assignment occurs before or after the service member or spouse has moved into the property.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 14, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 8-212.1 of the Maryland Real Property Code, operators who lease to active service members or their spouses should be aware that standard lease terms requiring longer notice periods or greater financial exposure cannot override this statutory cap when a qualifying change of assignment occurs. A compliant operator generally accepts written notice accompanied by documentation of the change of assignment, calculates the tenant's remaining liability as any past-due rent plus 30 days' rent from the date of that notice, and separately accounts for any documented tenant-caused damage. Maintaining clear records of notice receipt dates and the condition of the premises helps operators administer these situations consistently with § 8-212.1.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Section 8-212.1 of the Maryland Real Property Code gives active service members and their spouses a meaningful protection: if a qualifying change of assignment arises, their financial exposure under a residential lease is generally limited to overdue rent, 30 days' additional rent after proper written notice and proof are delivered to the landlord, and the cost of any damage they caused. Tenants in this situation typically preserve their rights by providing written notice along with official documentation of the change of assignment as soon as it is received. Those who believe a landlord is not honoring this cap may consider reaching out to a military legal assistance office, a tenant-rights organization, or reviewing options through Maryland's court system.

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.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 12, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Md. Code Ann., State Gov't § 9-901
Not yet ingested

References In

No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.

Related Rules

§ 244.280
Tenant to be given copy of lease
§ 151.35
SEVERABILITY
§ 165.12
SEVERABILITY

Source Information