Cal. Civ. Code § 8-5A-01

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

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 11/2/2026
effective 10/12/2026MarylandVAWA & Survivor Protections

Operative Text

Cal. Civ. Code § 8-5A-01
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b) “Abuse” has the meaning stated in § 4–501(b) of the Family Law Article.

(c) “Legal occupant” means an occupant who resides on the premises with the actual knowledge and permission of the landlord.

(d) “Offender” means a person who commits an act of abuse.

(e) “Peace order” means an enforceable final peace order.

(f) “Protective order” means an enforceable final protective order.

(g) “Qualified third party” means:

(1) A physician who is authorized to practice medicine under the Health Occupations Article;

(2) A psychologist who is authorized to practice psychology under the Health Occupations Article;

(3) A social worker or caseworker of any public or private health or social services agency or provider; or

(4) An advocate from a domestic violence or sexual assault prevention or assistance program.

(h) “Report by a qualified third party” means a report based on information received by a qualified third party while acting in a professional capacity that:

(1) Indicates that the tenant or a legal occupant is seeking assistance as a result of an act of abuse;

(2) Includes the following elements:

(i) The name of the tenant or legal occupant;

(ii) A statement that the tenant or legal occupant is a victim of abuse;

(iii) The date, time, location, and a brief description of the incident;

(iv) The name and physical description of the alleged offender, if known;

(v) The name and address of the employer of the qualified third party;

(vi) The licensing entity and license number of the qualified third party, if the qualified third party is required to be licensed; and

(vii) The signature of the qualified third party, under seal of a notary public; and

(3) Is signed and acknowledged by the tenant or legal occupant under penalty of perjury.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Section 8-5A-01 of Maryland's Real Property Code establishes the foundational definitions for a subtitle that addresses the rights of domestic abuse victims in rental housing. Key terms defined include 'abuse,' 'legal occupant,' 'offender,' 'peace order,' 'protective order,' 'qualified third party,' and 'report by a qualified third party.' The definition of a 'qualified third party report' is particularly detailed, specifying the professionals who may prepare such a report and the precise elements it must contain, including notarization and the tenant's signed acknowledgment under penalty of perjury.

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

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 8-5A-01, Maryland landlords operating within this subtitle's scope should be familiar with the defined terms, as they govern how abuse-related housing protections are triggered and applied. A compliant operator understands that a 'legal occupant' is someone residing on the premises with the landlord's actual knowledge and permission, and that a valid 'report by a qualified third party' must meet specific content and authentication requirements before it carries legal weight under this subtitle. Familiarity with which professionals qualify as 'qualified third parties'—including physicians, psychologists, social workers, and domestic violence advocates—helps operators correctly evaluate documentation presented by tenants invoking protections under this subtitle.

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

For Tenants

Section 8-5A-01 lays the groundwork for protections available to tenants and legal occupants who are victims of abuse in Maryland rental housing. If you are seeking to invoke rights under this subtitle, the provision specifies that a report from a qualified professional—such as a doctor, psychologist, social worker, or domestic violence advocate—must include specific details like the incident description, the alleged offender's information, and must be notarized and signed by you under penalty of perjury. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid services can help individuals understand whether documentation meets the requirements set out in § 8-5A-01 and what options may be available under the broader subtitle.

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., Fam. Law Art. § 4-501
Not yet ingested

References In

No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.

Related Rules

§ 25
Refusal of rental agreement or assistance based on termination of rental agreement under Sec. 24 or request for change of lock under Sec. 26 prohibited
§ 26
Change of locks upon request of tenant, co-tenant or household member believed to be under imminent threat of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault or stalking
§ 47a-7b
Request to change dwelling unit locks when tenant is named as a protected person in a protective or restraining order.

Source Information