Renter guide · Maryland
Maryland's 80 degree apartment A/C standard, in effect since June 1
Maryland Chapter 664 was approved May 26 and took effect June 1, 2026, adding Md. Real Prop. § 8-122. For covered apartments, cooling must meet an 80°F standard each season from June 1 through September 30. The law does not require every Maryland rental to add A/C.
The standard, and where it is measured
A landlord-controlled system must keep each habitable space at 80°F or lower, measured three feet above the floor, from June 1 through September 30.
Tenant-controlled systems must be capable of it
A tenant-controlled system must be in good working order and capable of the same 80°F standard. You still choose the thermostat setting; the rule is about what the supplied system can do, not forcing you to set it at 80.
One thermostat reading is not enough by itself
A thermostat display alone may not establish compliance. Record the temperature three feet above the floor, note the room, date, and time, and take a photo before you ask for a repair.
Measure it, then send one clear message
- Record the temperature three feet above the floor.
- Add the room, date, time, and a photo.
- Ask when the A/C will be checked and repaired, and keep the message and photo.
Who this covers
Covered: a residential rental unit in an apartment building with 10 or more units, where on or after January 1, 2025 the landlord equipped or provided the unit with A/C or the lease required it, plus qualifying new construction. Beginning October 1, 2026 it will also cover qualifying units renovated with a replacement or substantial upgrade of electrical or heating systems; that trigger is not in effect yet.
Not covered: properties on the National Register of Historic Places, narrow Baltimore public-housing exclusions, and construction or renovation whose building permit predates June 1, 2026. Reasonable maintenance and repair are expressly allowed.
Primary sources
Optional: check the building's record
RentSift shows the Maryland A/C rule and its official source with a supported Maryland address report. It cannot determine whether a specific unit meets every coverage condition: unit count, who controls the A/C, lease promises, permit timing, or historic status.
General renter information, not legal advice. This guide is general information about published rules, not advice for your situation. Laws change; the cited source is always the authority.