Local Laws

Rules and Laws

When you rent your home for Commissioning Week, you should understand the local laws. This website is just a bulletin board, and since legal agreements are solely between you and your renters, we do not provide legal advice. However, we can share some information to help you understand laws and other rules that relate to short-term rentals in this area. The information on this page is not exhaustive, but it should help you start your research on local laws. If you have questions, contact local legislators and consult a local lawyer.

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Homeowners in Anne Arundel County but not the City of Annapolis

Anne Arundel County passed legislation affecting short-term rentals in February 2020. You can view the bill 89-19 here.

This bill puts rental licensing requirements ($400 bi-annual license) on homeowners who use internet-based "hosting platforms" that facilitate booking transactions in exchange for all or part of the rent. MidsRent is simply a bulletin board. Because you make your own rental agreements directly with renters and do not share or pay any portion of the agreed rent with MidsRent, we believe this new law does not apply to you if you only post here on MidsRent.

Important note: if you list your home on other websites (whether for Commissioning Week or any other occasion), you might be using "hosted platforms" and thus be required to obtain a license as a result of this new Anne Arundel County law. The use of MidsRent does not make you exempt by itself, but if you only use MidsRent to rent your home, it is our understanding that this law does not require you to register with the County. Neither MidsRent nor any of its members is licensed to practice law so you are advised to consult with a local lawyer for legal advice as to the effect of the new law.

Homeowners in the City of Annapolis

The City of Annapolis passed new legislation affecting short-term rentals in February 2020. For homeowners who rent their property repeatedly throughout the year, this legislation requires them to pay for and obtain a license from the City, and a physical in-person inspection of the property is required as part of the process. However, there is an exception for Commissioning Week:

Homeowners who rent only during Commissioning Week are exempt from this registration and inspection process.

You can view the legislation O-26-19 here, which states on Page 3, "a short-term rental operating license is not required for premises rented exclusively on only those days each year coinciding with annual United States Naval Academy graduation ceremonies".

If you only use this website to find renters for Commissioning Week, then you do not need to pay and obtain a license from the City of Annapolis. If you are an active renter beyond just using MidsRent, you will want to understand how the law applies to you. Regardless, you should consult a local lawyer. You can find Annapolis licensing information here.

Other Homeowners

Most homeowners who post on this website are in Annapolis or Anne Arundel County. If you are a little farther out, please consult your local County's legislation for any applicable short-term rental rules that you may have to follow.

Wherever your home may be, you are responsible for compliance with any and all laws applicable to its rental during Commissioning Week and MidsRent makes no warranty or assurances that such rental complies with any such laws.