In 2022, two sisters — Jillian and Lindsay Wiener of Potomac, Maryland — died in a house fire while staying at a short-term rental on Long Island. The unit had no functioning smoke alarms. No carbon monoxide detector. No evacuation plan on the wall. No way out.

That tragedy prompted Maryland lawmakers to act. In March 2026, the Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 1221, the Jillian and Lindsay Wiener Short-Term Rental Fire Safety Act. Governor Wes Moore signed it into law on April 14, 2026. It takes effect July 1, 2026 — and it makes Maryland the first state in the country to impose statewide mandatory safety standards on short-term rentals.

If you rent your property on Airbnb, VRBO, or any other platform for fewer than 30 consecutive days — anywhere in Maryland, including Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and the surrounding region — this law applies to you. Here’s what you need to know and do before July 1.

What the Law Requires: The Full Checklist

The Jillian and Lindsay Wiener Short-Term Rental Fire Safety Act establishes five mandatory safety requirements for all short-term rental units in Maryland. These are non-negotiable minimums — local jurisdictions can add stricter requirements on top of them.

In addition to the four items above, the law also requires that emergency contact information — including local fire department and first responder numbers — be accessible to guests. This is separate from your standard platform hosting contact info. Think of it as the difference between “call me” and “call 911, and here’s the local non-emergency line too.”

What Happens if You Don’t Comply

Marlyand’s new law is not merely advisory. Beginning July 1, 2026, operating a short-term rental that does not meet these standards is a violation of state law. Counties and Baltimore City are additionally required to adopt their own local inspection programs by July 1, 2028, which will mandate annual inspections for STR compliance. That means the enforcement infrastructure is being built right now.

Beyond legal exposure, consider the liability picture: if a guest is injured or killed in a fire at your non-compliant rental, the absence of legally required safety equipment is not a technicality — it’s evidence of negligence. No host wants to be in that position.

Platforms like Airbnb and VRBO are increasingly requiring hosts to attest to local and state compliance as part of their listing management. Non-compliance may ultimately result in listing suspension or removal in addition to state penalties.

What ‘Short-Term Rental’ Means Under This Law

The law defines a short-term rental as any residential property rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days. This covers the full spectrum of platforms — Airbnb, VRBO, Hipcamp, Furnished Finder for short stays, and any direct-booking arrangement you run yourself. It applies to entire units, private rooms within a home, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) offered on a short-term basis.

If you’re unsure whether your listing qualifies, the test is simple: do any of your bookings run less than 30 nights? If yes, you’re subject to the new law. Properties rented exclusively on long-term leases (30 days or more) are not covered.

How This Affects Baltimore-Area Hosts Specifically

Baltimore City and the surrounding counties — including Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County — already have varying layers of short-term rental regulation. Baltimore City, for instance, requires STR operators to obtain a short-term rental license through DHCD and limits certain STR activity in residential zones. The new state law layers on top of those local requirements — it doesn’t replace them.

For Baltimore-area hosts, this means compliance now has two tracks: our existing local licensing obligations and the new statewide fire safety standards. Failing on either track creates exposure. What’s particularly important for Baltimore City hosts is that the city must have its own inspection program in place by 2028 — meaning the compliance stakes in an already-regulated market are about to get higher.

Your Pre-July 1 Action Plan

With less than a month until the effective date, the action steps are straightforward but time-sensitive. Here’s what every Maryland STR host should do immediately:

1. Audit your current safety equipment. Walk-through your unit and confirm you have working interconnected smoke alarms in every sleeping area and on every level, a carbon monoxide detector, and a fire extinguisher with a current inspection tag. If anything is missing, order it now – retailers like Home Depot and Amazon have compliant equipment in stock.

2. Create and post your evacuation diagram. This doesn’t require a professional – a clear hand-drawn or printed floor plan showing exits from each room, labeled and laminated, meets the intent of the law. Post it prominently near the front door and in each bedroom.

3. Post emergency contacts visibly. Create a simple printed card with the local fire department, local police non-emergency number, and your contact information. Include this in your unit – not just in a digital welcome guide that guests may not access in an emergency.

4. Update your listing platform disclosures. Both Airbnb and VRBO have host compliance sections where you can attest to local and state safety standards. Update these after you’ve completed your physical inspection.

5. Document everything. Take dated photos of your installed safety equipment, your evacuation diagram in place, and your emergency contact posting. Keep these on file. If you’re ever audited under a future county inspection program, this documentation is your best protection.