Maryland HOA Guides & Resources
Everything we publish for Maryland boards — verification guides, state law, and the full management-company directory.
The essentials
Manager licensing
Maryland has no statewide license or registration requirement for community association managers. The legislature has considered manager-licensing bills repeatedly — most recently in 2025 — but none has become law. In the absence of a state credential, boards rely on nationally recognized designations such as the CMCA (Certified Manager of Community Associations) and the CAI-issued AMS and PCAM credentials when evaluating candidates. Two counties have filled part of the gap: Montgomery County (Chapter 10B of the County Code) and Prince George's County (CB-49-2015) each require annual registration of common ownership communities with a local Commission on Common Ownership Communities (CCOC), which also mediates resident-association disputes. A 2023 state law (HB 844) directed the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development to compile and publish information about all such local programs.
Governing law
Two primary statutes frame association governance. The Maryland Homeowners' Association Act (Real Property §§ 11B-101 through 11B-118) governs formation, powers, budget processes, reserve funding, records access, and dispute procedures for HOAs. The Maryland Condominium Act (Real Property §§ 11-101 through 11-143) imposes parallel obligations on condo councils of unit owners. Under Title 11B, associations must prepare an itemized annual budget covering operations, reserves, and capital expenses; present it at an open meeting; and complete an independent reserve study at least every five years (§§ 11B-112.2 and 11B-112.3). Both acts also require advance notice and a hearing opportunity before fines are imposed.