The Global Background Check Blog

Maryland’s Fair Chance Housing Act took effect October 1, 2026. The law changes when covered housing providers may obtain and use a prospective tenant’s criminal-history information. For most covered landlords, criminal history can no longer be part of the initial rental-application process. Instead, the landlord generally must evaluate other qualifications first, make a conditional offer of housing, and then follow Maryland’s new review and notice requirements before withdra