🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Maryland
State Cracks Down on Tax Evasion Among Short-Term Rental Hosts
Airbnbs Under the Microscope: Maryland’s New Tax Crackdown
Maryland’s short-term rental hosts may want to double-check their tax returns. Comptroller Brooke Lierman has announced an aggressive new effort to identify rental owners who aren’t reporting income from platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo, and she’s bringing cutting-edge data tools to the job.
At the Maryland Association of Counties conference in Ocean City, Lierman explained that her office has already hired a consultant to “scrape” listings and pricing information directly from short-term rental platforms. The data will then be cross-checked against what property owners report on their state taxes. If the numbers don’t line up, hosts could be in for an unpleasant surprise.
This move comes on the heels of legislation passed earlier this year that centralizes the collection of short-term rental taxes statewide. The goal is to ensure consistency across counties and close loopholes that have allowed some rental income to fly under the radar. Lierman hinted that more “cleanup” measures may come in the 2026 legislative session, but the foundation is already in place.
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For hosts, this signals a clear shift. Gone are the days when someone could casually list their beach condo or lake cabin without worrying about tax reporting. Now, the state is actively hunting for discrepancies, and the comptroller has made fairness her rallying cry. “We care very much about making sure that everybody pays their fair share,” she told county leaders, stressing that the revenue directly supports Maryland communities.
Observers note that Maryland’s approach could set a national precedent. While other states are working on similar efforts, Lierman believes this is the first program in the country to formally scrape and analyze rental platform data for tax enforcement. If successful, it could become a model for nationwide adoption.
The change won’t come without tension. Some hosts, especially those who rent casually or seasonally, may bristle at the extra scrutiny. Others welcome the shift, saying it levels the playing field for hotels and licensed lodging providers who have long shouldered strict tax compliance.
With summer rentals wrapping up and fall bookings just ahead, the timing is no accident. Maryland is positioning itself to capture every possible tax dollar from the booming short-term rental market. For hosts, the writing on the wall is clear: the state is watching — and it has the data to prove it.
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