Oakland, Maryland

Short term rentals are legal in Oakland and across Garrett County. Operators need a Transient Vacation Rental Unit (TVRU) license or short term rental registration from the Garrett County Department of Planning and Land Management. The county’s TVRU framework has been in place since 2006. Reported costs run from about $50 for a two year license up to about $250 when combined with new rental registration and a zoning permit, so confirm current amounts with the county. Licenses renew on a two year cycle. There is no annual cap on rental nights, and neither owner occupancy nor primary residence is required, so the process is the same for owner managed and professionally managed homes. A TVRU is a dwelling rented for 14 days or less, with a limit of eight bedrooms and occupancy of two persons per bedroom plus four additional guests. Standards include bedroom egress windows, one parking space per bedroom, bear proof trash containers, posted quiet hours from 10 pm to 8 am and emergency exit plans. Pools, hot tubs and wells carry extra certification or testing requirements. The county levies an 8% occupancy tax, and licensed operators file monthly reports. Garrett County has no countywide zoning, and the strictest standards apply in the Deep Creek Lake Watershed Zoning District. The Town of Oakland keeps its own zoning, so check both the county and the town before operating. Enforcement is rated moderate and is mostly complaint driven, with possible fines, suspension or revocation. No major overhaul was identified in the last 24 months.