In 2025, the 447th Maryland General Assembly session convened on Jan. 8 and adjourned on April 7. Maryland REALTORS® issues a recap of all of the pertinent legislation affecting the real estate industry. Below is the summary of the real estate brokerage, licensing and contract related legislation that passed, as well as those that did not pass.
R® HB 124/SB 160 Assignment of Contracts of Sale – Disclosure and Rescission PASSED – Effective October 1, 2025
A “wholesaler” must provide a disclosure to both the property seller and prospective buyer if a contract will be assigned. If the disclosure is not provided, the contract to purchase may be terminated without penalty prior to settlement.
R® HB 972/SB 680 Real Estate Commission - Continuing Education Requirements PASSED – Effective October 1, 2025
Continuing Education requirements for licensees are adjusted as follows: Fair Housing hours are increased from 1.5 to 2.0; separate BRAD and BRAD-SD classes are combined; commercial practitioners are required to complete 2.0 hours of ADA compliance; broker supervision is reduced to 1.5 hours; and, the CE course approval process is standardized across all classes.
HB 482 Occupational Licensing - Criminal History Predetermination Review Process PASSED – Effective July 1, 2025
Individuals may request an upfront review of their criminal history to determine whether they would be disqualified from obtaining an occupational license or certificate.
HB 895/SB 279 Employment and Insurance Equality for Service Members Act PASSED – Effective October 1, 2025
This bill extends state licensing and fee provisions currently offered to active-duty military and veterans to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Public Health Service.
HB 606/SB 441 New Home Sales - Entry of Final Sale Price in Multiple Listing Service DID NOT PASS
A developer, builder, broker, or real estate agent would be required to enter the final sale price of a new home into a multiple listing service.
SB 815 Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History Disclosure DID NOT PASS
REALTORS® successfully amended this bill to remove real estate from the category of licenses where criminal history review would be limited and licenses could not be denied from issuance.
Lauren Bunting is a Broker with Keller Williams Realty of Delmarva in Ocean City, Maryland.
