Maryland gives people with disabilities, and any professional or volunteer trainer or raiser, access to public places and housing with a service animal. Maryland has no fake service dog law. It does have a voluntary orange State "service dog" tag that comes with a fee-free dog license, but no tag is needed for access, and a private registry card is not that tag.
Who counts as a service animal in Maryland?
Maryland's definition is older and broader than the ADA's: "'Service animal' means a guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability" (Human Services 7-701(g)). It is not limited to dogs. The federal ADA definition, which is dogs only (plus a separate miniature horse rule), still governs businesses.
Dog licensing uses a narrower "service dog" definition: a dog "professionally trained" for a person who is blind, deaf or mobility impaired (Local Government 13-104(a)).
The federal rule in full is in ADA service dog laws.
Public places in Maryland, including hotels and restaurants
Individuals with disabilities, and parents of a minor child with a disability, have "full and equal rights and privileges" with a service animal in common carriers, public accommodations "and other places to which the general public is invited" (Human Services 7-704(b)(1)). There is no extra charge, and the handler is liable for damage (7-705(d)(1)). Denying or interfering with admittance of a service animal is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500 per offense (7-705(e)(1)). Maryland's statute says nothing about staff questions or proof.
The ADA applies in Maryland too. Staff may ask only whether the dog is required because of a disability and what task it is trained to perform. They may not ask for documents or a demonstration, and may remove a dog only if it is out of control or not housebroken. See what businesses can ask.
Service dogs in training in Maryland
Yes. A "service animal trainer" is a person who trains or raises service animals, "whether the person is a professional or volunteer" (7-701(h)). Trainers accompanied by an animal being trained or raised have the same public and housing access (7-704). The conditions: the animal "may be excluded" if admitting it "would create a clear danger of a disturbance or physical harm"; there is no extra charge; and the trainer organization may be liable for damage (7-705(c) and (d)(2)). Denying a trainer carries a fine of only up to $25 per offense. No ID or tag is required.
This is state law only. Under the ADA, "the dog must already be trained before it can be taken into public places," and airlines do not treat dogs in training as service animals. Compare states in service dogs in training.
Is there a Maryland service dog registration or tag?
Yes, but it is a licensing tag, not a registry. When the local licensing agency is satisfied that a dog is a service dog "actually in use as a service dog", the owner pays no license fee, the license is marked "service dog" in red ink, and the agency "shall issue a tag for a service dog" that is orange, "labeled 'service dog'" and shows it is issued by the State (Local Government 13-104(b) and (d)). The owner must sign an affidavit that the dog "has been professionally trained as a service dog" (13-104(c)).
The tag is voluntary. Maryland law says that not using a service animal wearing an orange tag or collar is not contributory negligence (Human Services 7-704(b)(2)), so no tag is needed for access. Maryland also funds Children's, Disability and Veterans Service Animal Programs; those place animals and are not an ID system. Our cards and tags are not Maryland's orange tag and do not imitate it.
A private registry card, ours included, is not a state tag. The Department of Justice says such documents "do not convey any rights under the ADA." Our voluntary registry is a paid, optional record (an emergency contact, a card with the two ADA questions) and nothing more.
Housing: service dogs and ESAs in Maryland
An individual with a disability, a parent, or a service animal trainer "is entitled to full and equal access to housing accommodations" with a service animal or an animal being trained, and "may not be required to pay extra compensation for the service animal," though liable for damage (Human Services 7-704(c)). We found no Maryland housing statute specific to emotional support animals and no ESA fraud penalty. ESA requests fall under the federal Fair Housing Act and Maryland's fair housing law (State Government Article, Title 20, Subtitle 7) as reasonable accommodations.
Federal enforcement narrowed in 2026. A May 22, 2026 HUD memo says its fair housing office "will find reasonable cause and recommend charges only for those cases involving animals trained to provide disability-related assistance." The Fair Housing Act and private lawsuits remain, but for an untrained ESA, Maryland law now matters more.
ESA letters in Maryland
We found no Maryland statute on who may write an ESA letter. The federal baseline is the 2004 HUD and DOJ Joint Statement, which is still posted: a housing provider may ask for reliable information showing the disability and the need for the animal, and "In most cases, an individual's medical records or detailed information about the nature of a person's disability is not necessary for this inquiry."
We never sell or refer ESA letters. Ask the clinician who already treats you, and see ESA letters for housing for what a legitimate letter covers.
Employment: service dogs at work in Maryland
Public access rules do not govern the workplace. At work, a service dog is a reasonable accommodation request under Title I of the ADA, and unlike a store, an employer may ask for "reasonable documentation about his/her disability and functional limitations" when the need is not obvious (EEOC guidance). The Job Accommodation Network says employers "must consider the request, but do not have to automatically allow employees to bring their service animals to work."
Our research for this page covered Maryland access, training, housing and fraud statutes, not state employment law.
Misrepresentation penalties in Maryland
Maryland has no fake service dog law. We found no section of the Human Services Article or the Criminal Law Article that penalizes passing off a pet as a service animal, and the General Assembly's subject index for service animals shows no misrepresentation bill in the 2024, 2025 or 2026 sessions. That does not make it a good idea: a business may still remove a dog that is out of control or not housebroken, and misrepresentation is a crime in many states you might travel to.
At least 36 states penalize misrepresentation in some form; see fake service dog laws by state.
Where to file a complaint in Maryland
Denying a service animal is a misdemeanor in Maryland with a fine of up to $500 per offense (up to $25 when the person refused is a trainer). Federal routes are open too:
- Public places: the U.S. Department of Justice, through ADA.gov's complaint page.
- Housing: HUD's complaint page, though HUD now finds cause in animal cases only for trained animals.
- Work: the EEOC, through its page on filing a charge.
Rules change at the state line. Nearby: Virginia service dog laws and Pennsylvania service dog laws.
Common questions
Does Maryland have a service dog registry?
No registry, but local licensing agencies issue a voluntary orange State "service dog" tag with a fee-waived license. It is not required for access.
Is it illegal to fake a service dog in Maryland?
We found no Maryland law that penalizes it. Businesses can still remove a dog that is out of control or not housebroken.
Can a service dog in training go into stores in Maryland?
Yes. Any professional or volunteer trainer or raiser has access with an animal being trained, unless it would create a clear danger of a disturbance or physical harm.
Do emotional support animals have public access in Maryland?
No. Maryland's definition requires an animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks, and the ADA does not cover ESAs.
Sources
- Human Services 7-701, definitions
- Human Services 7-704, access rights
- Human Services 7-705, conditions and penalties
- Local Government 13-104, service dog license and tag
- General Assembly subject index, Service Animals (2026)
- DOJ, ADA service animal FAQ
General information, not legal advice. Policies and laws change; follow the sources. Last checked September 25, 2026.